Hannoverischer Sweisshund 

Origin

Schweisshund literally means bloodhound, which is a generic term for a dog, such as the Hanoverian or Bavarian, that follows a bloodtrail. When large game is wounded during a hunt, it may travel many miles in heavy cover only to hide and die a long, slow death. The development of dogs for trailing the wounded animal are common on the Continent. The honor code of the German hunter demands an obligation to find all shot game**dead or wounded. A deer injured with an arrow or bullet may leave only occasional drops of blood many yards apart. The dogs, although brought in even hours later, can follow the cold trail for many miles and lead the hunter to the wounded animal. Sometimes the search goes on for days, but it is never aban-doned until the wounded animal is found, dead or alive. This sort of hunting, actually trailing, is not often employed in the USA. It requires a dog with an excellent cold nose and great cold-trailing ability. The Hanoverian was developed in the 19th century by gamekeepers around the city of Hanover in Upper Saxony, including the central plains of Germany. The breed fathers started with heavy tracking hounds known since the fifth century, like the Solling-Leitbracke, which was a close kin to the St. Hubert and other hounds of the Segusian type. These were crossed with lighter type Celtic Bracken, such as the Haidbracke and hounds from the Harz to create the modern form. The Hanoverian is specifically a big-game tracking and trailing dog of superb nose, although quite slow on the move. His body is low on leg and heavy for his height. He carries some flew, but his hallmark is the huge stiff ear set rather high on the head. The Hanoverian has the marvelous nose necessary for bloodtrailing, and he is also an able assistant on live game. Although hunted in packs long ago, he is now usually worked singly. His blood flows in the veins of many of the European utility gun dogs, which is where these latter dogs inherited their nose, tracking ability and perseverance. The Hanoverian is valued beyond rubies by gamekeepers and forest wardens. Even though gun dogs like the German Shorthair are trained to bloodtrail, if these non-specialists fail to find a wounded animal, the Hanoverian may be brought in—sometimes days later—and put on the trail. No wounded animal is left to waste in the forest. One current German forester proudly tells of starting his Hanoverian on a track more than a week old. Over several days, they followed the trail 30 miles, finally successfully finding the quarry. These dogs are calm, quiet, poised and very attached to their master and family. But when hunting, they are "hard, single-minded and persistent." They are highly specialized and must be worked steadily to bring out the best of their talents. Thus, they are not dogs for the casual hunter. Most are owned and utilized by foresters and game wardens.

General Appearance  The Hanoverian Hound, descended from the large bloodhounds of the Middle Ages and consequently from the Saint Hubert Hound, was developed in the seventeenth century and improved in the nineteenth century through crosses with scenthounds including the Heidebracke. Introduced to France in the 1980s, the Hanoverian Hound is very rare.

Faults    Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note*  Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum .

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