The Austrian Black and Tan Hound is a breed of

dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...

originating in

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

History

There is no known history of the Austrian Black and Tan Hound until after the middle of the 19th century. This large sized

hound A hound is a type of hunting dog used by hunters to track or chase prey. Description Hounds can be contrasted with gun dogs that assist hunters by identifying prey and/or recovering shot quarry. The hound breeds were the first hunting dogs. ...

was used for tracking wounded game, most commonly hare, in high altitudes.

Description

Appearance

Colouring in this breed is highly important; it must be black with small, clearly defined, light to dark fawn markings. Two fawn marks above the eyes must be present. The coat is smooth, dense and short (about 2 cm in length). The long

tail The tail is the section at the rear end of certain kinds of animals’ bodies; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammal ...

is slightly bent and the

ears An ear is the organ that enables hearing and, in mammals, body balance using the vestibular system. In mammals, the ear is usually described as having three parts—the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear consists o ...

are medium in length and lie flat with rounded tips. Males are , while females are . They weigh 15 to 22 kg (33-49 pounds).

Temperament

It has a keen sense of smell. It is an elegant runner, used in all sorts of game. It has a lovely voice, and makes a great pet due to its good-natured personality. It is not a dog wanting to be in a city. A suitable home will be in a rural area where the dog will have much space to run unrestricted by a leash. It loves to work.

Care

The Austrian black and tan hound needs daily exercise. The breed will only require a once-a-week brushing and bathing only when necessary. Nails need to be trimmed regularly and ears need to be cleaned every day to avoid ear infections. There are currently no genetic diseases known to affect this breed, which is fairly healthy, and lives up to 12 to 14 years of age.

Etymology

Brandlbracke is a compound word, stemming from "Brand" (harmful fire, fire that went out of control) which refers to the fawn markings and "Bracke", a type of hunting dog. Vieräugl is the

Austro-Bavarian Bavarian (german: Bairisch , Bavarian: ''Boarisch'') or alternately Austro-Bavarian, is a West Germanic language, part of the Upper German family, together with Alemannic and East Franconian. Bavarian is spoken by approximately 12 million pe ...

diminutive of "Vierauge", meaning: somebody our something having four eyes. It refers to the distinctive fawn markings above the eyes.

References

FCI breeds Rare dog breeds Scent hounds Dog breeds originating in Austria {{dog-stub