Breeds / Medium
Kromfohrlander puppies
Lively, sensitive and devoted to one person, cautious with new dogs and new situations. A rare German companion breed with a scruffy wire coat.
The facts
- Size class Medium
- Country of origin Germany
- Adult weight 9.1 to 15.9 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 20 to 35 lb
- Adult height 38 to 46 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short smooth and wiry
- Typical lifespan 13 to 15 years
- Good with children Usually good
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
Where these come from:
About the Kromfohrlander
The Kromfohrlander was created in Germany after the Second World War from a stray terrier type crossed with a wire haired griffon, and unusually for a dog of that shape it was bred as a companion rather than for work. It weighs 9.1 to 15.9 kg and stands 38 to 46 cm, in a scruffy wirehaired coat or a smoother one. It fixes on one person and follows them from room to room, and it is lively and funny at home while being cautious about anything new.
It has real energy and wants long walks in open country plus games of fetch. Grooming means regular hand stripping to keep the coat weatherproof; it should not be clipped or shaved, and dirt tends to fall out of it on its own. This is not a dog park breed, since it prefers dogs it already knows. It rates well with children, with supervision. Start nail trimming in puppyhood, because the breed is notably sensitive about its feet, and expect a long wait for a puppy from a very small gene pool.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Kromfohrlander puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and it will need a job to do long before it needs long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hyperkeratosis of the footpads, detectable by DNA test
- Von Willebrand's disease, an inherited clotting disorder detectable by DNA test
- Autoimmune conditions, diagnosed by a vet from blood work and biopsy, with no genetic test available
- Epilepsy, diagnosed by a vet once other causes of seizures are ruled out
- Patellar luxation, detected on orthopaedic examination
From Kromfohrlander breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/kromfohrlander/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Kromfohrlander puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Kromfohrlander.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 9.1 to 15.9 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other medium breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.