Deutsche Bracke

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Deutsche Bracke or the German Hound is a scenthound small to medium size dog breed originating in Germany. It is largely used to hunt both small and large game. The dog is the result of years of hard work that was put into creating a "hound of all works". With this breed, all the hard work has paid off as the dog is not only an apt hunter but it is also a marvelous companion.

From the many varieties of Bracken that originally existed, only one survived in Germany, the Westphalian Bracke. These were interbred with local Steinbracken, and one type evolved, which has been known since 1900 as the Deutsche Bracke, or German Bracke Hound.

The dog is light, elegant yet strongly made hunting dog with a noble appearance. It stands between 17-21 inches and weighs about 35 lbs. It has a fine and long head with slightly doomed skull. Nose is black with a slight pink strip in the center. Dark and clear eyes have friendly expression. Ears are long and broad. Neck is moderately long and strong. Body is rectangular with a deep chest and slightly arched back. This dog?s long and muscular legs give it the ability to run fast and cover a relatively large area of trails. The dark-coloured coat is fine, thin and hard to touch. Colours range from red to yellow.

Color

The Deutsche Bracke is found in regularly tricolors that range from red to yellow with a black mantle and white "bracken" markings, white muzzle, white neck ring, white chest, legs and tip of tail.

Coat

The coat is thin, fine and hard to touch. It is a low maintenance coat.

Personality

The Deutsche Bracke is a versatile dog with exceptional abilities as scenthound, watch/guard dog as well as ideal temperament to be a family pet. The dog is obedient and submissive to its master and gentle and kind to children. It gets along well with other dogs and pets in the family although early age socialization is very important. It is a loving and active breed that is highly energetic. Being a hunting dog, the Deutsche Bracke needs work to do and does not like to sit idle. It has a great scenting ability and is difficult to divert after it has picked up a scent. It is alert and attentive to its surrounding and with its resounding bark, it will alert the family of an approaching stranger. The dog needs lots of physical activities to keep itself in shape for hunting expeditions. It is a fearless, loyal and eager to please dog that makes a good family dog with proper socialization.

Care

Its coat is low maintenance and does not require much of grooming. The coat is not so bulky and voluminous and is easy to maintain. A simple brushing will keep the coat dirt and dead hair free.

Training

The dog is eager to please and does well with a firm and confident trainer although the trainer has to be patient. The dog is a little intricate when it comes to training but does well with consistent and innovative training sessions.

Activity

Exercise and physical activities are very important parts of this dog's day to day activities. It needs lots of physical and mental stimulation not only to keep itself fit and in shape for hunting but also to enhance its hunting abilities. The dog should ideally be allowed to run free to simulate chasing and hunting techniques. This dog is ideally suited to a house with large yard and it may not do well in an apartment with limited space.