The Hungarian Hound

The Hungarian Hound also known as the Erdelyi Kopó or Transylvanian Bloodhound originated in Hungary. They were originally owned by the kings and princes in Hungary and used in the hunting of different game like the boar or the fox. This dog appears very sleek. Its posture is erect and upright which gives it the regal heritage that is associated with it. The coat is usually tan with a few white patches or black. The chest is generally tan or white while the feet are black or tan. The hair is very coarse and is short (approximately2 inches). The nose of this breed of dogs is typically black and usually mobile. Their lips have black pigmentations. Their eyes which are usually dark brown with tan patches above are almond shaped.

The ears in the middle and appear to taper to a v-shape which is rounded. Their tail which is at medium height is strong and curves upwards from the lower part. On an average the large dog of the breed weighs 70-75 while the smaller ones weigh 50-55 lb. They have a very short coat of fur, which makes it very easy to maintain. These dogs are moderate shedders. They mostly just require a brushing of the coat on an occasional basis. These dogs have a natural weather proof coat and do not require regular bathing.

Hungarian Hounds are extremely friendly and loyal. They are very well behaved with people and also with other dogs. They are strongly attached to their owners and are protective about their family members. They are also highly protective about their immediate territory which is the owner’s yard or house. They come across as very ferocious due to their intimidating growl or bark. However, they are very accepting and inviting towards people or strangers that have been invited into the area by their owners. They enjoy the companionship of their owners. They are highly intelligent and can be trained easily. Hungarian Hounds are good when it comes to problem solving.

The breed was almost extinct in the beginning of the 20th century and efforts to revive the breed began in 1968. The only other country where the breed exists is Romania. It is a rare and ancient breed which remained pure and existed only in its country of origin for thousands of years. The breed is courageous and tireless and they make excellent hunters. They are capable of withstanding very hot and cold temperatures. Hungarian Hounds are good watch dogs as well. It is a healthy breed and lives from 10 to 12 years. They have suffered under Romanian oppression. As these dogs were considered Hungarian symbols, the Romanian government got an extremely large number of dogs killed. The killings almost resulted in the complete extinction of the species, but a few of them survived and have now been bred by dog breeders. Thanks to the deep care and concern shown by the breeders, some of the dogs from this species do exist today, but even then, their numbers are extremely low.