Swiss Hound

Scenthound Group

The goals and purposes of this breed standard include: to furnish guidelines for breeders who wish to maintain the quality of their breed and to improve it; to advance this breed to a state of similarity throughout the world; and to act as a guide for judges.

Breeders and judges have the responsibility to avoid any conditions or exaggerations that are detrimental to the health, welfare, essence and soundness of this breed, and must take the responsibility to see that these are not perpetuated.

Any departure from the following should be considered a fault, and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.

History

The Swiss Hound is a hunting dog used for hare, fox, roe deer and boar. The breed has ancient origins and was influenced by French hounds that were brought back to Switzerland by the mercenaries. The breed exists in four color varieties.

The Swiss Hound was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006.

General Appearance

A medium sized, strong endurance dog with an air of nobility.

Characteristics

Lively and keen when hunting; sensitive, docile and very attached to his master.

Head

SKULL

The skull is long, lean, narrow and slightly rounded. The occiput is visible. There is no frontal furrow, and there are no wrinkles on the forehead. The stop is defined but not exaggerated.

MUZZLE

The muzzle is finely chiseled and narrow, but not pointed. The nasal bridge is straight or convex, and slightly divergent from the line of the skull. The cheeks are clean. The lips are moderately developed.

TEETH

The Swiss Hound has a complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors bite. The absence of one or two of the 1st or 2nd premolars is tolerated.

Disqualifications: Undershot, overshot or wry bite.

NOSE

The black nose has well developed, open nostrils.

Disqualification: Nose pink without pigmentation.

EYES

The medium sized, oval shaped eyes are light to dark brown depending on the color of the coat. The rims are tight fitting, and the expression is soft.

Disqualifications: Entropion or ectropion.

EARS

The long, low set ears are narrow, and twisted or folded. They reach at least to the tip of the nose.

Neck

Long and elegant, with some loose skin at the throat, but no dewlap.

Forequarters

The shoulder blades and upper arms are long and oblique, and meet at an angle of 100 degrees.

FORELEGS

The elbows lie against the chest, and the forearms are straight and broad, with medium bone. The pasterns are relatively short and slightly inclined.

Body

The body is just slightly longer than it is tall. The chest is deeper than it is wide. The ribcage is long and slightly sprung. The juncture of the neck and shoulder is clean and elegant. The back is firm and straight. The loin is flexible and well muscled. The croup is slightly inclined, and not higher than the withers. The hipbones are not prominent. The underline is slightly tucked up.

Hindquarters

The hindquarters are very muscular, and in balance with the forequarters.

HIND LEGS

The upper thigh is long, with strong, flat muscles. Angulation at the stifle is about 120 degrees. The lower thigh is long, with lean muscles and tendons. The angle at the hock joint is about 130 degrees. The rear pasterns are short, straight and parallel.

Feet

Fairly round, with tight toes and rough, hard pads.

Tail

Set off the natural line of the croup, the tail is elegant and tapering. It is carried above the line of the back in a curve, but never curled over the back. There is no brush.
Disqualifications: Rolled, ringed, hooked or malformed tail.

Coat

The coat is short, smooth and dense, and very fine on the head and ears.

Color

The Swiss Hound comes in four color varieties, which are all shown together at United Kennel Club conformation events.

Bernese Hound

White with black patches or black saddle; with light to dark tan markings over the eyes, on the cheeks, the inside of the leathers and around the vent; the white sometimes with very slight black ticking.

Faults: Too many black ticks in the white. Tan or white colour on the outer side of the ear lobe.

Jura Hound

Tan with black blanket, sometimes with black overlay; or black with tan markings over the eyes, on the cheeks, around the vent and on the legs; sometimes with a small white patch on the chest which may be slightly speckled (black or grey ticking).

Faults: Self coloured coat. Important white patch or strongly speckled white patch on chest.

Lucerne Hound

“Blue”, resulting from a combination of back hairs and white hairs, very heavily speckled; with black patches or black saddle; with light to dark tan markings above the eyes, on the cheeks, on the chest, around the vent and on the legs; a black blanket is admitted.

Faults: Absence of “blue” speckle. Tan colour on the outer face of the ear lobe.

Schwyz Hound

White with orange patches or orange saddle; the white sometimes with very slight orange ticking; an orange blanket is admitted.

Faults: Too many orange flecks in the white. Self coloured coat. White colour on the outer side of the ear lobe.

Height

Height at the withers for males is 19 to 23 inches. For females, it is 18.5 to 22.5.

Gait

Easy, coordinated, and ground covering.

Eliminating Faults

(An Eliminating Fault is a Fault serious enough that it eliminates the dog from obtaining any awards in a conformation event.)
Over or under the prescribed heights.

Disqualifications

(A dog with a Disqualification must not be considered for placement in a conformation event, and must be reported to UKC.)
Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid.
Viciousness or extreme shyness.
Albinism.
Undershot, overshot or wry bite.
Nose pink without pigmentation.
Entropion or ectropion.
Rolled, ringed, hooked or malformed tail.