Pet Health And Care >> Dog Breed >> Latvian Hound

Latvian Hound Dog, Breeder, Information, Appearance and Temperament

The modern day Latvian Hound can be described as a basset general dog, which has straight cut legs and feet, a round head, which is arched and has a wedge shape.

Through the 19th century, the Latvian Aristocracy hunted deer, using the help of long legged dogs, called Hounds Cur-land, which had been a mixture of Polish and English dogs. Due to several factors, there were only a few of these hounds left, which were usually crossed with the Dachshund and Mestizos. Later, on hunters started crossing these breeds with the English Beagles.

Thereafter, in the year 1947, this breed was recognized as the Latvian Hound, by the Council Of Hunters And Fishermen. Thereafter, despite a lot of controversy, the Latvian Hound dogs were bred privately.

The average height of this dog breed is approximately 16 to 19 inches and their weight could be anywhere between 35 and 45 pounds.

In appearance, the Latvian Hound has a clean head with a rounded appearance. Its eyes are dark brown and are set obliquely. They have long ears, which have been set low; moreover, they are folded and hang quite close to the head. Their muzzle is medium sized and is in proportion of the rest of the head. Their nose could either be black or self colored, according to their coat. The neck of the Latvian hound dog is round, short and well muscled. The back is straight, muscular and broad, quite similar to their chest actually, which has rounded ribs. The forelegs of the Latvian hound are well muscled and straight and its hind legs are straight though the hocks are bent slightly. The feet of the Latvian hound are oval in shape and are quite strong too, with arched, strong toes. The tail in these dogs can be saber shaped or straight, generally reaching the hocks. Temperament wise, the Latvian hound is free spirited and very energetic. They have a good reach and well balanced movement too.

There is a lot of additional Latvian hound information that is easily available through many resources, such as books, online websites as well as pet articles. However, in case of people who are planning to take on this dog as a pet, it is strongly recommended that a vet be consulted for more information on potential health problems. Alternately, pet owners could also consult a Latvian hound breeder for accurate information on raising and training these dogs.

Submitted on September 5, 2011