All about the Serbian Hound

The Serbian Hound is also known as the Balkan Hound has always been a highly prized hunting dog both in their native Serbia and other Balkan countries thanks to their attractive looks and they kind, loyal and willing natures. They are medium sized scent hounds and they boast easy going personalities that thrive in the field and home environment becoming a valued member of a family. The Serbian Hound is an all-round trustworthy dog and one that seems to have an affinity with children which is just one of the reasons why they are so popular in Europe.

A little background history

The Serbian Hound is an ancient breed dating back to the 11th Century and they have always been highly prized in the field for their hunting abilities. There are those people who believe the breed is related to hounds that existed in Asia Minor and that these dogs were used to create the Balkan Hound. Their ancestors could well be hounds that hailed from Egypt having been taken to the Balkans by Phoenicians traders during 1000 BC.

Originally, the breed was known as the Balkan Hound, but the name was changed in 1996. With this said, the first breed standard was set back in 1924 and although these charming, handsome dogs have remained a popular choice both as a working dog, family pet and companion in Serbia, Montenegro and other Balkan countries, the Serbian Hound is rarely seen in other parts of the world, including in the UK.

They are renowned for their hunting abilities being tireless and dedicated to the job they are trained to do which is to track deer, rabbits, foxes and other prey being just as happy to hunt alone as they are in a pack.

Appearance

The Serbian Hound is a medium to large size scent hound with males being that much larger than their female counterparts. They are well-muscled, nicely balanced, attractive dogs being impressive looking with their shiny coats and athletic builds. When seen in profile, their heads are slightly rounded in appearance and dogs have nicely developed muzzles that taper to the nose which is always black in colour.

They have medium sized eyes that are oval shaped and set at a slight slant on a dog's face. Their ears are moderately long and wide with the tips being slightly oval shaped and set high on a dog's head so they hang close to a dog's cheeks. The Serbian Hound's neck is slightly arched which adds to their overall athletic appearance.

They have level toplines with nicely pronounced withers and muscular loins. Croups are nicely muscled and slope gently with dog's showing a slight tuck up to their bellies. Their tails are moderately long being a continuation of their croups and thicker at the base before tapering to the tip. Tails are nicely furnished which dogs carry slightly raised but never too high. They have strong, powerful and muscular forequarters with well-muscled shoulder blades and their hind quarters are strong, powerful and flat.

When it comes to their coats, the Serbian Hounds has very elastic, nicely pigmented skin which is well furnished in hair with the hair on the back of a dog's thighs and under their tails being that much longer than on the rest of their bodies. They come in a variety of colours which includes the following:

• Red
• Yellow
• Yellow/red
• Rust

The Serbian Hound has a lovely black saddle on their backs to the base of their heads and striking black markings on each temple with some dogs having a white spot on their chests.

Temperament

A Serbian Hound is known to be an easy-going, laid back character by nature. Lively, intelligent, fiercely loyal, these scent hounds are just as happy in the home as they are working in the field providing they are given plenty of things to do and lots of mental stimulation. They are not the best choice for first time dog owners because they need to be handled and trained by people who are familiar with the breeds specific needs. With this said, in the right environment and with the correct handling a Serbian Hound makes a wonderful companion and family pet.

They are also known to be quite independent thinkers which means they need to handled with a firm yet gentle hand so that a Serbian Hound understands what is expected of them and who is the alpha dog in a household. If they are not trained and well socialised from a young enough age, dogs quickly take on a more dominant role which can make them harder to manage.

They form very strong ties with their owners and thrives on being trained to do new things. They adore the one to one attention they are given and being so eager to please, in the right hands they are a joy to train.

Shedding

The Serbian Hound is low maintenance on the grooming front and although they shed steadily throughout the year, they are considered low to moderate shedders. Like other breeds, they shed the most when their summer and winter coats start to grow through which is in the spring and then again in the autumn.

Training

Being so intelligent and amenable to learning new things, the Serbian hound is highly trainable. However, because they are quite independent thinking dogs by nature, they are best suited to people who are familiar with their specific training needs, bearing in mind that they boast a very high prey drive. As such, they need to be taught the recall command from a young age and it's important to do a lot of heel work"" right from the word go. It is best to keep training session short and interesting so that a Serbian Hound stays focused on what is being asked from them because being such smart scent hounds, a Serbian Hound would quickly get bored if a session goes on for too long.

Exercise

The Serbian Hound is a lively, energetic dog and one that needs to be given a tremendous amount of daily exercise combined with lots of mental stimulation for them to be truly well-balanced dogs. As such they need a minimum of 2 hours exercise and more with as much off the lead time as possible in a safe environment so dogs can really let off steam.

Children and Pets

Docile, calm, laid back and easy going, the Serbian Hound as previously mentioned is just as happy in a home environment as they are out working in the field. Because they are so gregarious and social by nature, the Serbian Hound is also know to get on with everyone which includes other animals they have grown up with in the same household which includes family cats.

Health Issues

The Serbian Hound is known to be a healthy and robust breed of scent hound and one that does not appear to be affected by many of the hereditary and congenital health issues that often plague other dog breeds. However, because they have moderately long, pendulous ears, it's important to keep an eye on the tips to make sure no sore develop which could become infected if left untreated.

Life expectancy

The average life span of a Serbian Hound is between 12 and 15 years when properly cared for and fed a good quality appropriate diet to suit their ages.

Finding a breeder

Because the breed is so rarely seen in the UK, finding a breeder can prove challenging and when you do, the chances are there would be a very long waiting list you would need to go on.

Well appreciated and popular in its country of origin the Serbian hound is rare in other lands. This dog is rather hard to come by. Locating a breeder is quite difficult and if ever you find one, the extremely high prices as well as the long waiting list can be very frustrating.

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