Schweizer Laufhund vs Deutsch Drahthaar - 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.

Hailing from Germany in the 20th century, the Deutsch Drahthaar, also known as the German wirehaired Pointer, has always been a hunting dog. He was developed to take part in hunting in field or water.

Breeders of this dog were successful in developing a skilled and versatile hunting dog that took its traits from the best coarse haired dogs.

It was in 1902 that the German breed club for the Deutsch-Drahthaar was founded.

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 Deutsch-Drahthaar is a medium sized well muscled sporting dog standing at 61 to 68 cm and weighing 27-32kg.

He is very distinguishable with his wiry water-resistant coat which comes in different colors such as liver, grey or black patches with a speckled or ticked background.

He has strong, straight legs with rounded paws which are webbed for strong swimming abilities. He has dark eyes with floppy, high set ears and a long tail. Many people still want the dog to have that distinctive look and they opt to have the tail docked.

Temperament:

The Deutsch-Drahthaar is a fantastic hunting companion, loving nothing more than to be working at running across fields and plunging into water to retrieve prey.

Its the kind of dog that will fit well into family life but he will require exercise. Failing to give him exercise and attention will make him bored, frustrated and destructive.

He is a friendly, gentle dog yet he becomes protective when he feels his family is threatened. Training and socialization turn him into an excellent pet as he is a strong-willed dog that will take advantage of an owner who isn’t firm with him.

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 German Wirehaired Pointer is an active, energetic dog who is happiest when performing a task or getting some exercise in. He is also a social dog, who loves spending time with his human family. It is important for him to get noticed by his human family, and he is a dog that gets on well with children in the home as well as pets.

Never just put your Pointer in the back yard and expect him to entertain himself. He wants to be included in all your activities, whether you’re walking, jogging or cycling.

A happy Deutsch Drahthaar will make sure that he gives you your full quota of love, loyalty, protection and companionship.

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.

When you start doing research on these German wirehairs, you see that they are far more prone to hip- and elbow dysplasia than the short-haired breed.

Also, von Willebrand’s blood-clotting disease is something that you should know about. Your German wirehair is a healthy, robust dog and is highly unlikely to get sick, but you need to be aware of these common dog ailments so that you can help him and know what to watch for.

This Von Willebrand’s disease for instance is a blood disease brought about by a deficiency of von Willebrand Factor (vWF). A lack of this vWF impairs platelet stickiness and clumping and can lead to excessive bleeding after an injury.

You may notice bleeding from the gums, bruising of skin, prolonged bleeding after an injury as well as blood in the urine for instance. Get your pet to the vet who will perform a physical exam on your dog.

. 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.

Grooming:

Your Deutsch Drahthaar does shed, and because of his wiry coat, he won’t only require a brush twice a week, but also stripping by a professional doggy parlor.

There are several other grooming processes that are essential for your dog. The first is to check that his nails don’t get too long. This often happens when he spends all his time on soft grass. Running on a hard surface trims them down naturally.

Also, because he has floppy ears, they will need to be checked and cleaned regularly so he doesn’t get an ear infection. His teeth will also need to be brushed twice a week as tartar and plaque build-up can cause problems with the teeth but also with other areas of the body.

If in doubt about how to groom your pet the right way, speak to your vet or a dog expert.

Diet:

There is so much conflicting information on caring for dogs, even from so-called dog experts. While there are some excellent dog food manufacturers around, some experts will say that you should be feeding your dog based on what his digestive system was designed to eat and steer clear of these.

If you do feed your German wirehaired Pointer with manufactured dog food, make sure it is the very best one, because after all, nutrition plays a vital role in your pet’s health.

Try to include some cooked vegetables, brown rice and some chicken into his diet. These can be mixed into his kibble. It is expensive, but try to include some raw meat into your dog’s diet from time to time. Ensure a constant supply of cool, fresh water.

No more Puppies!

If your Deutsch Drahthaar isn’t going to be used for breeding, make sure that your have him or her neutered or spayed as this is advisable to promote good health. Not doing it can cause health issues later on.