Bavarian Mountain Scenthound

		Bavarian Mountain Scenthound
		FCI standard Nº 217

Origin		Germany
Translation		C. Seidler
Group		Group 6 Scenthounds and related breeds
Section		Section 2 Leash (Scent) hounds
Working		With working trial, which take note of the relevant hunting requirements.
Acceptance on a definitive basis by the FCI		Saturday 14 November 1959
Publication of the official valid standard		Tuesday 22 August 2017
Last update		Friday 22 September 2017
En français, cette race se dit		Chien de rouge de Bavière
Diese Norm ist in deutscher Sprache sichtbar		Bayrischer Gebirgsschweisshund
En español, esta raza se dice		Rastreador montañés de Baviera
In het Nederlands, wordt dit ras gezegd		Bayrischer Gebirgsschweisshund

Usage

In accordance with the hunting requirements as a specialist for the search of hoofed game, the Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound has to show all the of him required abilities to be useful for the more difficult search.
This usefulness must be confirmed by the relevant working trials.

Brief historical summary

All Liam Hounds (Leithunde) and Leashhounds (Schweisshunde) are descended from the original hunting dogs, the “Bracken”. All pure “Bracken” have the finest nose for following ground scent and trail; they are firm on scent, have a strongly developed will to follow a trail and are readily giving tongue on scent. Only the most reliable and perseverant Bracken were chosen from the pack to be used on the leash to search for the lost trail of the hunted game. From those most calm and biddable Bracken, the Liam Hounds (Leithunde, working only on natural, cold scent) and the “Scent Hounds” (Schweisshunde, the so called “spoilt Liam Hounds”, working the trial of wounded game) were later bred.
Through crossing of genetically fairly close breeds at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century, the present day Hanoverian Scenthound evolved.
After the Revolution in 1848, in fact, after the break up of the large hunting estates and the replacement of the previous hunting methods by stalking and hiding (waiting for the game) and at the same time with the improvement of the firearms, the dog was needed “after the shot”. Specialized in firmly working on the leash, one could not dispense with the loud chase, perseverance and keenness, especially in mountain regions. There the Hanovarian Scenthound proved too heavy.
To achieve the desired accomplishments, even in difficult mountain territory, Baron Karg-Bebenburg, Reichenhall, bred the racy and ennobled lighter Mountain Scenthound after 1870, by crossing Hanovarian Scenthounds and red Mountain Scenthounds. More and more these dogs ousted other breeds from the mountain regions so that the Bavarian Mountain Scenthound is, today, the classical companion for the professional hunter and game keeper.
In 1912 the Club for Bavarian Mountain Scenthounds was founded with its seat in Munich. It is the only recognized Club for Bavarian Mountain Scenthounds in Germany.

General appearance

An altogether balanced, lightish, very mobile and muscular, medium size dog. The body is slightly longer than high, slightly higher at rear, standing on not too long legs. Head carried level or slightly upwards, tail level or slanting downwards.

Important proportions

Height at withers should be in the proportion to length of back of 1 : 1.15; the chest should reach down to the elbow.

Behaviour / temperament

Calm and balanced, devoted to his owner, reserved with strangers. Required is a sound, self assured, unafraid, biddable dog, neither shy nor aggressive.

Head
Cranial region
Skull		Relatively broad, flatly arched. Clear rise to forehead. Superciliary arches well developed; occiput not pronounced.
Stop		Well defined.

Facial region
Nose		Of good size, not too broad. Nostrils well opened. Black or dark red.
Muzzle		Somewhat off-set from eyes, slightly shorter than skull, sufficiently broad, never pointed. Nasal bridge slightly convex or straight.
Lips		Pendulous, medium thickness. Corner of lips clearly visible.
Jaws and teeth		Strong jaws with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite in which the upper incisors overlap the lower incisors without any gap and with the teeth set vertical to the jaw. 42 healthy teeth, according to tooth formula. Pincer bite permitted.
Cheeks		Only moderately pronounced.
Eyes		Clear, alert expression. Not too large or too round. Dark brown or slightly lighter. Well fitting, pigmented lids.
Ears		Somewhat over medium length but at most reaching to nose. Heavy, set on high and broad, rounded at tips. Hanging close to head without any twist.

Neck

Of medium length and strong. Skin somewhat looser on throat.

Body
Topline		Slight rise from withers to hindquarters.
Withers		Barely defined, flowing transition from neck to back.
Back		Strong and supple.
Loin		Relatively short, broad, very well muscled.
Croup		Long and fairly level (drooping by 20 – 30 º is seen to be ideal).
Chest		Moderately broad, well developed forechest, oval ribcage, deep and long, with ribs reaching far back. Chest reaching down to elbow joint.
Underline and belly		Gradually rising towards rear. Belly slightly tucked up.

Tail

Medium length, reaching, at most, to hocks. Set on high, carried horizontal or slightly slanting downwards.

Limbs

Forequarters
Generality		Legs seen from the front, straight and parallel; seen from the side, standing well under the body. Good angulations.
Shoulders		Well slanting, laid back shoulder blade. Strongly muscled.
Upper arm		Long, with good and lean muscles. Scapulo-humeral angulation 90 - 100º.
Elbows		Close fitting to body, turning neither in nor out.
Forearm		Lean, vertical and straight. Strong bone, very well muscled.
Carpal		Strong (stifle angulation 100 - 110º).
Pastern		Slanting lightly.

Hindquarters
Generality		Strong bone. Seen from rear, straight and parallel. Good angulations.
Upper thigh		Broad and very muscular.
Lower thigh		Relatively long, muscular and sinewy.
Stifle		Strong.
Metatarsus		Short, standing vertical.
Hock		Strong.

Feet

Spoon shaped with well arched, tight toes as well as sufficiently cushioned, coarse, resistant and well pigmented pads. Feet move parallel; in stance and movement turning neither in nor out. Nails black or horn colour.

Gait and movement

Ground covering, with good reach in front and strong drive from the rear. Fore- and hindlegs straight and parallel; lightly springy gait. Preferred movement when in action: walk and gallop.

Skin

Strong, tight fitting.

Coat
Hair		Dense, close fitting, moderately harsh with little gloss. Finer on head and leathers, harsher and longer on belly, legs and tail.
Colour		Deep red, deer red, reddish brown, tan, also clear fawn to biscuit colour, reddish gray as the winter coat of a deer, also brindled or interspersed with black hairs. The basic colour on the back is generally more intense, muzzle and leathers dark. Tail, mostly, interspersed with dark hair. Small light-coloured patch on chest (“Bracken Star”) permitted.

Size and weight
Height at withers		Dogs 47 to 52 cm, bitches 44 to 48 cm. No departure from above permitted in either dogs or bitches.
Weight		Weight in relation to height to withers: males ideally 20 – 30 kg, females ideally 17 – 25 kg.

Faults

• Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work.
• Faults listed should be in degree of seriousness.

Serious faults

Flesh coloured nose.

Mouth slightly over- or undershot.

Partial pincer bite.

Very loose eyelids.

Marked hollow or roach back.

Very flat or barrel shaped chest.

Very in or out at elbow.

Distinctly overbuilt hindquarters.

Hindlegs very close, cow-hocked or bow-shaped, in stance or movement.

Too fine or thin coat.

Strong deviation in colour, black colour with red markings (Black and Tan).

Deviation in size.

Disqualifying faults

Aggressive or overly shy.

Not showing clear sexual dimorphism.

Under and oversized dogs.

Not recognized coat colour.

Incorrect bites.

Over- or undershot, wry mouth, Palisade bite, wry mouth, partial pincer, slanted bites.

Missing teeth (except P1 ; M3 must be present).

Ectropion, entropion.

Tail kinked from birth.

NB :

• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
• The above mentioned faults when occurring to a highly marked degree or frequently are disqualifying.
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.

Bibliography

https://www.fci.be/

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Bavarian Mountain Scenthound