Country/Date of Origin: France/1500s
A member of the Bichon group of dogs that contains the Maltese, Bichon Frise and Havanese, the Lowchen has been the cherished and pampered pet of nobility for almost five centuries. The custom of clipping the dog to look like a little lion is an old one and is found in paintings from the 1500's. If a knight did not have the good fortune to die in battle, he was depicted in paintings with one of the little lion dogs at his feet to symbolize his courage and bravery.
The tiny dogs, the darlings of the French court, dropped in popularity when nobility did and are enjoying a renaissance at the present time. Imported into the US about 25 years ago, it has gained enough supporters to be accepted into the AKC Miscellaneous class in June of 1995.