Schweizerischer Niederlaufhund
Encyclopedia
The Schweizerischer Niederlaufhund (FCI No, 60) (translated into English as the Small Swiss Hound, is a breed
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
of the scenthound type
Dog type
Dog types are broad categories of dogs based on function, with dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance....
from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Niederlaufhund means short-legged hound. The breed has a number of different varieties (all of the same breed).
Appearance
The general appearance is of a houndHound
A hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. It can be contrasted with the gun dog, which assists hunters by identifying the location of prey, and with the retriever, which recovers shot quarry...
similar to the Schweizer Laufhund
Schweizer Laufhund
The Schweizer Laufhund is a breed of hound dog, originally from Switzerland.-History:The Swiss Hound has very ancient origins. Its presence in times of the Roman Helvetia is certified on a mosaic, discovered at Avenches, by the representation of packhounds corresponding to the varieties of Swiss...
, with a smaller body and shorter legs. The breed has long drop ears and a long tail. Size is 35-43 cm (13.8 -16.9 ins) at the withers
Withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
, females somewhat smaller.
The varieties of the Schweizerischer Niederlaufhund are arranged by coat
Coat (dog)
The coat of the domestic dog refers to the hair that covers its body. A dog's coat may be a double coat, made up of a soft undercoat and a coarser topcoat, or a single coat, which lacks an undercoat...
colour and texture:
- Small Bernese Hound (Berner Niederlaufhund) - tricolour: white, black and tan, tan marks over the eyes.
- smooth-haired Small Bernese Hound - short and smooth coat
- coarse-haired Small Bernese Hound - harsh single coat, small beard on the face
- Small Jura Hound (Jura Niederlaufhund) -smooth single coat, black with tan markings above the eyes, some white.
- Small Lucerne Hound (Luzerner Niederlaufhund) - smooth white coat speckled with grey or black to give a blue appearance, with black patches and tan marks over the eyes.
- Small Schwyz Hound (Schwyzer Niederlaufhund )- smooth white coat with yellow-red to orange-red patches.
History
The smaller, shorter-legged hounds were bred from the Schweizer LaufhundSchweizer Laufhund
The Schweizer Laufhund is a breed of hound dog, originally from Switzerland.-History:The Swiss Hound has very ancient origins. Its presence in times of the Roman Helvetia is certified on a mosaic, discovered at Avenches, by the representation of packhounds corresponding to the varieties of Swiss...
in the early 1900s, for hunting in smaller areas. The Schweizer Niederlaufhund Club was formed in 1905.