Emperor Maximilian I already hunted with these hounds in Tyrol around 1500. According to the FCI standard, his hunting books recorded that he selected his tracking hounds from them. Five centuries later, only two of the many Tyrolean hound strains remain: red and black-and-red. This is the Tyrolean Hound (Tiroler Bracke).
| FCI | Group 6 (Scent hounds and related breeds), Section 1.2 Medium-sized Hounds, Standard No. 68, with working trial (hunting by scent and blood-tracking trials) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Austria |
| Size (height at the withers) | Males 44 to 50 cm, females 42 to 48 cm |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | no reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | dense double coat with undercoat, coarse rather than fine; coated belly, well-furnished thighs, dense tail brush |
| Colours in the standard | red (red, deer red or reddish yellow) or black-and-red (black mantle or saddle with red tan markings), also tricolour; white on neck, chest, feet and legs allowed; pronounced piebald and liver disqualify |
From hound strain to breed
Like all these hounds, the standard traces it to the Celtic Hound. With its good double coat, it is said to embody the woodland hunting dog in its purest form. Pure breeding of individual strains began in Tyrol around 1860; a standard followed in 1896 and official recognition in 1908. The short-legged Tyrolean Hound was removed from the standard in 1994. The FCI has definitively recognised the breed since 8 October 1954. Its smooth-haired compatriot is the Austrian Black and Tan Hound.
A hound that hunts alone
It works solo, hunting hare and fox vocally, and as a blood-tracking dog following wounded game of all species. The standard requires a steady-tempered, passionate, keen-nosed hunting dog that searches independently, hunts with endurance and brings trail voice, determination and a sense of direction. Its movement should cover ground, be very fast and enduring. A dog bred this way makes its own decisions on the trail rather than waiting for instructions.
A double coat for mountain weather
The dense coat and undercoat keep out rain and cold well. It is nevertheless easy to maintain: brush weekly, more during moulting to prevent undercoat mats. Check the broad, high-set ears for ticks and plant material after every woodland outing.
A small population, few ancestors
No large study provides a lifespan figure; McMillan and colleagues do not list the breed. A pedigree analysis by Voges and Distl (2009) is revealing instead. They analysed 1.167 Tyrolean Hounds registered between 1992 and 2004. Mean inbreeding coefficient was 9,5 per cent, compared with 4,5 per cent for the Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound . Effective population size was only 26,5 breeding animals, and the ten most influential ancestors contributed 77,9 per cent of genes. The authors urge careful breeding management. For you, that means asking for the litter’s inbreeding coefficient and the parents’ health results.
What it needs in daily life
Without hunting grounds, meeting its needs is difficult. It needs plenty of daily exercise and genuine scent work, such as blood trails, mantrailing or long mountain outings on a long line. A recall holding on fresh scent takes years rather than weeks.
Who it suits
Mountain and woodland hunters seeking an independent hound for hunting by scent and tracking wounded game, and experienced dog people with plenty of outdoor time. Less suited are cities, first-time owners and people wanting a companion for short circuits of the block. In the mountains, on a cold trail, it shows why the emperor valued it.
A solo hound is a big decision. The breed quiz shows how well your daily lives fit; our book “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German) goes further. If a puppy is joining you, the free Puppy Starter Pack supports you. Deer-red hair looks striking on the magazine cover on canvas and equally as a poster in a wooden frame .
Further reading
- Weimaraner: the beautiful hunting dog that never clocks off
- The socialisation period: why “as much as possible” is the wrong advice
- Autumn shedding in dogs and cats: what is normal and what is not
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 68 Tiroler Bracke (fci.be, German version dated 18.06.1996, original language German, valid original standard published 10.10.1995; English version dated 18.06.1996) and FCI breed page No. 68; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024 (breed not included); Voges S, Distl O, Inbreeding trends and pedigree analysis of Bavarian mountain hounds, Hanoverian hounds and Tyrolean hounds, Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics 2009.
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