Origin
Directly related to Germany’s finest hunting dogs the ‘Bracken’, the Bavarian Mountain Hound is one of the best trailing hounds, with a remarkable sense of smell, strong will and great intelligence.
The hound was developed by crossing the docile and trainable ‘Liam’ Bracken, with the ‘scent’ Bracken, creating a dog that is the ultimate scent hound being both trainable and brave.
In 1912, the ‘Klub für Bayrische Gebirgsschweißhunde’ (Club for Bavarian Mountain Hound), was founded in Munich. Afterwards, this breed started gaining popularity in Austria and Hungary.
Traits and Behavior
Because of their hunting instincts, this breed has high endurance and energy. They have a keen sense of smell and sharp eyes that allows them to spot small animals from a distance.
They are highly intelligent and attentive. Aside from their eyes and nose, Bavarian Mountain Hounds also has a good sense of hearing which enables them to hear high-pitched voices from a distance.
This breed is affectionate and friendly, which makes them good house pets, too. They are extremely athletic but can be quite serene in their homes.
However, they are very independent and would like to do things their way. They may be affectionate, but they only focus on one to two members, as a result, they ignore other members of the family.
Bavarian Mountain Hounds enjoy any high energy activities like retrieving games, running, and long walks.
They are loyal, brave, sociable, energetic, cheerful, and friendly. But, they can also be stubborn and challenging, especially to first time owners. First-time owners shouldn’t get Bavarian Mountain Hounds as their first pet.
Pet Care and Diseases
The Bavarian Mountain Hound is a robust dog and appears untroubled by some of the health issues that plague other pedigree breeds. However, some issues have been reported. These include:
- Hip dysplasia
- Entropion
- Symptoms of epilepsy
These high-energy dogs need a lot of exercise and activity to stay healthy. They won’t do well in enclosed spaces like apartments and would prefer a home with a yard in which they can roam around.
Bavarian Mountain Hounds require at least hour-long walks or runs to stay fit. If not given adequate exercise, they tend to become agitated, anxious, and destructive. Games like fetch and runs are good for this breed.
A common infection in this breed involves their ears. Regular ear cleaning should be practised.
Keeping the ears dry and free from dirt is important to prevent ear infections. On the other hand, Bavarian Mountain Hounds are fairly easy to groom. They don’t need any special grooming. Weekly brushing of the coat is enough for them.
Appearance
Bavarian Mountain Hounds weigh between 20 to 25 kg. The average height to withers for males is 47 to 52 cm (18.5-20.5 in), while 44 to 48 cm (17-19 in) for females. A large, strong dog, the Mountain Hound’s head is strong and elongated.
The nose should be black or dark red with flared nostrils and the ears are neither large nor small and should be set high.
These heavy ears should be wide at the base and taper to a rounded end.
The dog is longer than it is high, with raised hindquarters and a tail that should reach the hock and is carried high or parallel to the ground.
The hound’s coat is short, dense and glossy and should be rougher on the legs, chest, tail and belly. The hair on the ears and head should be much finer.
The color for the coat includes deep red, deep red, red-brown and fawn.
General Information
This breed has an estimated lifespan of 10-12 years. The average litter size is about 6-10 puppies. The breed is also known as Bavarian Mountain Scenthound and Bayerischer Gebirgsschweißhund.
Breed Club
Visit this dog club website dedicated to Bavarian Mountain Dog. Click this link: http://www.bmhs.org.uk/