Swiss Hound

Temperament:

Strong character, Faithful, Self confident
Size: Medium
Height: 47-59 cm
Weight: 15-20 kg
Lifespan: 13 years
Coat: Shorthair
Colors: Black, White, Brown, Tan, Orange
FCI Group: Scent hounds and related breeds

One dog, four variants - that's the Swiss Hound.
The four-legged friend not only cuts a fine figure as a passionate hunting dog, but is also wonderfully suited as a loyal family dog. However, a few rules must be observed when keeping this demanding dog breed.

Swiss Hound
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Characteristics

Four variants are distinguished in the Swiss Hounds.

The Bernese Hound is white with black spots or a black saddle. Rarely, one can also find light speckles in him.

The Jura hound is tan in color. He has a black coat. A small white chest patch is allowed in the pattern.

The Lucerne Hound is heavily mottled. He is blue with a mixture of white and black fur. He may have a black saddle or large black spots.

Just like the Bernese Hound, the basic color of the Schwyz Hound is white. He has orange spots or an orange saddle. Slight speckles are also permissible.

The variants differ only in color. Physique and character are the same. The Swiss Hound is a strong and persevering dog. Males reach a size between 49- 59 cm. Bitches are slightly smaller at 47- 57 cm. The coat of the Swiss Hound is short and dense. Particularly conspicuous is his long Behang. Especially the very long ears give him a majestic and nostalgic appearance.

Swiss Hounds are very strong in character. Loyal to their sensitive master, they also have a mind of their own.

His name says it all - he wants to run. Several kilometers and over an hour at a stretch are no problem for the persistent quadruped. Thereby he pursues every kind of game. His excellent nose helps him to follow the scent consistently.

In the house, the Swiss Hound is a pleasant and very clean contemporary. Social contacts, to two- and four-legged friends, he enjoys very much. Nevertheless, he can also be used well as a solo hunter outside.

Coat care:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Shedding:

Little
Medium
Intensive

Energy level:

Little
Medium
High

Trainability:

Little
Medium
Good

Children suitable:

Less
With supervision
Perfect

The right food

Swiss Hounds are good feed converters and not picky. However, depending on the use, one should pay attention to a balanced diet. A four-legged dog that regularly goes hunting and follows a trail for hours has a high energy requirement. In the specialized trade there are special finished food sorts for hunt dogs. These are specially adapted to the needs of the breed and are a good alternative to raw feeding.

High quality oils are a popular supplementary feed. They keep the short coat nice and shiny and are also good for the digestive tract.

Health & Care

The short, dense coat of the Swiss Hound is very low-maintenance. Brushing once a week is usually quite sufficient. The structure of the coat does not require any special care products or shampoo.

However, increased attention should be paid to the ears. They are very long in the Swiss Hound. To avoid inflammation, they must be checked regularly and cleaned if necessary. The Swiss Hound likes to walk outside with a deep nose. It is therefore advisable to check the dog for ticks after every walk and also to look out for stuck awns or similar.

Suitable accessories

For your Swiss Hound, you should get a well-padded chest harness. Simple nylon could abrade the fine, short fur of the four-legged friend and leave bald spots. The run-happy furry nose likes to be outside and is only very conditionally suitable for a small apartment in the city. A house with an escape-proof garden are well suited for the hunting dog. Above all, you need time. Extensive walks and games in all weather conditions are a daily must. The Swiss Hound's urge to move knows hardly any limits. If there is no one in your family with whom the pelt-nose can go stalking, tracking games with specially prepared dummies are suitable.

Of course, you also need a water/food bowl and a soft dog bed for your four-legged friend. After the work is done, the four-legged friend likes to make himself comfortable with his humans.

Swiss Running Dog History

Origin & History

The uniform breed standard of the four varieties of the Swiss Hound was not established until January 22, 1933.
But the history of the breed begins much earlier.

His exceptional hunting skills were highly appreciated by the Italians as early as the 15th century. In the 17th century, the French discovered the passionate hunter for themselves. So it was probably French mercenaries who brought the running dog to Switzerland. Today's Swiss Hound was created by crossing Ariégeois, Petit Gascon-Saintongeois, Petit Bleu de Gascogne and Porcelaine. These breeds are also characterized by excellent hunting behavior.

Originally, five variants of the breed existed. But in 1909, the breeding association noted the complete disappearance of the Thurgauer Laufhund. A possible cause for the disappearance is the somewhat lower height at the withers. The Thurgauer became only about 38 cm high. This does not correspond to the breed standard. However, this is only a conjecture.

The Swiss Hound is still preferably used as a hunting dog. No matter whether as a solo hunter on hares or deer or also in the pack on wild boar. The Swiss Hound always cuts a fine figure as a perfect tracker of the scent.

He hunts with great certainty. He is fast and reliable in the track-loud hunt and returns to his master immediately if the track is lost - but this happens to the Swiss Hound only very rarely.