Russian Hound vs Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher - Breed Comparison

There are sportsmen and hunters who appreciate the versatile Russian Hound. The Russian Hound has been a popular working breed in its homeland for a long time as it is an ancient dog breed.

This is an ancient dog breed, being developed by crossing common hunting dogs with indigenous ovcharkas and Laikas. Later European hunting dogs were also introduced into the mix.

The dogs numbers have declined but were later revived in the late 1800s. The first breed standard for the Russian Hound was created in 1896. Known as the Russkaya Gontchaya, this tough dog is still popular in all parts of Russia.

Hailing from Austria, the Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher, better known as the Austrian Short-Haired Pinscher has always been depicted on paintings from the Baroque period.

The dog is a terrier-type canine and has always been used as a watchdog but he was also used to hunt because of the terrier qualities he possesses.

This dog has always been used for working on farms. Breeding of this dog started in 1921 and the dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006.

The Russian Hound is a medium to large sized dog. He stands at roughly 62 – 67cm in height and weighs roughly 36 to 45kg. The dog however is available in a number of different sizes.

The coat is fairly short and dense, becoming fuller in Winter. The coat color is fawnish with a darker brown, blackish saddle on the back. The paws have some white markings. The eyes are medium length and the tail is long and held down.

Temperament:

The Russian Hound is a peaceful, calm dog, not making a fuss around strangers, but accepting them well. He may be calm, but he is independent and strong willed.

Training and socialization will be good for him, making him obedient and well mannered.

As a medium sized dog, both males and females stand at between 42 and 50cm in height and the dog weighs roughly between 14 and 20kg.

The coat is shortish, dense and smooth and is essentially black and tan with some white, fawn or brindle. The ears of the dog are fairly short and they look as though they wanted to be erect but then decided to be floppy. The nose is black and the eyes dark brown.

The tail is usually docked but when it is left long, it curls over the back. If you want your dog to be bred you can expect between 4 – 6 puppies.

Temperament:

These are playful dogs, getting on well with their human families and wanting to get involved in their activities. They are suspicious of strangers. They are good with kids, making them a good playmate, but they don’t like small children being allowed to climb over them.

They are able to get along well with any other pets in the house. It would be to your benefit to have the dog trained and socialized as he becomes obedient and good around people in social settings. He is an intelligent dog and will find training easy.

They also take their role as guardian and protector seriously.Because he was bred to be a farm dog, he wouldn’t e able to adapt to life on a tiny property in the city.

Everybody wants a peaceful, loving dog that can be a good pet and companion without causing a lot of trouble. The Russian hound is a peaceful, loving, loyal dog who is going to make any family a wonderful 4-legged fried.

He can adapt to life in the city or the countryside so long as he is given a good loving home and plenty of exercise.

Have your Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher trained and socialized if you want him to be amicable and obedient around you and your visitors.

He does well with a human family who are firm, kind and patient with him. He loves to be kept busy with both mental and physical exercise, thriving on challenging activities, and he will become frustrated if he is left day after day just to lie around.

Take him with you on walks, buy him nice chewy, stimulating toys, throw a ball or frisbee with him and include him in your activities.

This is a dog more suited to life in the countryside as opposed to life in the city. Care well for this splendid family pet and you’ll quickly begin to see why dogs like him are known as man’s best friend.

The Russian Hound is a healthy breed. Nonetheless even the healthiest dog breeds can become ill.

Good food, exercise and lots of love and attention can ensure a long life for him.

However every dog can have one of the many common dog illnesses there are. Toothache can be a serious problem for your pet because if you don’t look in his mouth you won’t be able to tell if he has a bad, painful tooth.

Dogs can also break their teeth, causing sharp, jutting pieces which cut the gums. They can also get gum disease. Plaque can cause a whole lot of bacteria in your pets mouth. With the increase in bacteria, your dog’s health problems increase too. It is imperative to look in your pets mouth and speak to your vet about canine dental maintenance.

Eye Infections:

Eye infection are a common problem with dogs, and an eye infection can be from allergies. Yellow pus can indicate an infection. It is best to speak to your vet because some eye infections can lead to blindness if left untreated.

The Austrian Short-haired Pinscher is a robust kind of dog that isn’t going to have you rushing to the vet very often. True, he does have some hereditary health issues but it is highly unlikely that you will find these health issues in your pet.

Nonetheless it pays to know about one of the more serious conditions -

Congenital Heart Condition:

This is a heart disease that is present from birth and could have been passed down from the parent dog to the puppy. A congenital heart defect occurs as a malformation of any valve, with the most common congenital heart diseases in dogs being patent ductus arteriosus, pulmonic stenosis as well as subaortic stenosis, all potentially inherited defects.

Sometimes a dog can live a fairly normal life with this disease but other times there are complications which can lead to congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation, causing symptoms such as difficulty with breathing, cough and weakness. Your dog will need to get to the vet to discuss treatment options.

Exercise:

As a hunting dog, you will need to ensure your Russian Hound gets enough exercise. He will love his walks with you but will want to be let off his leash when in the park. He loves the opportunity to run free. Games at home in the garden will also be good for this large dog.

General Care:

Provide your pet with a nice, warm, dry sleeping area.

Make sure your pet’s vaccines are up to date.

Have your dog neutered or spayed to prevent unplanned puppies.

Grooming:

Groom your Russian Hound by brushing him twice a week.

Check him over for lumps while brushing him.

Check inside his ears for signs of redness.

Trim his nails.

Look at his eyes and make sure they are clear with no signs of discharge.

Check inside the mouth for rotten or bad teeth as this can cause tremendous pain and also cause toxins to get into the bloodstream.

Diet:

The Russian Hound relies on vitamin and mineral enriched food. The best commercially manufactured dog foods can provide this. These foods are wonderfully convenient. Try not to give your dog dry kibble day after day, but vary it twice a week with some home-made food.

Simply add into one big pot chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. This food can all be chopped up and added in to the dry kibble twice a week. It is wonderfully tasty for your your canine friend. Dogs thrive on simple, consistent meals. Ty and add some raw meat to his food occasionally.

Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.

Exercise:

They need quite a lot of exercise, and even though they can adopt to life in the countryside or the city, they will require regular walks, ball- and rope games to prevent them becoming bored, frustrated and destructive.

Grooming:

The Austrian Short-haired Pinscher sheds quite a bit so he will need to be brushed at least twice a week to remove the loose hairs.

Diet:

As a medium sized, energetic dog, you want to ensure you maintain your dogs energetic nature by providing him with excellent food.

Choose your commercially manufactured food carefully as some of them are of a poor quality and can actually be detrimental to your dog’s health. Choose a high quality kibble that has quality ingredients.

Home-made food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and vegetables such as carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes all chopped up and added to his kibble occasionally will do wonders for this dog. He will thrive on also getting in some raw meat from time to time.

Ensure a constant supply of fresh, cool water.