Following the great success of the 1st World Congress held year 2000, the Löwchen Club Deutschland is excited to host the 2nd Löwchen World Congress and World Congress Cup. Felizitas Dylla-Dickler and Gini Denninger are once again acting as Congress Coordinators and translators. We invite all Löwchen breeders and fanciers from all over the world to attend this event. There will be something for everyone who attends; Breed-specific Information, Practical Husbandry, Breeder Panels, Löwchen Conformation Competition, Obedience and Agility! After each days’ work is done, we have set time aside for socialization and fun. 

Bad Laasphe is known as a romantic spa-city, and lies in the heart of Germany. An hours drive from Frankfurt Main International Airport, Bad Laasphe is a traditional and culturally rich small city. Bad Laasphe’s public officials and citizens fondly remember our last World Congress and are welcoming us and our dogs back with open arms, as are the members of the Löwchen Club Deutschland. Please partake of their hospitality and excitement over the event!

Monday, May 8

The Congress begins with your arrival on May 8th. 2006. If you are flying in from overseas, plan to fly to Frankfurt Main International Airport. From there you we will pick you up by bus and bring you to the hotel. We will have a bus available at noon and one later in the afternoon. While waiting for your bus, you can mingle with other congress attendees on the second floor of Terminal 2. There will be official meeting/information desks in both international terminals, location to be announced, where you will find people available to help you. If you prefer, you can rent a car or take the train to Bad Laasphe on your own. The official Congress hotel is the Ramada Treff Hotel in Bad Laasphe. We have made arrangements for a very reasonable room rate that includes breakfast. We feel this will make the Congress affordable for everyone. 

There is limited hotel space available for Congress attendees, so please reserve your room as soon as possible. 
The Congress will be held in the same location as last time, at the "Haus das Gastes“ (House of Guests) which is about a five minute walk from the hotel.

The first night please plan to attend our Welcome Party. Here you will unwind from your long journey and meet your fellow congress attendees. Like last time, we will be hosting an authentic German meal.

This year we are offering dinner in the meeting hall. We hope that this will promote mingling and the exchange of ideas among our Löwchen fanciers. To participate, be sure to reserve your meal ticket on the reservation form. Meals will be offered either as buffet or menu form. We hope these private, specially catered meals will provide friendly visiting among the congress attendees. 

The next day we will experience a high-point of the congress - The Congress Cup. 

Tuesday, May 9

On Tuesday, we are holding the Löwchen Congress Cup sanctioned by VDH/FCI. This event is very special since it will be held at the famous Weilburg Castle. Many who attended the first Löwchen World Congress will remember this castle as the home of the portrait of Bijou. It is here that we know for sure Löwchen roamed and lived the royal life! This is the first and only time that Löwchen fanciers will be allowed to bring their dogs to this historical former home of Löwchen. We like to think that Bijou and his ghostly Löwchen friends will look on with approval. We feel this event will be a once- in-a-lifetime experience for Löwchen lovers, so please plan to bring your Löwchen and compete!

We have selected Peter Machetanz of Germany to serve as our judge. He is a highly respected German judge who is very familiar with the breed.

This day starts after breakfast, when a bus will pick you and your dog up at the hotel to take you to Weilburg. After the Congress Cup concludes there will be a tour of the castle and a look at the original oil portrait of Bijou. You will also see the window he jumped from, and no doubt there will be debate regarding details of Bijous tale. 

Wednesday, May 10

Morning: The Löwchen History Slide Show presented by Gini Denninger - USA. (Authoress of The Löwchen, The Breed Forgotten by History)

Lunch: 1 Hour

Afternoon: Changes in Type and Coat over the last 20 years. Presented by Eileen Spavin-Harrison – Great Britain. 
Breeders Panel Discussion on the above topic, followed by a question and answer/commentary period. 

30 Minute Break.

Changes in the FCI Standard. Open discussion.

Friday, May 12

Morning: Socializing Puppies presented by Felizitas Dylla-Dickler of Germany.

Lunch: 1 hour.

Afternoon: Breeder Panel Forum. Discussion Panel discussing "preserving breed traits", to be followed by question and answer session.

Saturday, May 13th

Morning: Agility Workshop, Theory presentation followed by demonstrations. If time allows, we hope that participants will be able to participate with their own dogs.

After the Agility Workshop we conclude the 2nd Löwchen World Congress.

Sunday, May 14th

We have organised a return bus trip to the airport . If you chose to return to the airport on your own, German Löwchen Club members will be happy to help you make plans for your return to Frankfurt where you will meet your flight home. 

* We hope that you will bring your Löwchen to the congress! Your dogs are welcome in the hotel or at the congress, as well as any other activities you plan to do. Germany is a dog-friendly country. You can take your dogs anywhere, with the exception of museums and churches! *

Between May 5th - 7th, 2006 the VDH EuropaSieger Dog Show will be held. Historically, this show is one of the biggest dog shows in Germany which draws large numbers of foreigners exhibiting or just observing. If you would like to exhibit your dog contact the VDH for more information. If you have any questions regarding this show Felizitas will be happy to guide you in the entry process.