Kromfohrlander

COUNTRY: Germany
WEIGHT: 26 pounds
HEIGHT: 15-18 inches
COAT: Two types: rough wire; medium-long straight hair
COLOR: Mainly white with tan (light to very dark) markings in a broken pattern, including saddle and head
GROUP: Terrier

The Kromfohrlander is a breed of the 20th century. In 1945, American soldiers marched into Germany from France. One group, arriving in the town of Siegen, Westphalia, was accompanied by a shaggy, tawny dog. Although his family tree was unknown, his appearance and French origin indicated a Breton Griffon (Griffon Fauve de Bretagne). The dog was taken in by a townswoman, Use Schleifenbaum. "Peter" became a beloved house pet and later "fell in love" with the next-door neighbor, "Fiffi," a fe-male of uncertain pedigree, but possibly Fox Terrier extraction. The resulting puppies were uniform and so handsome that Mrs. Schleifenbaum decided to develop them into a new breed. Ten years later, in 1955, she succeeded in having the German Kennel Club officially recognize them, with the FCI giving them the stamp of approval shortly after.



Lively, loyal and obedient, the breed was developed specifically as a companion dog. The muzzle tapers slightly, ears are high and fall in a complete drop, and the happy tail is carried gaily, forming a loose ring over the back. This German terrier carries robust sporting dog proportions.

He is alert, watchful, devoted to his family and does not roam. Since the breed was a happy accident, these dogs do not hunt but are strictly companions and watchdogs. A current German owner relates how Kromfohrlanders are a part of his family and says, "We did not know that dogs could be so intelligent."