Hygen hound

Overall description of the breed

The Hygen Hound is named after its founder, hunter and great dog fancier, Mr. H. F Hygen. The breed was developed exclusively in Norway and is still little known even in its country of origin.

It is the result of crossbreeding between German, Swiss and Scandinavian hounds, a selection that was made mainly in the 19th century. The aim of this breeding work was to create a dog with great endurance and resistance to effort and all types of climates, which he succeeded in achieving in the 1950s.

The International Cynological Federation registered the breed definitively on 6 October 1965 and the last update of the official standard in force was published on 9 August 1999.

His morphology is typical of the hound, with a light step, an athletic physiology and an elegant gait. Its body is longer than it is tall and fits into a rectangle, but remains very harmonious as a whole.

The Hygenhund, as it is known, is high on its legs, with a good width of chest, deep to the elbows, and a well tucked up belly which gives a strong impression of dynamism.

His head is proportional to the rest of his body, quite broad, his skull is rounded tapering towards the muzzle without ending in a point. His voluminous trunk is coupled with a squat, clean back line to the tail, which is thick at the base and of good length.

The coat is short, dense and glossy, with a harsh but not hard texture, the back of the thighs and the tail sometimes having a thicker but not exaggerated top coat. The two colours permitted by the breed standard are red fawn or reddish fawn, white markings are tolerated.

The Hygen Hound is an efficient hunting partner, with remarkable stamina and good resistance to effort, its excellent physical abilities are combined with a profoundly gentle character with humans.

An exceptional tracking partner with a highly reliable nose, determined and courageous at work, Hygen Hounds can track prey for miles without showing the slightest sign of fatigue.

In the family or in the community, they are sociable, affectionate and loyal, not seeking conflict or domination. They are not very shy, but they are nevertheless suspicious of people they do not know and will need a short period of observation before they will trust them.

A good companion dog, he will remain calm indoors and will greatly appreciate sharing playtime with everyone in the house, especially if it involves tracking or searching, as his tracking instincts are particularly strong.

If you are looking for a faithful companion, gentle with your loved ones and hard working, the Hygen Hound is definitely for you.

Adult: The Hygen Hound will weigh approximately 20-25 kg (44-55 lbs) with a withers height of approximately 50-58 cm (20-23") for males and 47-55 cm (18.5-21.5") for females.