The Gorgeous Austrian Black and Tan Hound

There are some really beautiful hounds in the world with one of the sweetest looking being the Austrian Black and Tan Hound. When they are puppies, they are among the cutest on the planet and as mature, adult dogs they are one of the most kind looking scent hounds you'll ever meet.

As their name suggests, these hounds are native to Austria and are thought to have a fascinating ancestry being a mixture of foxhounds, bloodhounds and Celtic hounds. They are large dogs and they excel at the job they were originally bred to do which was to track down game in higher altitude areas in their native Austria.

Lovely, Unique Looks

The Austrian Black and Tan Hound is a unique looking scent hound and male dogs can weigh in at anything between 33 and 40 lbs making them one of the larger hounds around. They differ from other of the larger breeds in that they have a very dense coat, lovely large ears and nice face masks that really do make these dogs stand out in a crowd. Their coats offer them lots of protection from the elements which they needed when hunting in the Austrian mountains.

When it comes to colouring, the Austrian Black and Tan Hound has a predominantly black coat, but it's their striking tan markings on their faces, chest points, legs and thighs that gives them their unique appeal. Their masks and markings are always very well defined with the tan points above their eyes giving them an intelligent and alert look.

Lovely Temperaments

Although these hounds are excellent hunting dogs, they are wonderfully calm characters by nature and they make great family pets. They are extremely intelligent which means they are quick learners of both the good and the bad. As with many other breeds, the Austrian Black and Tan Hound really does benefit from being well socialised from a young age so they mature into well-balanced and happy characters that are a pleasure to have and be around.

They are known to be very good around children, although due to their size it's best to keep an eye on younger kids and toddlers just in case they accidentally get knocked over when playing with their canine companion. Dogs that have been well socialised during their puppy stage generally get on very well with other family pets although you have to bear in mind they are hunting dogs. In short, you need to introduce an Austrian Black and Tan Hound to small pets gradually and always keep an eye on them when you do.

High Energy Dogs

However, sharing a home with an Austrian Black and Tan Hound is not the best idea for everyone because these dogs are high energy characters which in short, means they need to be given lots of physical exercise as well as tons of mental stimulation. If left to their own devices, these lovely dogs might well develop some quite destructive behavioural issues. Because of their hunting skills, they are also prone to running off if they get whiff of a scent which means keeping them on a lead when you are out for a walk through the countryside, woodland or in a park.

Well-Balanced, Nutritious Diets are Essential

Because these dogs are so high energy, it's important they be fed a nutritious, well-balanced diet to suit their ages. This is particularly important when these dogs are still in their puppy stage and therefore their bones and joints are still growing.

A Healthy Breed with Few Health Issues

The Austrian Black and Tan hound is known to be a healthy dog although like many other larger breeds, they do have a tendency to suffer from certain conditions some of which are thought to be hereditary. This includes hip dysplasia which as dogs grow older can result in them suffering from a painful secondary condition namely arthritis.

Typical Traits and Characteristics

As previously mentioned if an Austrian Black and Tan hound is well socialised from a young age, they make wonderful family pets. However, they do shed a lot of hair and when the weather is hot or after they done a lot of exercise, these dogs also have a tendency to drool quite a bit. The other thing that's quite particular to the breed is their unique odour which is quite different to that of other dogs.

Conclusion

The Austrian Black and Tan hound is a very special looking dog and one that's not that well known outside of their native Austria where they were originally bred to track down game high up in the country's mountain ranges. As long as these dogs are well socialised from a young age, they make wonderful family pets and companion dogs. They are particularly good when around children although because of their size, you would need to make sure they don't knock a toddler over albeit by accident.