Schweizer Laufhund vs Sage Koochee - 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.

Known also as the Kuchi Dog, the Sage Koochee is a dog that was bred more for his characteristics than his looks. He was bred to be a protector and guardian and named after the Afghan Kochi people.

Referred to as the Kuchi or Sage Kuchi, this working dog has always helped nomads with guarding their caravans and livestock. The dog has genetic resemblance with the Central Asian Ovcharka but isn’t recognized as an official breed by any of the major kennel clubs.

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 Sage Koochee is a large molosser dog, although they do vary quite a bit in height. This is because they generally come in 3 varieties.

They can stand at between 58 to 89cm in height and they weigh between 38 to 80kg. This is because this dog is divided into 3 types. The coat of this dog can be short, medium or long, and colors can vary quite a bit as well.

These are moderate, seasonal shedders. Their tails are usually docked to about 1/3 of their length and their ears have been traditionally docked too. They are very territorial and won’t show any tolerance to strangers coming onto the property. He also tends to be aggressive towards other dogs.

Temperament:

These dogs are tough and fierce and also immensely intelligent. Such a dog would have to be trained and socialized or you would land yourself with a strong-willed, disobedient dog.

Once they’ve had training, they are friendly, obedient and affectionate towards their owners, but aren't a good choice for children. They are extremely territorial and make good watchdogs,being prepared to fiercely protect their human family.

The very nature of this dog makes it not suitable for life in the city. It would be terribly frustrated in small spaces and can become aggressive.

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 Kuchi has always been vigilant with guarding livestock, and these tough dogs did the job of guardian and protector extremely well.

They’re hardy too, used to coping with extreme weather conditions, from hot deserts to freezing mountain areas. These dogs are powerful and independent and they are also dangerous.

With good training and socialization they can become loving and loyal, but they require a strong, firm owner, and don’t come as recommended if there are children in the home.

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 Kuchi breed is healthy and doesn’t have any particular health issues. Things to look out for are bloat, skin allergies, cancer and parasites.

Parasites:

Parasites are a common in many dogs. Fleas and ticks are external parasites, but intestinal parasites can be a real nuisance too and endanger your dog’s health.

These parasites live within the dog’s gastrointestinal tract. They can be a host of terrible worms such as roundworm, hookworms and tapeworm among others. The parasites are usually transmitted when the dog ingests contaminated food, soil or even feces.

These parasites can cause endless problems for the dog, from weight loss to diarrhea to vomiting. You will need to get your pet to the vet.

. 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.

A nutritious commercially manufactured dog food for large working dogs will be required for this strong, energetic dog. You want to provide it with some variety, so some homemade food added into the dry kibble twice a week will ensure he is healthy and content.

Home-made food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots all boiled slowly together will delight your pet. You just chop it up and add it to the dry kibble twice a week and your pet will never look back.

For his skin and coat, you can try to add in a little bit of raw meat occasionally.Dogs thrive on simple, consistent meals like this – nothing weird and spicy so as to avoid stomach upsets.

Groom your Kuchi dog by brushing him twice a week and check simultaneously for any lumps you may find on him.

Trim his nails.

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

Check inside the mouth for rotten or bad teeth as he can’t tell you if one is rotten and causing him tremendous pain and discomfort.

Make sure his vaccines are up to date to avoid life threatening canine diseases.

Provide him with a nice, warm dry place to sleep.

Make sure he has access to shade and sun when he’s outdoors.

Have him or her spayed or neutered to avoid puppies