These “half-coated and half-naked” studies are brilliant. We love how they can teach us about a coated breed, and show us the impact that a lot of hair can have on how one sees proportions, angles, size – pretty much every aspect of structure, and by default, movement.

To make the most of this exercise featuring a two year old Löwchen, we strongly encourage you to read through the breed standard first.  A “deeper dive” into this marvelous breed can be found by reviewing the Illustrated Standard. If you read nothing else before you look at the photographs, read the following segments that come from the AKC breed standard:

• The body is just off-square when properly balanced. The distance from the prosternum to the point of buttocks is slightly greater than the distance from the withers to the ground in an 11 to 10 ratio. The distance from the ground to the elbow is slightly greater than the distance from the elbow to the withers. The Löwchen should never be low stationed. Substance – The mature Löwchen is sturdily built with strong bone and muscular hindquarters, but never coarse;
• The head is a hallmark breed. The ears are pendant, moderate in length, well fringed, and set on slightly above the level of the eye. The backskull is broad and relatively flat from ear to ear. The stop is moderately well defined. The length from nose to base of stop is two-thirds of the length from base of stop to occiput. The muzzle is well filled and relatively broad with moderate depth of under jaw resulting in a slightly rounded finish to the muzzle. The jaw is wide enough to accommodate all incisors in a straight row;
• The shoulders are strong and well laid back with smooth musculature. The upper arm is of equal length to the shoulder blade and the two meet in a near 90 degree angle. The elbows are held close to the body. Forearms are of good length and the distance from the withers to the elbow is slightly less than the distance from the elbow to the ground. From the front the legs are perfectly parallel from the elbows to the feet;
• The pelvic bone projects beyond the set of the tail and is at an approximate 30 degree angle from a perfectly horizontal line. The upper and lower thighs are well muscled and of approximately equal length with medium bone. The stifles are well bent. The hocks are well let down and perpendicular to the ground from any angle. The hind feet point straight ahead, are slightly smaller than the forefeet;

Our thanks to Lionkru Lowchen for doing this and sharing it on Facebook!