Halden hound

Overall description of the breed

The Halden Hound takes its name from its native region of Halden, Norway. Its founder Hans Larsen Bisseberg, a Norwegian breeder and farmer, developed it mainly for hunting small and medium-sized game, but the breed is not widely distributed outside its country of origin. It is the result of several crosses between Swedish, British (Harriers, Foxhounds and Beagles), German and some local breeds, and its selection started at the end of the 19th century.

The aim of this selection work was to create a dog that would be particularly hardy and resistant, especially in difficult climatic conditions. The founder succeeded in doing this in the 1950s by establishing his first standard. The breed changed its name several times during its development, Ankerstøver at the beginning of the century to finally obtain its definitive name of Haldenstøver within the F.C.I. which registered it definitively on October 7, 1965, the last update of the official standard in force was published on August 9, 1999.

His morphology is typical of the hound, with a light step, an athletic body structure combined with an elegant gait. His body is longer than it is tall, inscribable in a rectangle, but remains very harmonious as a whole, high on legs, his walk is supple and airy. His chest is of good width, moderately deep, with a well tucked up belly which gives him an impression of dynamism. The head is lean, of medium size and well balanced, often small in relation to the rest of the body.

The skull is moderately broad, rounded and tapering towards the muzzle without ending in a point, the back is stocky and clean, the tail is thick at the base and of good length. The Haldenstøver's coat is short, dense and glossy, the only coat colour permitted by the breed standard is tricolour, white with black markings on the body and fawn on the face.

The Halden Hound is an extremely hardy dog with remarkable stamina, combined with a supple, balanced temperament. Determined and courageous in their work, they are sociable animals, but their hunting and tracking instincts make them reliable companions, but not well suited to family life. Affectionate and loyal, he is a one-master's dog, not very fearful, he retains a certain distrust of people he does not know and it will take a short period of adaptation before he can fully trust them.

A good working dog, he will remain calm indoors if his outdoor activities are daily and sustained. He will appreciate sharing moments of play, tracking or searching for objects, a task in which he excels, thanks in particular to his formidable sense of smell, which makes him an efficient predator.

A trustworthy hunting partner, his sense of smell is legendary, so he can track prey for miles without showing the slightest sign of fatigue. If you're looking for a faithful, hard-working companion, the Halden is the perfect dog for you.

Adult: The Halden Hound will weigh approximately 23-29 kg (51-64 lbs) for males and 20-25 kg (44-55 lbs) for females, withers height will be approximately 52-60 cm (20.5-23.5") for males and 50-58 cm (19.5-23") for females.