Tyrolean Bracke
Temperament:
Tyrolean Bracken are very good hunting dogs, which are used for hunting in forests and mountains. Tyrolean Bracken perform welding work, rummaging and bracking. They are rummage dogs when hunting cloven-hoofed game. Welding work means the search for wounded game. Brackering is the driving hunt with loud barking.
Characteristics
The dogs originating from Austria exist since their pure breeding around circa 1860, in two recognized color types. One is the red, where the coat can be deer red or red-yellow. The other color is the black-red. Here the coat is patterned like a black coat or saddle. It runs with a red band, usually not sharply defined, on the belly, chest, legs and the head.
White markings on front and under chest, muzzle, neck, pallor, tail tip as well as legs and paws are permitted in breeding results. Tan markings above the eyes are also permitted on black and red dogs.
Their physique is robust, sinewy and muscular. They are slightly longer than they are high. Their coat consists of dense stick hair, the original fur of the wolf. It is smooth and dense. Tyrolean Bracken do not have much undercoat. Their awn hair of medium length as a top coat.
They have medium sized floppy ears, which set high on the head. Bracken are known for the fact that they do not hunt in packs, but solo. They have a keen nose and a sure sense of direction.
In nature they show themselves fast, supple and they can climb well. These dogs are not at all impressed by the various weather conditions. They are practically all-weather.
They have a particularly good ability to concentrate. When hunting, they are not distracted by falling shots or other dogs. When a Tyrolean Bracke has picked up a scent, it indicates the track to the hunter by barking loudly.
This breed is particularly leader-oriented and willing to learn, but works very independently. It shows a lot of passion, perseverance and self-confidence. While they are bright and brash when hunting, they otherwise show themselves calm and gentle.
The Tyrolean Bracke is a healthy dog breed without any known hereditary diseases.
Coat care:
Shedding:
Energy level:
Trainability:
Children suitable:
The right food
In general, Tyrolean Bracken are undemanding when it comes to their diet. But since they can cover up to 150 kilometers a day, they have a high energy requirement. Accordingly, their need for food depends mainly on their load.
Age, size, gender, health and weight also play a role. Since they are very active, they need a high-fat diet with plenty of protein and carbohydrates.
It is best to offer small amounts of fatty food, which covers the energy needs. Thus, the stomach is not too full and the body is busy with digestion. The dog is then more efficient during the hunt. If he is fed this way for a longer period of time, the body uses the fats better than before.
To optimize the performance of the dog, there is a diet plan. Between hunting and feeding, you should take breaks. It is best to feed the main part two hours after the hunt or the previous evening. Feeding small amounts is fine up to 3 hours before the hunt.
You should provide your dog with water at intervals of 1 to 2 hours. Hunting dogs tend to suffer from digestive problems because they are often under stress. A mixed diet of wet and dry food is important for good intestinal function.
Also worth knowing is the amount of zinc and sodium. Too little of it can impair the important sense of smell of the hunting dog. For a functioning metabolism and good immune system provides the vital trace element selenium.
With commercially available dog food, the addition of nutritional supplements is not necessary. Above all, mixed feed covers the additional need for nutrients in hunting dogs.
Health & Care
As far as physical care is concerned, Tyrolean Bracken are very low maintenance. Their coat only needs to be brushed occasionally. During the summer months, the body must be checked for ticks. In the winter months, the dog should be bathed when it returns from hunting.
As far as mental care is concerned, Tyrolean Bracken, on the other hand, are a bit more demanding. Although these dogs are very people-oriented, they are not suitable as a family dog. They must be handled in a species-appropriate and professional manner and there must be no children living in the house.
As working and running dogs, they need a lot of exercise and activity. They can in no case be kept in city apartments. Suitable is the attitude in the country, at best with a hunter. This hunting dog needs a house with a well fenced garden, where he can move freely.
If the dog is not used during the hunt, then it needs employment also in the spare time. They can use their nose in mantrailing. This is not the track of a wild animal, but the track of a hidden person is sought. An object is held in front of the hound's nose, which smells like the person it is looking for.
Food hunt games or hunting for treats also provide fun and exercise. For example, you can hide treats for your dog in the garden. Between gaps in the masonry, under wood or in the bushes. Also, throwing treats as far as possible or throwing them in the air will stress your dog out. This will take care of your hunting dog's physical and mental needs at the same time.
Suitable accessories
Since Tyrolean Bracken are used as sweat and brackish dogs in forests, they are susceptible to ticks. Tick tweezers or tick cards are suitable for removal here. But also anti-tick ointments, which are applied between the fur of the animal.
The dog should wear a sturdy chest harness. A chest harness fits more securely and allows the dog to breathe better. The chest harness should be well padded to avoid pressure points or abrasions.
Furthermore, a high-visibility vest with reflectors is advantageous in the forest. This allows the hunter to better recognize his dog. This reduces the risk of mistaking the dark dog for a hare.
A whistle is suitable for recalling the hunting dog. It is also useful to have a first aid kit in case the dog gets injured during the hunt. For rewarding after hunting or playing, a food bag is very practical.
Origin & History
The Tyrolean Bracke is considered the descendant of the Celtic Bracke. It represents the purest breeding of today's Bracken. Since Celts lived in the Alps, the Bracken are originally native to Austria.
In Austria and Germany they have been used as hunting dogs for centuries. By Emperor Maximilian I at the beginning of the 16th century invested large sums of money to refine this breed. He went hunting with Bracken. In his hunting books he wrote to have chosen his leading dogs from this dog breed.
The pure breeding of the Austrian hunting dog breed began around 1860 AD in Tyrol. A standard, that is an ideal breeding, of the Tyrolean Bracke was created years later, in 1896.
In early May 1908, this breed was officially recognized at a dog show in Innsbruck. One year later, the first registration of three males and four females took place in the Austrian Dog Stud Book. The Tyrolean Niederbracke, a sub-type, was deleted from the standard in 1994.
Nowadays, the Tyrolean Bracke is still almost exclusively given into the hands of hunters. Breeding of this dog breed is done only with working tests. The dogs have to pass a welding test as well as a bracking test.
