The Istrian coarse-haired Hound (Croatian: istarski otrodlaki gonič, Slovene: istrski ostrodlaki gonič) is a dog breed from Croatia, developed in the mid-1800s for hunting fox and rabbit. It is a rough-coated scent hound still kept primarily as a hunting dog rather than as a pet. 

History

Croatian and Slovene breeders created the Istrian coarse-haired Hound in the mid-1800s by crossing the French Griffon Vendeén with the Istrian short-haired Hound, a smooth-haired hound developed from both sight hounds and scent hounds. The breed first took part in a conformation show in Vienna in 1866. The dog is still used for hunting fox, rabbits, hare, and wild boar. 

Appearance and Size

Dogs of this breed can vary considerably in size, as the dog is still bred primarily for hunting, so more emphasis might be placed on performance than on specific appearance requirements. It can range from 25 to 56 lb (16 to 26 kg) and stand 17 to 23 inches (44 to 58 cm) at the withers. The breed's wiry coat is weather resistant for hunting. The topcoat is 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) long and it has a woolly undercoat. The color is white with yellow or orange markings, usually on the ears. The ears are broad and hang flat. 

Personality

Again, because the Istrian coarse-haired Hound has been bred primarily for hunting rather than as a companion, it tends to be willful and hence more challenging to train than many other breeds. 

Wikipedia and GNU

The content of this entry is from the Wikipedia article "Istrian coarse-haired Hound" licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.