Tatras Hound is new breed in process of development. Puppies are in SKJ/SPZ register with pedigree. They can perform a hunting trials and gain hunting utilization according to hunting law.

 

BREEDEND AND AIM. 

Current hunting development, especially the structure of the hunting areas and variability of animal species, has strong influence on the demands for hunting dogs and their usage. Actual legislation brings increased demands for the expertise and professionalism, which is partly influenced by population´s changes among the hunters and so their different demands for a hunting dog. Hunting-grounds with the hoofed animals call for a breeding of the smaller dogs. Their demand for nutrition, care, accommodation and transportation is significantly lower. We expect that this effort will be even increased in the future.

Our breeding aim is to create a new breed of the dog with the most appropriate and approaching performance according to the requirements of hunting nowadays. The best fitting breed is the one characterized by short legged dog of medium (to small) size like “Slovak hound”. This new breed will be unexacting  for the space and nutrition ( suitable for hunters living in the city,  demanding a minimum space in case of car transport ), relatively easily transmissible with the respect to its size, no major health problems ( especially hereditary diseases ). Taking into consideration the anticipated use in the practice, it should be appropriate to the work as well as hounds and Bavarian mountain hound and could perform all hunting test and exams fitting to these breeds. The working title of the breed is “Tatra Hound”.

Model for the external appearance of Tatra Hound is represented by hounds which existed in Slovakia in the last century. Slovak Hound´s breeders have decided to choose from the palettes of hounds of different type and color to breed moderate size dogs with the black coloring and tan marks. The photographs from the 19th century suggest that there were even hounds of white marks. According to the existing records, such individuals belonged to the selection for Slovak hound breeding in the last century. The model for Tatra Hound is Slovak hound, taking into consideration the origin, desired character and external appearance´s features. Their outstanding character has been demonstrating since last centuries.

Among the significant positive characteristics belong temperament, relentless desire to work, willingness and interest to follow animal tracks, the volume on the trail and unique courage. These characteristics are continually desired, selected and fastened by breeding. However, because of the actual hunting legislation, the facts mentioned above might be restrictive and limiting factor for using hounds outside of the large forest complexes and small district. In practice, recently there has been a division of a large number of previously large grounds into several smaller and this trend will continue in the near future (signing new contracts, boundary´s changes in respect of the financial situation). On the other hand, in many hunting grounds with wild boars, the occurrence of common hunts (using Slovak hound, Styrian Coarse-haired Hound) has been recently decreased and individual way of hunting dominates. Consequently, Tatras Hound, new national short legged hound, would find practical application n smaller hunting grounds while maintaining a set of desirable temperament characteristics.

One significant difference between Tatra hound and the others is type of the work during the hunt.  Hunt would be characterized by smaller “process radius”, which is often the cause why Slovak Hound loose a trail. Tatra hound will have indeed slower but yet persistent, systematic and loud work on the track.  New breed would also find its use in the tracing of hoofed animals during the individual method of hunting.

.

.

BREEDING OBJECTIVES.

Initial breeds used in creating a new form of the national short legged breed (Tatra hound) are Slovak hound and standard dachshund. To achieve desired external appearance and working characteristics, we will use as well other hunting dogs with excellent characteristics. The purpose is to foster its hunting features as a dog tracing hoofed animals. Individuals of these breeds and their cross-breeding relatives  are selected for our dog breeding based on strict criteria, taking into consideration predetermined character and external characteristics desired for Tatra Hound. Slovak hound´s share of genetic information in a targeted breed should be major. While process of breeding, we keep accurate records of adults applied in breeds, as well as bred puppies, including the records of certificates issued (originally from the first generation of a new breed).

The aim is to create a new national breed obtained by cross-breeding of different dog however with a clearly defined and established genetic background. Its use should be oriented in the hunting grounds with smaller area, at the plains and hills, where there are recently concentrated wild boars.

Efforts do not put emphasis to create ideal breed that doesn’t exist. Purpose is to create breed that would provide an opportunity to the widest practical use in the current hunting conditions in our country. We expect Tatras hound will find its place among many internationally recognized breeds dogs because of its qualities.

The aim is to demonstrate to the general public of kynology that even nowadays already recognized breeds (many purebred dogs) can be “in a certain way “adapted to the circumstances of our time.   Reasonably, there is space for creation of “new breed” with possibility of international recognition by the FCI and the subsequent establishment at the scales of existing breeds. The path leading us to this goal is not easy but winding, sometimes full of surprises, costs a lot of effort, knowledge, material and financial resources but it must be linked with enthusiastic people who cannot be discouraged and give up after the first sign of failure. They have to have clear understanding of the outcome of such a work.