Westphalian Dachsbracke
A short-legged German hound with a sturdy body and a keen nose, friendly and steady at home.
At a glance
- Size
- Medium
- Height at the withers
- 30–38 cm
- Weight
- 14–18 kg
- Life expectancy
- 12–14 years
- Exercise
- 60–120 min a day
- Grooming
- Once a week
- Coat
- Smooth, short
- Colours
- Red, Fawn, Tricolour
- Bred for
- Hunting by scent
- Country of origin
- Germany
- FCI
- Group 6, no. 100 · Scent hounds
Breeders on Kuldo
No breeders on Kuldo have this breed yet.
Living with the breed
| Affectionate with family | 4/5 – High |
|---|---|
| Good with children | 4/5 – High |
| Good with other dogs | 4/5 – High |
| Good with cats | 2/5 – Low |
| Open to strangers | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Energy | 4/5 – High |
| Playfulness | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Needs mental stimulation | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Easy to train | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Prey drive | 5/5 – Very high |
| Watchful and protective | 2/5 – Low |
| Barking | 4/5 – High |
| Shedding | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Grooming effort | 1/5 – Very low |
| Drooling | 1/5 – Very low |
| Good for first-time owners | 2/5 – Low |
| Suits apartment living | 2/5 – Low |
| Adaptability | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with being alone | 2/5 – Low |
| Copes with heat | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with cold | 3/5 – Moderate |
Kuldo's own guidance from the breed's typical traits. Every dog is an individual, so talk to the breeder.
Is it the right breed for you?
Great if you …
- want a compact, easy-care hound
- enjoy tracking or long sniffy walks
- have a secure garden
Think twice if you …
- need off-lead reliability
- have small pets
- want a quiet dog
Care
Temperament
Friendly, alert and steady, with an independent and persistent hunting streak.
Exercise
Needs about an hour or more of daily activity; scent work and tracking are ideal outlets.
Grooming
The short, dense coat needs only a weekly brush.
Training
Fairly cooperative with positive methods; patience is needed with recall when scent is around.
Health
Its long back can make it prone to disc problems, and hip dysplasia is occasionally reported. Spine and hip checks are sensible, so ask the breeder for results.
Health tests breeders usually do
- Spine
- Hips (HD)
Ask the breeder to show you the parents' results.
About the breed
The Westphalian Dachsbracke comes from Westphalia and the Sauerland in Germany, where short-legged hounds were used to drive hare, fox and deer slowly towards hunters. Its name combines 'Dachs' (as in Dachshund) and 'Bracke', a German word for scent hound.
It is a compact, long-bodied dog with a red or yellow coat, often with a black saddle and white markings. It is friendly and fairly easy to live with, but it has a strong nose and likes to follow its own plan. Regular sniffing walks and secure fencing keep it happy.
Did you know?
Westphalian Dachsbrackes taken to Sweden in the early 20th century became the foundation of the Drever.