Posavac Hound is originated from Croatia but Schweizer Laufhund is originated from Switzerland. Both Posavac Hound and Schweizer Laufhund are of same height. Both Posavac Hound and Schweizer Laufhund are of same weight. Both Posavac Hound and Schweizer Laufhund has almost same life span. Both Posavac Hound and Schweizer Laufhund has almost same litter size. Both Posavac Hound and Schweizer Laufhund requires Low Maintenance.
The Posavac Hound originates from Croatia and is believed to have descended from the Molossian.
The name Posavac Houndare or Posavac Hound was a name bandied about and the name was officially recognized in 1969 by the Federation Cynologique Internationale.
The dog was categorized as a Scent hound. The breed is unrecognised by any of the UK or US Kennel Clubs.
The Schweizer Laufhund is a breed born in Switzerland and sought after by the French and the Italians for their skill at hunting small mammals, especially hare. Mercenaries brought scent hounds from France to Switzerland and cross bred them with the Schweizer Laufhund, thereby influencing and changing the native breed.
In 1882 it was established that within the breed of “Swiss Hound” (Schweizer Laufhund) there were five different varieties. At this time a standard was written for each of these five different types. By 1909 the standards were revisited and revised, eliminating the hound of Thurgovie. Then in 1933 it was decided that one standard would cover all the varieties of the Schweizer Laufhund.
The Schweizer Laufhund was a line used to develop many different scent hounds. They are used almost exclusively as hunting dogs and not as family companion dogs. St. Hubert Jura Hound, the rare ancient variety, is still in the hunting parties of Canada and France. The breed existed before any dog breeding written records were kept. In Switzerland from the middle ages on, the Schweizer Laufhund was the only hunting dog in the country until recent times.
Even though they didn’t have any popularity until the European nobility became enamored of them in the middle ages, it is thought by some that they date back to the Roman Empire. In actuality most of their pre- Swiss history has been lost. We do know that through the years the breed has been influenced by cross breeding with Austrian, German and French scent hounds.
He is not recognized by the larger kennel clubs such as AKC or UKC, but by some rare breed associations. The dogs that remain today in the United States, Canada and Europe are still mainly owned by either active or retired hunters. Despite their great personalities, they are still not numerous among family pets.
Although the Posavac Hound is a rare dog breed, people who have owned the dog say it should be far better known as it is a gem of a dog.
The Possie as he is fondly referred to as, is a solidly built dog resembling the Beagle. He stands at between 43 - 59 cm and weighs 16 - 20 kg.
He has long, floppy ears and a kind, gentle expression on his face. The coat is short and smooth, being slightly longer on the stomach and around the back of the legs. The coat color is a wheaten, cream shade. He has bright brown eyes and a long tail, often with a white tip.
The Posavac may look gentle, but in character he is happy and enthusiastic. He makes the most wonderfully faithful, loving dog. He likes to be busy too, game for all kinds of activities but he is intelligent as well. He responds well to training and socialization.
People who have owned this dog say he has a truly amazing temperament, being eager to please his human owner. You’ll find him getting along well with children and other pets in the home.
A medium sized dog with good endurance and strength. Its head is lean, and its muzzle is long making this a very noble looking breed. Each of the 5 varieties has some of its own characteristics. They all have short, fine hairs on their ears and heads and longer hairs on their legs and back.
• Bernese – White with a black saddle or black patches and tan on the ears and face.
• Lucernese – Because they have white and black hair mixed across their bodies, they appear to be “blue”.
The Schweizer Laufhund come in miniature and standard sizes fitting into the same standard. Weight has a lot to do with the gender and height of the individual dog, they are longer than they are tall. As a scent hound, the breed is muscular and sturdy. They carry their long tails in a slight curve with a taper at the end.
Despite the different colors in the different varieties all of the breed have black noses, long droopy ears, and oval, brown eyes. They have a soft, calm and gentle facial expression.
People who have kept the Posavac as a pet say he has wonderful features which make him a sought after canine friend.
He has always been a working dog and he is confident and assured, independent, social and friendly. He makes a great friend of children and gets on well with other pets in the house.
He thrives on activities and doesn't want to be left to just lie around ignored. He becomes frustrated and destructive. It wont be the dogs fault but the owners. If you're looking for a lively, friendly, loving dog, you’ll find the Posavac a great addition to your home.
1Children friendliness - they can be very gentle and loving with children. Toddlers might remind them of prey, however.
4.Learning ability -their learning ability is high, but they can be very stubborn.
You won’t find many health disorders linked to this lovely dog. He can reach 11 – 14 years of age fairly easily if well taken care of. Of course, his floppy ears pose a bit of a problem.
It is quite difficult to keep the inside of the ears dry and clean, and this means dirt, wax and moisture can cause bacteria and ear infections.
Because he is also a deep chested dog, he can be prone to bloat. Bloat is when gas collects in the stomach and it twists. You will notice your pet’s abdomen swollen and hard. He will require immediate veterinary attention.
There are a few health issues that the Schweizer Laufhund is prone to. As an ancient breed there is not a lot of genetic evidence of breed health issues but there is more recent reporting.
• PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) – hereditary – can result in blindness.
• Ectropion and Entropion – eyelid misalignments either inward or outward. Can be corrected with surgery.
Your Posavac Hound is going to need lots of exercise. He’s used to being a working dog and being kept busy. A good walk will delight him, but it won’t be enough. If you go cycling or riding on a horse, you can count him in to run alongside you. He will also plunge into the swimming pool with you.
While he can adapt to life in the city, he is essentially a country living dog, loving to get outside and be active.
Because of the short, smooth coat, and being an average shedder, the Posavac will only require a brush twice a week, so he is fairly low maintenance in terms of grooming.
Check for signs of an ear infection – redness inside the ear and your pet scratching at his ear can be signs,
Trim his nails.
Check inside his mouth for teeth problems. Bad teeth can create a host of problems.
Provide your dog with an excellent diet. It needs to be nutritious food if you’re going with a commercially manufactured dog food. High quality dry kibble can be excellet for your pet, but break the monotony by mixing in some home made food occasionally. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, swee pototatoes, carrots and spinach, al chopped up and mixed in twice week with the drykibble can be awaited twice a week with yur pet. Raw meat added in sometimes can also contibute to your pets health. Feeding a dog doesnt have to be complicated. Dos thrive on consistency and simplicity and this diet will have him healthy ad hapy Make sure he always has a bowl of fresh, cool water available to him.
. Feeding the puppy – as an active working breed they should be fed a high quality active or working breed kibble formula.
2.Feeding the adult - the adult should be fed the same active or working breed formula, only in an adult formulation.
4. Games and Exercises – this active breed does require a lot of daily exercise. Take them on at least one good, quick walk per day and give them a fenced yard to play in. They love hunting training and field trials along with activities like barn hunt. They love to run alongside as you bike or jog.