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| German Hound | |||||||||||||
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 German Hound from 1915 | |||||||||||||
| Other names | Deutsche Bracke, German Bracke, Olper Bracke, Westphalian Bracke | ||||||||||||
| Origin | Germany | ||||||||||||
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| Dog ( domestic dog ) | |||||||||||||
The German Hound (Deutsche Bracke) is a breed of dog originating in Westphalia, a region of Germany. The German Hound is of the scenthound type, used for hunting both large and small game.
The German Hound is a small hound, 40 – 53 cm (16 – 21 ins) at the withers, with long, drooped ears and a long, narrow tail. It is distinguished by a long, somewhat narrow head, and a rectangular body, described as "elegant". [1]
The coat has hard, almost bristly, short fur, usually tricolor (red to yellow with a black mantle), with white markings called Bracken marks - a white muzzle, chest, legs, collar, and tip of the tail, and a blaze on the head. [2]
In 1896, the Deutschen Bracken Club, encompassing all of the local types of Bracke in northwest Germany, was formed in Finnentrop and moved to Olpe in 1911. The breeds were merged in 1900 as one breed and were officially designated Deutsche Bracke. [2] This breed was formerly called by a variety of old regional names such as "Olpe Bracke", "Sauerländer Bracke" and "Westphalian Bracke", and other local types now blended into one breed. The only breeds of Bracke in the area today are the German Hound and the Westphalian Dachsbracke. [1] The Westphalian Dachsbracke is a short-legged dog, possibly a cross of a Bracke with the Dachshund. [3]
Hunting with the Bracke in early times was done with hunters on horses following the hounds, as developed by the ancient Celts chasing deer and modern-day fox hunters. Another sport, developed in the 16th century, did not require the expense of horses and big kennels, and used firearms, called Brackade. Hounds hunting this way tenaciously followed the game while voicing cries that communicate to the hunter where the dog is and what type of game it is following. Today the Deutsche Bracke is usually used to hunt deer, but also rabbits and fox. Often, it is hunted singly as a leash hound, to hunt on smaller areas. [4] The space needed to hunt a pack of hounds is described by the breed club as a minimum area of 1,000 ha (2471 acres). [5] Related to the hunting with Bracke is the use of horns to communicate with the dogs, a custom that continues today.
The German Hound was recognized by the Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen (German Kennel Club) through the Deutschen Bracken Club was formed in 1896 and continues today, and oversees breeding and hunt testing, as well as preserving traditions of Bracke hunting. [6] The German Hound was the first Bracke to be registered as a distinct breed, in 1900, and by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale as breed number 299 in Group 6 (Scenthounds), Section 1.3 (Small hounds). [7] Of the major kennel clubs in the English-speaking world, only the United Kennel Club in the U.S. recognises the German Hound, in its Scenthound Group. The German Hound also may be recognised by any of the many minor registries, rare breed groups, hunting clubs, and internet registry businesses under its original name, discarded antique names, translations of the name, or variations on the name. The German Hound is strictly a hunting dog, and seldom seen outside its native country. [1] Outside its home country, purchasers of dogs represented as German Hounds should research the dog's background, especially if it is registered with one of the minor clubs that require little to no documentation before accepting a dog or litter for registration.
Historically, the term Bracke was used in German to mean scenthounds. Brack is an old Low German word for a coastal marsh periodically inundated by storm surges with salt water – the English word brackish. [8] In Europe, scenthounds are usually separated into running hounds (free running packs, which either drive the game back to the hunter, or the hunter follows as they run, or the hunter waits until the dogs' cries communicate that game has been found and held, and then goes to that spot) and leash hounds (which follow the game or track wounded or dead game while being held on a leash by the hunter). The Bracke are usually used as running hounds, in packs, to hunt rabbits or foxes in a type of hunt called Brackade.
No specific diseases or claims of extraordinary health have been documented for this breed. According to the original German breed club, although it is a hunting dog, it is affectionate and benefits from living with the family rather than in a kennel. It is a very persistent tracking dog with a good sense of direction. [5]
The German Hound is related to the Westfälische Dachsbracke (Westphalian Dachsbracke, FCI No. 100) and the Drever, also called the Swedish Dachsbracke (FCI No. 130). The Finnenbracke (FCI No. 51) is from Finland. The Alpenländische Dachsbracke (Alpine Dachsbracke, FCI No. 254) is from Tyrol, in Austria, as is the Tiroler Bracke (Tyrolean Hound, FCI No. 68).
Scent hounds are a type of hound that primarily hunts by scent rather than sight. These breeds are hunting dogs and are generally regarded as having some of the most sensitive noses among dogs. Scent hounds specialize in following scent or smells. Most of them tend to have long, drooping ears and large nasal cavities to enhance smell sensitivity. They need to have relatively high endurance to be able to keep track of scent over long distances and rough terrain. It is believed that they were first bred by the Celts by crossbreeding mastiff-type dogs with sighthounds. The first established scent hounds were St. Hubert Hounds bred by monks in Belgium during the Middle Ages.
The German Shorthaired Pointer or Deutsch Kurzhaar is a German breed of continental pointing dog of Braque type. It originated in the nineteenth century in what is now Germany. It is of medium size, and is an all-purpose gun dog suitable for hunting and retrieving on both land and water. It may also be kept as a companion dog.
The Alpine Dachsbracke is a small breed of dog of the scent hound type originating in Austria. The Alpine Dachsbracke was bred to track wounded deer as well as boar, hare, and fox. It is highly efficient at following a trail even after it has gone cold. The Alpine Dachsbracke is very sturdy.
The Hamiltonstövare is a breed of scenthound originally developed by the founder of the Swedish Kennel Club, Count Adolf Hamilton. Its ancestors include several German hounds as well as English Foxhounds and Harriers. The breed is recognized by the Swedish Kennel Club, Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) and the American Kennel Club's Foundational Stock Service.
The Artois Hound or Chien D'Artois is a medium-sized breed of dog. A scent hound, the Artois was breed in northern France as a pack hunter. It is a rare breed today, but was popular in France before the 20th century. The breed was heavily crossbred and had to be reconstructed in the 1970s to more closely resemble the historical breed.
The Basset Bleu de Gascogne, also known as the Blue Gascony Basset, is a long-backed, short legged breed of dog of the hound type. A French native breed, it is rare outside its homeland. It is recognized internationally by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, in the UK by The Kennel Club, and by the United Kennel Club in the United States. The "bleu" of its name is a reference to its coat which has a ticked appearance.
The Austrian Black and Tan Hound is a medium sized scenthound originating in Austria and is used for tracking wounded game, most commonly hare, in high altitudes.
The Styrian Coarse-haired Hound is a breed of medium-sized hound dog originated in the Austrian province of Styria. It is bred as a scenthound, for hunting boar in mountainous terrain. The breed is one of the large Austrian Bracke.
The Barak or Bosnian Broken-haired Hound, is a hunting dog breed developed in Bosnia. The breed is a scenthound, originally used to hunt large game. Other names include Bosnian Rough-haired Hound and Bosnian Rough-coated Hound. These names refer to the texture of the shaggy coat, usually called broken-haired or hard in English dog fancier jargon.
The Grand Anglo-Francais Tricolore is a breed of dog used in hunting as a scenthound, usually in packs. It is one of the Anglo-French hound breeds which were created by crossing French scenthounds with English (Anglo) Foxhounds.
The Drever is a breed of dog, a short-legged scenthound from Sweden used for hunting deer and other game. The Drever is descended from the Westphalian Dachsbracke, a type of German hound called Bracke. The breed name Drever was chosen through a contest in 1947.
The Anglo-Français de Petite Vénerie is a medium-sized breed of dog used in hunting as a scenthound, usually in packs. It is one of the Anglo-French hound breeds which were created by crossing French scenthounds with English foxhounds. The name Petite Vénerie does not mean that dogs of the breed are petite or small, but rather that it is used to hunt small game.
The Schweizer Laufhund is a group of overlapping scenthounds, originating from Switzerland. The breed has several different varieties.
The Finnish Hound is a breed of dog originally bred for hunting hare and fox.
The Westphalian Dachsbracke is a small, short-legged scenthound, a breed of dog originating in Westphalia, a region of Germany. The Westphalian Dachsbracke was used in Sweden to develop the Drever.
The Basset Artésien Normand is a short legged hound type dog developed in France. The word basset refers to short-legged hounds.
Anglo-Français and Français hounds are a general dog type of hunting dog that include ancient French hounds and breeds created by mixing the French dogs with English (Anglo) Foxhounds. There are seven dog breeds that are described as Anglo-Français and Français hounds.
The Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Noir translated into English as the Great Anglo-French White and Black Hound, is a breed of dog used in hunting as a scenthound, usually in packs. It is one of the Anglo-French hound breeds which were created by crossing French scenthounds with English (Anglo) Foxhounds.
The Sabueso Español or Spanish Hound is a scenthound breed with its origin in the far north of Iberian Peninsula. This breed has been used in this mountainous region since hundreds of years ago for all kind of game: wild boar, hare, brown bear, wolf, red deer, fox, roe deer and chamois. It is an exclusive working breed, employed in hunting with firearms.
The Posavac Hound is a breed of dog, originating as a hunting dog of the scenthound type. Croatia is the home country for the breed. The name translates into English as the Scenthound From The Sava Valley, but is usually translated as the Posavac Hound.
