Schweizer Laufhund vs Dalmador - Breed Comparison

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.

The Dalmador is a cross-breed – a mix between a Dalmation and a Labrador, and because it is a a fairly new breed you won’t find much information about the dog’s origins.

We do know that the Labrador originated in Canada and that the Dalmation comes from Croatia. Both these dog breeds have their own interesting histories. The Dalmador is a hybrid dog and isn’t a member of the American Kennel Club.

They started coming about from the 1980s when mixing one pure-breed dog with another became popular.

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.

Each variety can be identified by its colors as they are unique.

• Bernese – White with a black saddle or black patches and tan on the ears and face.

• Schwyz – A white dog with marking of orange.
• Bruno Jura – Black with tan markings and Tan with black saddle marks.

• Lucernese – Because they have white and black hair mixed across their bodies, they appear to be “blue”.

• St. Hubert Jura – Tan with a black saddle.

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.

The Dalmador is a cross breed dog which comes from crossing the Labrador Retriever with a Dalmatian. The result is a muscular, well proportioned body.He has floppy ears and a long tail.

He is medium to large sized dog and can stand up to 58cm in height and weigh between 25 and 32kg. No two dogs look the same and some dogs gravitate more towards the one breed while others toward the other.

Most Dalmadors have the spotted coat, although the coat could have very visible spots or maybe just a few dots on the fur. Then again there are some Dalmadors where the coat is more of a solid color in brown or black or cream with some white patches. The double coat is short and dense and he is quite a heavy shedder.

Temperament:

The Dalmador is a gentle, friendly dog, making him a great family pet. You can’t really say exactly what temperament your Dalmador will have as he could inherit either the Dalmatian’s more aloof nature or he could inherit the friendly character of the Labrador.

He is quite likely to be even-tempered and is amicable with other pets in the home. He is alert too and this makes him a good watchdog. Because the Dalmador is the hybrid of two active, alert, intelligent breeds you can expect a dog which for some will be quite a handful. It is why training and socialization can be excellent for the Dalmador as it will calm him down, turning him into an obedient dog who comes and sits when told.

If you’re looking for an energetic, active and highly social dog, the Dalmador will suit an active family that can join in with all his high jinks.

1Children friendliness - they can be very gentle and loving with children. Toddlers might remind them of prey, however.

2.Special talents – they have great stamina.

3.Adaptability – adapts well if he gets enough exercise.

4.Learning ability -their learning ability is high, but they can be very stubborn.

The wonderful Dalmador is such a easy-going, cheerful dog full of surprises really, as you never know which dominant traits he will inherit from either of the two dogs involved in his making.

Friendly and social, he loves his human family and is totally loyal and loving toward them. Even tempered and faithful, if you’re looking for a wonderful 4-legged friend and companion, the Dalmador promises to make you a splendid pet.

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.

• Hip Dysplasia – can result in lameness, arthritis and inability to hunt.
• Cataracts – can result in blindness.
• Elbow Dysplasia – can result in lameness, arthritis and inability to hunt.

• PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) – hereditary – can result in blindness.

• Ear Infections – due to long droopy ears. Keep them clean.

• Ectropion and Entropion – eyelid misalignments either inward or outward. Can be corrected with surgery.

The Dalmador is a hybrid dog and they don’t experience the same health issues that the pure bred dog contends with. The Dalmador has a life expectancy of 10 to 14 years and he can reach this age if you give him all the doggy care he deserves as a 4-legged member of your family.

Apart from a common dog ailment – hip dysplasia, bloat and obesity are also common problems for your dog.

Bloat is a serious health condition that can actually be fatal because its a twisted stomach where trapped gas puts pressure on the diaphragm.

You will notice the swollen stomach of your pet. Larger breeds are more prone to suffer from bloat because of being deep-chested. Also known as gastric dilatation-volvulus, a vet will need to intervene with this ailment as it can be life-threatening.

. 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.

3.Points for Good Health – stamina

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.

The Dalmador is a medium to large dog so you want to be feeding him one or two bowls of food a day. You want to be giving your Dalmador top-quality food to ensure good health. The lower quality foods are inclined to have ingredients in them that aren’t good for your pet.

Always try to include some home-made food into your pet’s diet such as cooked brown rice, cooked chicken and vegetables. You can mix this into some of his dry kibble. It is important to include some raw meat into his diet from time to time as well.

Clean water must be constantly available. Without good quality food and water, you jeopardize the health of your pet.

He isn’t going to require much maintenance so a good brush twice a week will rid him of loose hairs and keep his coat shiny and glossy.

Other things to check regularly are his ears and to brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week. Don’t neglect giving him a good amount of exercise too.