Breed History
The Lwchen is thought to be a predominately German breed though its exact origins are unrecorded, and the French and Russians claim to have had a hand in the breeds development....
It can be said with relative certainty that the Lwchen evolved from the ancient Bichon family of dogs, which hails from the Mediterranean, and 16th century German art including tapestries, paintings, prints and drawings makes a compelling case that the breed has been known at least since that time. The most famous Lwchen was Bijou, who lived in Weilburg Castle in Germany during the late 18th century. The story goes tells that Bijou, disappointed that his master had left for the hunt without him, attempted to follow his master by jumping from a 60 foot high window into the Lahn River. Depending on who you believe, the jump either ended with Bijou being rewarded with a seat in his masters saddle or with his untimely death. Regardless, Bijou became legendary, and his likeness still hangs in the castle today. The Lwchens numbers began to dwindle during the 19th century, and by the end of World War II the breed was nearly extinct. A Lwchen fancier named Madame Bennert is credited with saving the breed though extensive breeding efforts beginning in 1945. Within a few years, the dogs numbers began to slowly but steadily grow, and during the late 1960s and early 1970s the breed was introduced to Great Britain and the United States. The Lwchen was admitted to the American Kennel Club Miscellaneous Class in 1996 and received full AKC recognition as a member of the Non-Sporting Group in 1999. It remains one of the rarest breeds in the world today.