Schweizer Laufhund vs Hortaya Borzaya - Breed Comparison

Schweizer Laufhund vs Hortaya Borzaya - Breed ComparisonHortaya Borzaya is originated from Russia but Schweizer Laufhund is originated from Switzerland. Hortaya Borzaya may grow 16 cm / 7 inches higher than Schweizer Laufhund. Hortaya Borzaya may weigh 15 kg / 34 pounds more than Schweizer Laufhund. Hortaya Borzaya may live 3 years more than Schweizer Laufhund. Both Hortaya Borzaya and Schweizer Laufhund has almost same litter size. Both Hortaya Borzaya and Schweizer Laufhund requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Hound dog
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Russia
Switzerland
Height Male:
65 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
47 - 59 cm
18 - 24 inches
Height Female:
61 - 71 cm
24 - 28 inches
47 - 58 cm
18 - 23 inches
Weight Male:
18 - 35 kg
39 - 78 pounds
15 - 20 kg
33 - 45 pounds
Weight Female:
16 - 32 kg
35 - 71 pounds
15 - 20 kg
33 - 45 pounds
Life Span:
14 - 15 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 8
3 - 7
Size:
Large
Medium
Other Names:
Hort, Chortaja borzaja, Kурч, Kurtas Chortaj Hortaya Horty, Xорт, Hrt, Chort
Bruno Laufhund, Bruno Jura Laufhund, the Jura Type Saint Hubert Hound French Type, Bruno Hound, Lucerne Hound, the Jura Type French Saint Hubert Hound, and the Schwyz Laufhund., Lucerner Laufhund, Chien Courant Suisse Berner Laufhund, the French Jura Type Saint Hubert Hound, The Saint Hubert Hound Jura Type, Jura Hound, Jura Laufhund, Bern Hound
Colors Available:
brown, black, white, red, piebald , brindle
different for each line black with tan markings; tan with black mantle or saddle; white with black or tan or orange.
Coat:
short yet dense
coat type short, smooth, and somewhat harsh
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Playful
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Loving, Loyal, Playful, Stubborn
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

hortaya borzayaThe Hortaya Borzaya is an ancient sighthound from Asia with its origins in Kievan Rus = Grand Duchy of Lithuania = Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Empire of Russia. The Hortaya is a large dog, especially a long in body dog with a muscular build suitable for running fast. He is one of the most talented of sighthounds, able to track moving prey at quite great distances. He is an intensely active when running prey and quiet and well balanced when not working.

In Asia and Russia, it is still a working hunting dog, hunting a variety of game such as Saiga antelopes, wolves, foxes, and hares. With tremendous endurance, the Hortaya can run at great speeds and great distances on the hunt. The Hortaya Borzaya is a long distance runner rather than a sprinter like the greyhound we are all so familiar with. He also needs very little rest between runs of up to 4 km. The Hortaya uses his sense of smell as well as sight in the hunt. They hunt solo, in pairs or in packs.

It was not until 2004 that the Hortaya was first exported to Europe and given full breeding papers. They went to Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic in 2004. They went to Switzerland and Finland in 2005 and to the United States around 2005. Prior to this the Hortaya Borzaya was bred only in its original territory for thousands of years.

Unlike Western breeding programs, the Hortaya is not bred for the purpose of improving the breed. Like Asian thoroughbred horses the breed is considered “finished”. Because of this there was no inbreeding, linebreeding or incest. This is true for about 4-6 generations of a line. This helps the breed to stay healthy.

The breed was developed centuries ago being bred by many different groups of people throughout the region, making it impossible to say exactly where and how this Central Asian/Afghanistan/ southern Russian breed developed. The Russian Kynological Federation (RKF) member of the FCI, developed a standard for the Hortaya Borzaya, which unlike most breed standards, does not tell you what the Hortaya must be like. Instead it tells you what he cannot be.

It gives boundaries that the dog must fit inside in order to be considered a Hortaya Borzaya. This is because the breeds of these dogs in their native territories want to preserve as many different types and sub-types as possible under the banner of one breed. To most people these dogs would look like very different breeds. For this reason, they have not been accepted into International Breed Groups and Associations. The breeders of these dogs do not want to be tied down to one standard. They do not want the breed to be separated into western lines and the original line or show lines and working lines. They wish to keep all the dogs within one grouping.

The breed is recognized on the national level by the originating countries and federations, including Russia’s. There are an estimated 2500-3500 dog of this breed in existence to day. Only a few dozen of the breed exist outside of the original countries. In other Eastern and European countries, the dogs may be registered with hunting associations instead of a breed association.

The breed is held mostly by hunters in remote, local areas and villages that are fairly isolated. Here the Hortaya is seen as a partner in feeding the hunters family and the dog is invaluable. In these remote areas a good hunting dog is equal in value to the good horse. Both are essential to the hunter and his family’s livelihood.

The Hortaya Borzaya is a pack dog and does well with the family as well as an athletic hunter. They hunt in packs, small groups or alone and bring their catch back to the hunter for the family meal. No hunter had to go with the dog. In fact, the hunters would send the dogs several times for food. The Hortaya might travel for miles across tough terrain to get food for the family.

schweizer laufhundThe 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.

Description

hortaya borzaya puppy - descriptionThis athletic sighthound is a handsome dog, ranging from large to giant. Remember there are many different ‘types’ of dogs within the one line/breed of Hortaya. Breed standards are exclusionary, and performance based rather than inclusionary, and appearance based. Still most of the breed lines share many of the same traits.

They are a long legged breed with a very deep chest and flexible spine. They have immensely strong lungs and a narrow but long skull. Their gait is fluid, effortless trotting when not hunting. When she is hunting, they gallop like a horse and cover a lot of ground.

There eyes are usually black but can be any color and their fur is also any color. It is thick and dense. Finally, in the 2000’s, there were some dogs in a subline exported to Europe and to North America. Here, for this subgroup, a standard was established based on appearance and the color or the coat was now set at only white, blue, black, cream, red, sable and brindle, and piebald. They might or might not have a saddle. Definition of this type is still going on and has not been entirely settled yet. This standard is only for the European and American market show dogs.

These dogs, bred for show, have the same ability to run like the wind and for a very long time with his muscled body and long legs. The breed has strength and stamina that will fool you. He also has a long neck and broad back. He has thin, short ears.

schweizer laufhund puppy - descriptionA 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.

Characteristics

Children friendliness

hortaya borzaya dog - characteristicsChildren friendliness - yes, they are very good with children and will play with them for hours.

Special talents

They have tremendous stamina, speed and intelligence to hunt on their own without the hunter and bring the prey back in good shape for the hunter’s family to eat.

Adaptability

No they are not very adaptable in terms of living arrangements. They will not do well in an apartment and probably not in the city as they need land to run.

Learning ability

Learning ability yes, they are intelligent and learn easily.

schweizer laufhund dog - characteristics1Children 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.

Health Problems

hortaya borzaya puppies - health problemsAs previously mentioned, the original breed is isolated and therefore has a pretty good health track record. Most of the breed specific illnesses or conditions that usually are inherited barely exist in this breed.

They have a propensity toward obesity and diet is essential to prevent other issues.

Chronic or acute pancreatitis is possible because the breed developed eating small meals and hardly any meat. Too much meat or fat could cause this.

No tolerance for high protein dog food. Can cause puppies to have life threatening damage to bones and cartilage that is irreversible.

Bloat – because of the deep chest and the intolerance for large meals they are prone to bloat.

schweizer laufhund puppies - health problemsThere 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.

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy

hortaya borzaya dogs - caringAs mentioned above do not overfeed a Hortaya Borzaya puppy. There is serious risk of irreversible damage if you do. Feed small meals 3-6 times a day with lower protein.

Feeding the adult

3 cups of an average protein high quality dog food served at least 3-4 times per day. To avoid bloat do not feed large meals before or after exercise and don’t let your dog drink a lot of water at one time.

Points for Good Health

They have tremendous stamina and speed.

Games and Exercises

This is an extremely active dog bred to hunt 5-6 times a day over wide expanses of various and rough terrain. They need exercise. If you run, they will run with you happily and they will outlast you. They are good at and enjoy fetch, chase, agility, and field trials. They will last hours at any game they play.

schweizer laufhund dogs - caring. 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.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Schweizer Laufhund vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Schweizer Laufhund vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Schweizer Laufhund vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Schweizer Laufhund vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Schweizer Laufhund vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Schweizer Laufhund vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Schweizer Laufhund vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Schweizer Laufhund vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Schweizer Laufhund vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Schweizer Laufhund vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Schweizer Laufhund vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Schweizer Laufhund vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Schweizer Laufhund vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Schweizer Laufhund vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Schweizer Laufhund vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Schweizer Laufhund vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Schweizer Laufhund vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Schweizer Laufhund vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Schweizer Laufhund vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Schweizer Laufhund vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Schweizer Laufhund vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Schweizer Laufhund vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Schweizer Laufhund vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Schweizer Laufhund vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Schweizer Laufhund vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Hortaya Borzaya vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Hortaya Borzaya vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Hortaya Borzaya vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Hortaya Borzaya vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Hortaya Borzaya vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Hortaya Borzaya vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Hortaya Borzaya vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Hortaya Borzaya vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Hortaya Borzaya vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Hortaya Borzaya vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Hortaya Borzaya vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Hortaya Borzaya vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Hortaya Borzaya vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Hortaya Borzaya vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Hortaya Borzaya vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Hortaya Borzaya vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Hortaya Borzaya vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Hortaya Borzaya vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Hortaya Borzaya vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Hortaya Borzaya vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Hortaya Borzaya vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Hortaya Borzaya vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Hortaya Borzaya vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Hortaya Borzaya vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Hortaya Borzaya vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison