Base colour
Yellow with or without a black mask
- Red with or without a black mask.
- The mask should only be seen on the muzzle.
- Black.
- White markings on chest, feet and tip of tail are optional
About the Broholmer
Origin: Denmark
- Typical life span
- 8-10 years
- Size
- Large — from its typical weight
- Weight
- Male
- 50-68 kg
- Female
- 41-59 kg
- Height
- Male
- 75-76 cm
- Female
- 70-71 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI group
- Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs
- Origin
- Denmark
- Known hereditary risks
- Not researched yet
About
What is a Broholmer?
Large, powerful mastiff-type dog with distinctive rectangular build and calm, confident demeanor. Known for its imposing presence and steady, powerful gait, this Danish guardian breed combines strength with a gentle nature.
Broholmer history and origins
Ancient Danish breed descended from mastiffs of the Middle Ages, originally used for stag hunting and later as estate guardian for large farms and manors. Standardized and named in 18th century by Count Sehested of Broholm. Nearly extinct after WWII but revived in 1970s through dedicated effort by Danish enthusiasts.
Broholmer appearance and size
Males typically weigh 50-68 kg and stand 75-76 cm at the shoulder; females 41-59 kg and 70-71 cm.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- Companion dog, guard dog
- Behaviour and temperament
“Calm, good tempered, friendly, yet watchful. Must show great self-confidence”
Quoted from FCI standard n°315. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Large
- Exercise needsRead from what the breed was bred to do, in the registry’s own words: “Companion dog, guard dog” That is a working purpose, not a measured exercise requirement — an individual dog’s needs depend on its age, health and household.
- 2 of 5
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- 3 of 5
- Grooming needs
- 2 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- Not researched yet
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Broholmer
What you get with the Broholmer
- Purpose stated in the standard: “Companion dog, guard dog”
- The standard describes the breed as: “Calm, good tempered, friendly, yet watchful. Must show great self-confidence”
- Low grooming needs, fitting for a busy owner — the coat is “Short and close lying with undercoat”
What you are taking on
Nobody has written this side yet. It is a judgement rather than data, so it waits for a person — not for a missing source.
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · Broholmer
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording.
Coat
Short and close lying with undercoat
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FCI standard n°315 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
What the standard penalises
What a judge marks the Broholmer down for, and what puts one out of the ring, in the registry’s own words. This describes the breed standard — it is not a checklist for the animal in front of you, and a pet with a disqualifying fault is an unshowable dog rather than an unhealthy one.
Disqualifying faults
Puts an animal out of the ring altogether.
- Nose other than black.
- Overshot or undershot mouth.
- Eyes of different colour.
- Erect ears.
- Tail curled up.
- Coat: Colour faulty; long-haired
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Broholmer in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
What to ask for in a Broholmer
No breed-specific health panel has been written up for the Broholmer on this platform yet. That is a gap in our records, not a clean bill of health — ask the breeder which hereditary conditions their lines are tested for, and ask to see the results for both parents, dated and from a named laboratory.
Gallery
No photographs yet
This is where Broholmer owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
Puppies
No puppies listed right now
No Broholmer breeder has a record on this platform yet, so there is nothing to list. That is a gap in our coverage, not a fact about the breed.