The Serbian Hound, originally known as the Balkan Scenthound, is an ancient hunting hound breed. Like many of the scenthounds to which he is related, this is a medium-sized breed with a smooth yet dense coat and hanging ears. The color is always tan with a black saddle. These hounds are energetic and athletic – traits that helped them to track and hunt game in Serbia and surrounding areas of Europe. When “on the trail”, a pack of Serbians use their high-pitched voices to excitedly announce their hunt as they eagerly run toward their prey. Imbued with great courage, stamina and dedication, they are ideal hunting hounds for wild boar, fox, deer and hare.
As traditional pack dogs, Serbians get along well with other dogs in the home. They also tend to do well with children as they are happy, friendly and social without being overly rambunctious (with enough exercise). They may even get along with cats in the home as long as they are raised with them from an early age! While they may be slightly aloof with strangers, Serbians are affectionate to all of those whom they know and will develop very strong bonds with their owners. They can be gentle and relaxed in the home while also being active and “ready for adventure” once they are taken outside. Despite their ideal temperaments, unfortunately the breed can be difficult to come by in most parts of the world outside of their home country. It is possible to obtain a puppy but one will almost definitely have to deal with long waiting lists and importing from overseas.
Serbian Hounds can be difficult to train which means they do best when owned by experienced dog owners. Their independent nature means they tend toward being quite stubborn, even though they are, in fact, intelligent. They must be given rules from an early age and those rules should remain in place despite any grumblings from the dog. When it comes to formal obedience training, the lessons should be made interesting and involve plenty of affection to keep the dog engaged. Patience is key when working with this breed!
When it comes to exercise, the Serbian definitely requires a lot! These hounds need at least 45 minutes a day, although one to two hours is ideal. This also means that apartment living is not an ideal situation for them as they need plenty of room to stretch their legs in addition to more structured exercise.Along with physical stimulation, they also need mental stimulation in the form of games and mind-enhancing tasks. Serbian Hounds can and will develop problematic behaviors if not given enough mental OR physical activity! This can include anything from “forgetting” their housebreaking skills, to chewing up your stuff, to digging craters in the yard. Best just to make sure they’re getting everything that they need!
All breeds have downsides and one of the Serbian Hound’s more frustrating traits is that he can be rather loud – a trait that most of the scenthound breeds share. Also like other scenthounds, his high prey drive means he is more likely to take chase if he catches the scent of a prey animal (or strange cat). Keeping him on leash and/or in a securely fenced area is an important consideration of ownership.
Serbians are very easy to groom and require little maintenance. They do shed a bit all throughout the year but it isn’t too extreme for the majority of owners. A weekly brushing with a bristle brush will keep this mostly in check. Health-wise, most tend to be fairly healthy and generally live between 13-14 years. The most common health condition in the breed is the occurrence of ear infections – a common blight for hanging eared breeds.
An ideal life for a Serbian Hound is one in which he is taken out hunting on a regular basis. Barring this, he can be equally happy when given a life filled with outdoor adventures in the company of his owner. He benefits greatly when given a job to do, so getting him into a dog sport such as agility, obedience, rally, nosework or (especially) hunting trials would be fantastic!
