Swiss Hound

The Swiss Hound is said to be descended from dogs that hunted in the valley of the Nile during ancient Egypt and were introduced to Europe by Phoenician merchants. The Roman legions are said to have subsequently enabled its spread in the Rhone valley and the Swiss Alps; in any case, dogs of similar conformation are depicted on a Roman mosaic at Avenches. In the 15th century, the Swiss Hound was better known than the Italian Hound, even on Italian territory. In the 18th century, the French appreciated its qualities for hare hunting. In 1882, the first breed standard is written; it then admits an additional variety to the current standard: the Thurgovian Hound, whose disappearance is officially recognized in 1909. On 22 January 1933, a unique standard is established and it now admits only four varieties: the Jura Bruno, the Schwytzois, the Bernese and the Lucerne. In France, the Jura Bruno variety is the best known.

The Swiss Hound is described by the FCI standard as lively and passionate about hunting, gentle, docile and very attached to its master. The puppy is calm and confident which facilitates its education. Initiation to hunting should be done early. Very dynamic, the Swiss Hound needs to exert itself physically. The breed is not very outgoing.

The Swiss Hound is a medium-sized hound dog. The positioning of its front legs and its powerful and muscled hindquarters give it great endurance. Attached in the extension of the croup line, the median length and tapered tail at its end forms a slight upward curve. It is drooping at rest or at slow gaits and higher than the back line in action. The fine and dry head is characterized by a long muzzle, a prominent occipital protuberance and diverging lines of the skull and muzzle. The stop is marked without exaggeration. The eyes of medium size are slightly oval in shape and brown in colour in harmony with the coat shades. Attached below the eye line and behind the skull, the long and narrow ears fall in pleats and twisted. Their attachment is always narrower than the maximum width and are rounded at their end. The coat is short, smooth and thick. It is very fine on the head and ears. The colour of the coat determines the variety of Swiss Hound. There are four colours: