Finnish Hound

The Finnish Hound is Finland's most popular hunting dog — a tricolour scent hound bred to work hare and fox alone in deep forest.

History

It was developed in the nineteenth century from Swedish, German and Swiss hounds crossed with local dogs, to make a hound that could handle Finnish forest and snow. It hunts singly rather than in packs, tracking and driving game back towards the hunter while giving voice.

Temperament

The breed is known for being friendly, calm and unaggressive, easy with people and other dogs, and completely committed to a trail once it has one.

Care and training

It needs substantial exercise across real ground and secure containment. The short coat is easy. Recall is the standing difficulty of a hound bred to work out of sight.

Health

Generally robust, with ear infections and, in some lines, an inherited ataxia that breeders test for. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.