The Hovawart is a hardy working dog breed from Germany with a protective nature. Roughly translated, the name means “guardian of the farm”. Large in size yet loyal, this rare breed is sought after and loved by those who are lucky enough to know about him! Because there are strict breeding principals put in place by the International Hovawart Federation, these dogs are very healthy and long-lived compared to many working breeds (13-14 years is average). A trustworthy and alert companion, they make excellent dogs in the right home – but have specific needs that must be met. This working breed needs a job and without one, will create their own!
The Hovawart can be strong-willed and therefore not always recommended for novice owners. Furthermore, their guarding instincts can be too much for those who don’t know how to properly raise such a dog. These dogs need firm rules and plenty of structured exercise – both physical as well as mental. An owner needs to be willing to put in plenty of time, and those who work long hours often are not able to do so. The breed also does best in a home with a large fenced yard, although can be OK without if given a lot of increased exercise otherwise. They aren’t recommended for apartments.
Hovawarts are extremely intelligent and are trainable as long as the owner/trainer recognizes they want to work WITH you, not FOR you. With the right training style, they have a love of both fun/games as well as more serious tasks. They are able to put up with more stress during training than many other breeds, and also able to perform sometimes stressful jobs such as search and rescue, without shutting down (this is not to say that training should be heavily reliant on stress or harshness – they need a lot of positive motivation). They do take about two-three years to completely mature but it is recommended that training starts while they are still young. In particular, most Hovie puppies take extra long learning not to jump up or chew on hands. Once mature, these dogs still enjoy working even into older age. 
The Hovawart can get along just fine with kids as long as he has been socialized to them from puppyhood. He may accidentally knock over a toddler, however, as he is a large dog weighing up to a hundred pounds. Homes with older children are much better than ones with young kids. Supervision is always recommended with all children. Hovies may or may not get along with strange dogs. This combined with the fact that they tend to play rough means they aren’t always the best candidates for dog parks. With people, this is a social dog that enjoys being around his family, whether young or old, and should never be kept as an outside-only dog.
Hovawarts were created to guard the homestead and the farm and this is an instinct that remains in the breed today. They bond very strongly to their owners and will not hesitate to protect their people if they feel it is necessary. While they are intelligent and can often figure out when the situation calls for defense, they can make mistakes. This is the main reason why an owner must provide lifelong training and socialization. A Hovawart with the correct temperament (and raised correctly) should never be randomly aggressive. They were bred to be defensive rather than offensive, which accounts for their kind disposition. They are also more likely to welcome a stranger as a new friend… provided the owner has said it’s OK.
The Hovawart prefers colder temperatures although can live in warmer climates if given access to air conditioning, shade and water. Many love to swim, so time at the pool or lake can be a rewarding experience as long as the owner supervises all water activities. As some Hovies can have thicker undercoats than others (particularly altered dogs), definitely make sure to protect against heatstroke on hot days. Two of the three color patterns of the breed (black and black/tan) are also extra prone to heatstroke. Blonde dogs have an easier time in hot weather but can still overheat, so make sure to keep a close eye on them during the summer!
