Many troops in World War II had a mascot animal for comfort and as a reminder of home. This was often a stray dog or cat. “Original Peter” was a scruffy terrier mix that US Army troops found in northern France and he became their mascot, but the troops lost him when they crossed into Germany at war’s end.
He was found by a local attorney’s wife, Ilse Schleifenbaum, and after an accidental mating with a Fox Terrier named Fifi that produced uniform puppies that all looked like their father, she decided to create the breed and name it after the beautiful, local ‘crooked furrows’ (krumme furche) of farmland.
After 10 years of careful development, the Federation Cynologique Internationale accepted the breed in August, 1955.The Kromfohrlander is still quite rare and is primarily found in Germany and other European nations.They are so rare, even in Europe, that individuals to export have been very difficult to obtain, as most breeders there prefer to keep the healthy blood-stock in close proximity.