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DEUTSCHE BRACKE |
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Most German hounds
are sturdily boned and a bit low-stationed, with the large but stiff-carti-laged
ear that lies flat and wide instead of folding. They tend also to have
the "ram's nose" profile with little stop.
The Deutsche
Bracke evolved from generic all-purpose, hot-trailing Celtic hounds of
varying type used for German forest work. Some earlier types were the
Westphalian Bracke and the Sauerlander Holzbracke. These brackes were
mainly promoted in the Sauerland and all of Westphalia, which are located
in western Germany. For a while, there was some attempt to support the
Steinbracke (or in Holland Steen-brack), a slightly smaller version
of the bracke. Stein,
meaning stone, was an old German weight designation, one stone being
about 22 pounds.
All of these
fragmented varieties were finally gathered under one breed title, and
the Deutsche Bracke is the only official Bracke now recognized in Germany.
A club has fostered the type since 1896, although a written standard was
not drawn up by the Deutsche Bracken Club until 1955.
In Germany,
the Bracke is a dog promoted in the hills and low mountains for hare,
fox, rabbit and boar. He is best on the hot scent, giving tongue with
his melodious, bell-like voice. His long legs allow him to work quickly
and cover a lot of territory.
A superb nose
makes him capable of schweiss-hund work as well, working cold trails of
wounded animals. This ability is required more and more, and at this he
works silently. Old-time bracken hunters often feared that the use of
a dog to trail the wounded deer would make him want to chase healthy ones.
This has been proven to be untrue. With quality training methods, the
Bracke quickly understands the difference between the hot track and the
cold bloodtrail. Modern breeders say that it takes a good deal of patience
to teach him to retrieve, but once he is trained, he is reliable.
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