Hanoverian Scenthound – Full Breed Profile

Written by: Bojana Radulovic
Could Hanoverian Scenthound be your next dog? Check this ultimate guide on this breed first. Read on and decide if Hanoverian Scenthound is for you.
Dog Breed Group:
Working Dogs
Height:
19 to 22 inches
Weight:
80 to 100 pounds
Life Span:
12 to 14 years

Breed Characteristics:

Apartment Friendly

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How well will this breed adapt to apartment living? Is the apartment size the most important factor when it comes to proper living conditions? Is the breed suitable for apartment living?

Good For First-Time Owners

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Some dogs aren't suitable for first-time dog owners. Is this breed a good match for someone with no dog experience? Can training help them be on their best behavior with owners with no dog experience? Are they suitable to be handled by someone who is just entering the canine world?

Overall Sensitivity

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Some dogs are sensitive. Certain breeds are rough on the outside, while having the softest heart on the inside. In other words, some dogs are 'thick-skinned' while some are 'easygoing.' Is this breed prone to sensitivity?

Tolerates Being Alone

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Separation anxiety in dogs is a serious condition that can affect a dog's life quality. Is this breed prone to this condition? Can you leave him alone for hours? How destructive this breed can become when bored, neglected, or not loved enough?

Affectionate With Family

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How affectionate this breed will be around his humans? Will he welcome new family friends easily or he will choose to be shy? Some breeds can be clingy with owners, while others don't attach a lot. Will this breed act as the family's best friend?

Kid-Friendly

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Some dogs will tolerate children, while others will adore well-behaved ones. Dogs and children should always be supervised, no matter how well trained the dog might be. Will this breed act as a nanny dog or he will stay away from children?

Friendly Toward Other Dogs

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Some dog breeds cannot wait to run to the dog park and run with others. Others prefer to be with their humans, and not to be a part of a multi-pet household. Is this breed dog lover or not? How friendly this breed will be toward other dogs?

Friendly Toward Strangers

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Some dog breeds tend to be reserved toward strangers and highly suspicious. Others are fast to walk away with them easily. How welcoming this breed is toward strangers?

Drooling Level

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If you love to clean all the time drooling level in dogs is a trait that you should mind. Is this breed less likely to drool, or you will always need a towel on hand?

Easy To Groom

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Heavier shedding during the shedding season is something that every dog needs to go through. However, some dogs shed just a bit all year round. Is this breed one of them? How often should you groom this dog?

Overall Health

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What can you expect from this breed in terms of health? Are there any genetic conditions to vary about? Is obesity a major issue in this breed? By knowing more about the dog's health, you are learning how to help him live a longer and healthier life.

Prone To Obesity

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Treats are a great addition to training sessions. Dogs love sweet bites of dog treats but they should be served in moderation. Treats can lead to obesity, next to poor nutrition. Can this breed gain extra weight from treats? How prone to obesity this breed actually is?

Trainability Level

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Training some dogs is easier than others. How easy this dog will be to train? What can you expect? Some dogs are huge people pleasers and they will master commands easily, while others will try to outsmart you.

Intelligence Level

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Dogs are smart beings. We do our best to train them, but they do still end up training us to adapt to their needs. How intelligent is this breed? Will he try to outsmart you? Or he will need multiple training sessions to master basic commands?

Prey Drive

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Dogs were bred for a specific purpose. Those who were bred to hunt have natural instincts to hunt, even today. This is why many dogs, like Terriers, will chase other animals. They will also have a hard time concentrating on your commands when there is something small moving. Is this breed prone to following his prey instincts?

Barking Level

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How vocal this breed is? Can you expect neighbors to ring you often to calm your dog? Or you can sleep without worries of hearing your Fido bark? Some breeds are highly vocal, others have unusual sounds, and some are silent. Is this breed prone to barking?

Energy Level

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Low-energy dogs are happy with regular walks and indoor chill times. High-energy dogs are always ready for action. Is this breed a couch potato, energetic dog, or somewhere in between?

Exercise Needs

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Some dogs are more than happy with a slow stroll down the street. Others need hours of active time to stay happy and fit. Is this breed demanding in terms of exercise? How much exercise this breed needs to stay happy and healthy?

Playfulness Level

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Some dogs never lose that puppy spirit, not even in their senior years. Others are more serious and prefer having a job to do. Is this breed demanding in terms of playfulness? Can you expect playfulness in their senior years as well?

Hanoverian Scenthound or Hannoverscher Schweihund in its native language is a breed from Germany.

This is a powerful hunting and tracking dog that is classified as a large breed.

Like any other working breed, the Hanoverian Scenthound is the best fit for living in areas where he can move freely and go long distances.

This breed needs to work and exercise regularly. With a high-energy level, this breed may not be the best fit for city living, unless you can provide a really enormous amount of exercise and outdoor time.

Overall, the muscular Hanoverian Scenthound is a calm and loyal breed, who loves having a job to do and spending time with his family.

They can be trained to be well-behaved dogs, but they may be single-minded when tracking.

This is why you should always have a leash on your Hanoverian Scenthound when on walks – this is the best way to prevent any type of accident or non-desirable situations, like your Hanoverian Scenthound getting lost.

Hanoverian Scenthound is a powerful dog with short hair that can range in color from light to dark reddish fawn with a brindled appearance. They may also have a mask.

Quick Facts

Real name: Hanoverian Scenthound
Other names: Hanoverian Hound, Hanoverian Scent Dog, Hannoverscher Schweisshund
Origin: Germany
Breed type: Working Dogs
Weight: 80 to 100 pounds
Height: 19 to 22 inches
Lifespan: 12 to 14 years
Litter Size: 1 – 12 puppies
Color: Deer-red and brindle are most common colors. White markings on the chest may be present.
Coat: Short and thick coat

Hanoverian Scenthound History

Hanoverian Scenthound is originally from Germany.

They haven’t changed a lot from day one. Their roots can be traced back to the 1600s when their ancestors, the Liam Hounds, were used for hunting and tracking.

German hunters had a specific code that every hunter had to follow. They strongly believed that any wounded animal would further suffer from its wounds and had to be found. This is why the Hanoverian Scenthounds were bred.

Any game that would escape hunters had to be found, so Hanoverian Scenthounds would be responsible for finding them.

Since Liam Hounds were extremely powerful and had great nose powers, they were used to develop the Hanoverian Scenthound.

They were developed in the 1800s in Hanover city, hence their name.

Breeders did a great job, and they successfully transmitted the same hunting and tracking capabilities that Liam Hounds had to younger Hanoverian Scenthounds.

Today, these dogs are mostly used to track and hunt big game. From day one up to this date, they are carefully bred to excel in their working surroundings.

What Are Scent Hounds Used For?

It’s common for scent hounds to be working dogs. They were mostly used for hunting.

More precisely, they were mostly used to hunting in packs of multiple dogs. This is why they are always happy to be surrounded by other dogs.

For them, the dog park is like heaven. Longer-legged hounds were bred to run fast and as such, they were mostly used to follow hunters on horseback.

What about the short-legged ones? The shorter-legged hounds are of great stamina, but not much of fast runners, which is why they were mostly used to follow hunters on foot.

Hanoverian Scenthound Physical Appearance

Hanoverian Scenthounds are medium-sized dogs of short hair and commonly reddish coat color.

Their coat is unique because although it’s reddish it has overall a brindled appearance. The majority of these dogs will have a mask as well. This is a dog of strong posture, large head, and sturdily built body.

They are surprisingly strong for a medium-sized dog and their chest are deep.

As for the size, they are commonly between 80 to 100 pounds, while the height ranges from 19 to 22 inches at the shoulder.

Some may be smaller or larger than the standard size. Females are slightly smaller than males. Overall, these dogs are powerful and well proportioned.

Their legs are longer which is why they are often great runners. However, legs should never be too long. The forehead will be slightly wrinkled.

Eyes are always dark which only adds to the breed’s overall serious expression.

The primary coat color is red, but it may vary from a pale fawn to dark brindle, to being completely black.

Hanoverian Scenthound Personality

Hanoverian Scenthounds are rare dogs who are described as loyal and calm dogs.

They are soft in nature and true outdoor lovers. These dogs are packed with high energy and nothing excites them more than running outside.

Having a backyard is highly recommended for keeping this breed happy and active.

Make sure that you provide an additional visit to the dog’s park to keep his mind sharp and joints strong.

These dogs were bred to track and hunt, so being active is part of their personality.

They are not much of watchdogs, but that won’t stop them from barking when a stranger approaches.

They will always inform you when there is something shady happening.

Hanoverian Scenthounds tend to be independent dogs which makes them a bit stubborn from time to time. Therefore, experienced dog owners are highly recommended.

They will get along with children of all ages as long as children know how to interact safely with dogs.

On the other hand, dogs should know house dog rules and how to behave around house visitors.

Due to their active nature, they are best suited for families with large living spaces and a big backyard.

Hanoverian Scenthound Training

Training should start as soon as you bring your Karelian home.

Did you know that dogs are more than capable of mastering basic commands as of eight weeks of age?

This is why you should focus on creating a proper training structure from day one.

You don’t have to be super aggressive with training, but you should have a structure.

Make training short, fun, consistent, engaging, and packed with treats. Always reward a dog.

Use only positive reinforcement methods. No dog should ever experience any harsh training methods.

If you feel like you need help with training, think about hiring a professional dog trainer.

Another option is to enroll your dog in puppy classes. This is commonly done to speed up the training and get some professional training inputs.

Hanoverian Scenthound Exercise

Hanoverian Scenthounds are dogs of great energy.

They need a fair share of physical activity to keep their mind sharp and body strong.

Exercise is a great way to keep a dog’s joint strong and his weight optimal.

Obesity in dogs is on the rise across the States and you want to provide enough exercise to keep Fido’s weight in balance.

To have a well-exercised Hanoverian Scenthound provide a minimum of 30-minutes of exercise per day.

Hanoverian Scenthound Grooming

Grooming your Hanoverian Scenthound is a must. In fact, every dog owner should have a well-implemented grooming routine that will help owners keep them clean and neat.

Brushing is just one part of a dog’s grooming routine. To make grooming an easy and fast process, make sure that you have the right grooming tools on hand.

If you are not a fan of long brushing sessions you are in luck. This scenthound comes with a short coat that can easily be brushed.

For maximum results, and a debris-free coat, brush your Hanoverian Scenthound once to twice per week.

The rest is basic care:

  • Trim or gring nails monthly
  • Check gums weekly
  • Check eyes daily for any sign of eye discharge
  • Clean ears when needed to remove wax

Do not force bathing time, and bathe your Hanoverian only when it’s really needed.

Dogs have different skin than humans, and they don’t need frequent bathe time.

Make sure that you use only shampoo that is specially designed for dogs. The same applies to toothbrushes as well.

If your veterinarian recommends tooth brushing as a part of grooming practice, make sure that you learn how to use it safely.

Use brushing sessions to check the dog’s skin for any sign of fleas or skin infection.

Hanoverian Scenthound Health

Hanoverian Scenthounds are considered to be healthy dogs.

If you are buying a puppy, make sure that you are dealing with responsible dog breeders only.

Since this is a rare breed you will probably have to be on the waiting list, which means that you will be directed to a reputable breeder.

Still, double-check if you are standing in front of a responsible dog breeder or inside the puppy mill.

Responsible dog breeders will always screen puppies for most common health issues and provide additional info on health-related conditions.

Still, you may provide the best care ever, and your Hanoverian Scenthound still may get sick.

Some of the conditions that you may see in this breed include:

  • Ear infections
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Cancer
  • Bloat

As with all dogs, it doesn’t mean that your dog will ever experience any of the listed conditions but means that you should be well-informed and prevent them.

Provide regular veterinarian check-ups, geat nutrition, and regular exercise if you want your Hanoverian Scenthound to reach his senior years.

Is Hanoverian Scenthound For You?

Hanoverian Scenthounds are active dogs for experienced dog owners.

If you are an experienced dog owner who wants a medium-sized dog of low maintenance, this is the breed to consider having.

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