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STYRIAN ROUGHHAIRED MOUNTAIN HOUND |
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Ancient Middle
Eastern hounds aboard Phoenician and Greek vessels were traded to Celtic
and Germanic tribes. This stock, coming down through the centuries, is
the basis for these and other Austrian hounds.
Much of Austria
is mountainous with extreme climatic variations., and the Austrian hounds
have been adapted for these conditions. Hoch-gebirgs means high
mountains, and the Rauhaarige is especially adapted to that environment.
St-yria, the land of lederhosen and embroidered capes, is in the
south of Austria on the Yugoslavian border. The rough-coated hound from
that area is a cross of schweisshund-type trackers with the wirehaired
hounds of Istria. This blend created a tough utility scenthound for use
in the highest elevations.
One of the
first crosses was done by Herr Peintinger in 1870, through mating his
Hanoverian bitch, "Hela I," to an Istrian dog. Many other
crosses and experiments occurred before the breed was stabilized, but
soon Peintinger was exhibiting and hunting the third-generation pure
type. The breed was recognized by its official name in 1889, but is
still often called by the name of its founder.
The Styrian
is of robust build, and is muscular and sturdy. The head is straighter
with a bit more stop than the Brandl. He has small feet with high, arched
toes. The rough hair is never very long and he sports no moustaches.
His head and coat give him "a serious . . . nearly a threatening
facial expression." Yet, he is not a vicious dog at all, but calm
and gentle.
Competent
in silent trailing as well as the vocal pursuit on a hot scent, he is
both serious and intelligent. He is particularly noted for being an
easy keeper and for his ability to overcome cold, damp, heat, thirst
and other discomforts while following his prey through the mountains.
Modern hunters from Austria and Yugoslavia prize this resistant, tough,
but good-natured hound.
A strict breed
club that requires proof of ability as well as health and soundness
before approving a breeding helps to assure that these dogs retain their
attributes.
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