The Latvian Hound is a medium size breed that originated in Russia. This dog is present since 17th century when it was specifically developed to assist hunters during Duke Jacobs' rule of Duchy of Courland. The dog was then known as Courland Hound and it was renamed to its present name in 1970.
This breed is the result of mixing many English and Polish dog breeds with Lucernese breeds. The resulting hunting dog is an adapt hunter of deer, wild boar, elk and rabbits. It sniffs out the animal and guides it towards the hunter. It is highly valued among Latvian hunters for its outstanding hunting skills.
The Latvian Hound is a medium size dog with slightly below average height. It stands between 16-19 inches and weighs anywhere between 35-45 lbs. It has a wedge-shaped head and moderately broad skull that leads to straight muzzle. Nose is black. Oval shaped longish ears are set low and hang down close to the head. Medium size almost round and dark eyes are set straight. The neck of the Latvian hound dog is round, short and well muscled. The back is straight, muscular and broad, quite similar to their chest actually, which has rounded ribs. The level top line should give the appearance of a strong and athletic dog.Tail is carried either straight or in a saber fashion. The coat of the Latvian Hound should be short and dense and should lay close to the skin. They should be black with tan points.
This breed is NOT recognized by AKC.
