The Austrian Brandlbracke also called the Austrian Smooth-haired Hound, is a Brandl Bracke dog breed from Austria dating back over 150 years. In its homeland, it is popular, but in the world, this breed is not widespread and, apparently, will remain so in the future.
History of the breed
The history of the emergence of the Austrian hound remains a mystery. Almost all sources claim that the ancestors of the breed were Celtic dogs, called in German (language and Austria) "Kelten Brake".
Although most of Austria was inhabited by Germanic tribes since the fall of the Roman Empire, Celtic tribes also lived in it, the same as in Switzerland, France, Belgium.
It is unclear why the smooth-haired marriage is believed to be descended from Celtic dogs. Although these breeds inhabited the same region, there is no evidence that there was a connection between them. Moreover, there is some strong evidence against this theory. If the brand-brack is 300 years older than it is now believed, there is still more than a 1000-year gap between him and the Celtic brack.
In addition, according to the descriptions, they are very different from each other. Even if this relationship was, then for hundreds of years the Austrian hound mixed with other breeds and began to differ greatly from its ancestor.
But, whoever they come from, these dogs are very popular in Austria, especially in the mountainous regions. For many years they were not purebred but mixed with other breeds, but in 1884 the Australian Hound was recognized as a separate breed, a standard was written.
At home, she is widely known as "Brandlbracke", which can be translated as - fire hound, according to the color of the coat. Smooth-haired reeds were used in hunting rabbits and foxes, tracking down larger animals, and usually in small flocks.
At one time, Austrian marriages were kept only by the nobility, as was the case with many dogs in Europe. Only the nobility had the right to hunt on their territory, it was a popular pastime and hunting dogs were very much appreciated.
Although the Brundle Brakes lived in what is now split into 12 different countries, they are virtually unknown outside of Austria. This isolation continues to this day, only in recent years have they begun to appear in other countries. Although the breed is registered with the Federation Cynologique Internationale.
Unlike many modern dogs, the Austrian Hound is still used as a hunting hound today and will remain so for the foreseeable future.
Description
The Austrian Hound is similar to other medium-sized hunting dogs found in Europe. The average representative of the breed reaches a height of 48-55 cm at the withers, bitches are about 2-3 less. Weight ranges from 13 to 23 kg.
It is a fairly sturdy dog, with powerful muscles, although it should not appear fat or stocky.
Smooth coats appear to be the most athletic of all native dogs, most of which are substantially longer than tall.
The coat of the Alpine Hound is short, smooth, thick, close to the body, shiny. Its density should be sufficient to protect the dog from the alpine climate.
There can be only one color, black and tan. Black is the main one, but the location of the red markings can be different. They are usually located around the eyes, although some dogs also have them on the muzzle. There are also markings on the chest and paws.
Character
Very little is known about the nature of Austrian reeds when living outside the workspace, as they are rarely kept differently from hunting dogs. However, hunters claim that they are well-mannered and calm. They are usually friendly with children and take games calmly.
Born to work in a pack, Austrian hounds are very calm towards other dogs and even prefer their company. But, as hunting dogs, they are very aggressive towards other small animals and can chase and kill them.
The Austrian hound is considered the smartest of all hounds, and those who have worked with them say they are very obedient. Those who are looking for a hunting dog will be delighted with it, especially since they need a lot of stress. At least one hour a day, but this is the minimum, they are able to carry more.
Smooth-haired marriages do not tolerate life in the city extremely well, they need a spacious yard, freedom, and hunting. Moreover, during the hunt, they give a sign with a voice about the detected prey, and as a result, they are more vociferous than other dogs.