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Berner Laufhund

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Berner Laufhund

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Description

The Berner Laufhund is a small, short-legged dog breed of the scent-hound lineage that was created in Switzerland especially for pursuing and finding wounded game. These superb hunting dogs are also known as the Small Bernese Hound or the Berner Niederlaufhund in native Switzerland.

More about the dog breed ahead - its history, appearance, demeanor, grooming, and health.

About and Brief History of the Berner Laufhund

The early ancestors of the Berner Laufhund were ancient bloodhounds and the Swiss Laufhund, a breed of medium-sized scent hounds that were popularly used by Alpine hunters to find and pursue big game, especially deer. They were preferred because of their remarkable sense of smell, lean size, and ability to navigate difficult terrains in pursuit of prey.

There are records dating as far back as the 9th century showing extensive use of Swiss Laufhund for hunting. But in the late 1800s, hunting in Switzerland was restricted to hunting preserves that were far too small for the snappier Swiss Hound. Hunters had no choice but to develop a smaller, relatively slower, and yet agile hunting dog breed that could hunt sizable game on the rough landscape of the Swiss mountain valleys.

In the early 1900s, the Berner Laufhund was developed as a smaller, short-legged, and more refined variant of the Swiss Hound. In fact, it's one of the 4 small Swiss scent-hounds that were bred during this period, with the other three varieties being:

Schwyz Hound, also Schwyzer Niederlaufhund, an endearing small Swiss hound breed featuring the classic smooth, white coat with red-orange or red-yellow patches

Jura Hound, also Jura Niederlaufhund, wearing a smooth, all-black coat with tan spots right above both eyes.

Lucerne Hound, also Luzerner Niederlaufhund, another small scent hound with the typical smooth & white coat spotted with black or gray patches, plus tan markings above the eyes.

While the four small Swiss hounds (sometimes called Dachbrackes or Bassets) are closely related, the Berner Laufhund stands out because its characteristic white coat can be either smooth or wire-haired. In either case, these hunting dogs were bred to hunt small game and pursue wounded prey by scent. Nowadays, the Berner Laufhunds are rarely found beyond the Swiss region where they were originally bred.

Appearance

Like all small Swiss hounds bred at the turn of the 19th century, the Berner Laufhund has short legs and a slightly square body that can be of small to medium size. The dog breed is typically well-structured and a bit longer than it's tall. The legs are strong, muscular, and well-structured, too.

What makes the Small Bernese Hound stand out from the rest of Swiss scent hounds is that their coat can come in either wire-haired or smooth variety. In the smooth-coated hounds, the hair is short, soft, and lies flat close to the body with a slightly dense undercoat. On the other hand, wire-haired Berner Laufhund has a wiry coat that's coarse to touch. Additionally, they may be seen with a small beard and often lack an undercoat.

In either variety, the coat comes in traditional tri-color of white, tan, and black. They normally sport an unmistakable white base with large, black patches, and tan markings over their eyes and under the ears, as well as on their cheeks, chest, and legs. The skin is marbled under the white coat and dark-pigmented under the black patches. Black-mantled and maroon-spotted Berner Laufhunds are also allowed.

The dog's ears are large, long, and low-set, sometimes hanging down to the cheeks. Their expressive dark brown eyes are happy, exuberant, and always alert. While the tail is long and set on high, it is usually carried close to the ground unless when the dog is in the "hunting mode".

These dogs have a narrow, slightly long head with a thick, domed skull. The nose is black with broad nostrils that can turn pinkish or lighter during colder weather months.

Males are slightly taller, standing 13-18 inches high at the withers, while females' height ranges from 12 to 17 inches. Both sexes weigh around 18 to 33 pounds as fully-grown adults.

Temperament and Demeanor

Berner Laufhund dogs have a loving, easygoing, non-aggressive, and friendly personality, which is why they make for great family companions and pets. Because they were bred specially for hunting, these dogs are passionate, hardworking, agile, and relatively fast hunters. Their sense of smell and hunting spirit are unmatched, often following a scent trail until they find the prey.

As with most scent hounds, they project a lot of courage, energy, and vigor, so they are definitely not ideal pets for apartment and condo residents. In fact, they maintain a rather energetic and playful lifestyle, meaning that they need a ton of playtime, ample outdoor space, and regular exercising.

Health, Grooming, and Care

The Berner Laufhund is an active, energetic, and athletic dog breed with very few known health issues. However, you may have to look out for medication sensitivities, patellar luxation, ear infections, and elbow dysplasia.

They primarily have a short, non-shedding coat, so grooming is usually a breeze. Weekly or biweekly brushing and regular cleaning can help keep your pet in spick-and-span shape.

More importantly, you should provide your dog with plenty of physical and mentally stimulating exercises. Make sure they get at least 90 minutes of playtime or exercising every day.

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