Hungarian Hound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison

Abruzzenhund was established as an individual breed in the middle of the 20th century. They are descendant of the big, white Eastern sheepdogs which came to Europe 2000 years ago. Abruzzenhund is a mix of Turkish sheepdogs Akbash and Karabash, the Kuvac, Slovakian breed Hungarian breed, Komondor, and a French sheepdog Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Those dogs were much bigger than today’s breed. Abruzzenhund is still not very popular breed, but it is very common in Great Britain and Italy. They have been used as guard dogs, hunting dogs, and working dogs because they are very brave and strong.

The Hungarian Hound, also known as the Transylvanian Hound, originated in ancient Hungary as a hunting dog. At the time there were Asian Hounds that traveled with Hungarian Magyar tribes into Transylvania. As early as the 9th century it is believed that these Hungarian dogs were crossed with Celtic Hounds and local dogs. The result is the Hungarian Hound. These dogs were incredibly popular throughout Transylvania.

This scent hound almost became extinct but was saved by intense breeding during the latter part of the 21st century. They developed two kinds, short and tall, for different types of hunting. The tall dogs hunted boar, bison, lynx and bear. The short dogs hunted hare, fox and chamois.

Only the tall dogs exist today. Some Hungarians raided parts of Europe and took the dogs with them. There was then a crossing breeding with Polish dogs. The tall dogs exist today in Hungary and Romania. The Hungarian Kennel Club recognized the breed and the United Kennel Club (UKC) from the United States recognizes them. No major clubs such as the AKC (American Kennel Club) or the British Clubs. The breed was accepted into the AKC Foundation Stock Service Program

A height of Abruzzenhund variates between 60-73 cm, males are slightly bigger than females. While the weight is 30-45kg, again, males are heavier than females.

Lifespan of Abruzzenhund

Abruzzenhund lifespan is between 11-13 years, but since these dogs don’t have any weaknesses and don’t tend to get sick, they can live longer with a proper care and adequate food and training.

Litter size of Abruzzenhund

Litter size of Abruzzenhund depends, but as any large breed, they usually have 6-9 puppies. And that is a very good considering size of the breed.

Abruzzenhund is not the only name of this breed. There are more names that you might hear. You can hear names like Maremma, Pastore, Abruzzese, Cane da Pastore, Maremmano- Abruzzese, Italian Sheepdog, and many similar names. Basically, they sound similar but there are differences.

Abruzzenhund is a friendly dog, but it is very powerful. Very strong jaw with a scissors bite makes them very strong. They have small but intelligent eyes, usually dark colored. The undercoat is dense, while the coat is white with segments of ivory to white yellow. Their long undercoat and coat make them winter resistant.

The Hungarian Hound is a medium sized dog, a scent hound with the same characteristics of the type of hunting hounds found in Mid-Europe. The breed is a hardy one with a long head slightly domed skull. The muzzle is short, and the jaws are strong. The lips are black, and the ears are round and hang. Their eyes are shaped like almonds and dark brown. The breed has large paws with cushioned pads and strong toes.

Abruzzenhund is a very well-balanced breed who loves spending time with other animals and people. They have a very good temper. They love being around families, and they are very gentle with children. It is important to train Abruzzenhund properly because the dog of that size should be a leader. A human with a strong character should train this breed. Training is important because they tend to make their own decisions which can be bad sometimes.

Children friendliness

Children friendliness – This breed is very friendly with children.

Special talents

Special talents - Hunting independently and at a distance from the hunter.

Adaptability

Adaptability – Not an apartment dog. They need space and land.

Learning ability

Learning ability – They are very independent and intelligent.

A great thing about Abruzzenhund is that they are very healthy dogs. They don’t have any chronical health problems, so if you are feeding your dog properly, with a lot of exercises they will not have any health problems. It is also important to check genetics of the dog.

Even though this is an ancient breed they do face certain medical issues such as:

• Hip and elbow Dysplasia – can cause lameness or arthritis.
• Cancer – can be fatal.
• Entropian – The eyelid folds forward and can injure the eye.
• Bloat – Distension and twisting of digestive organ can cause immediate death.
• Hypothyroidism – medication can control this.
• Ectropia – The eyelids fold outward and can injure the eye.
• Sensitivity to anesthesia – must be careful if have surgery and for teeth cleaning.

They learn very quickly, but it requires strong will and constant training to keep them happy. They are great working dogs, and with the positive training, they are amazing. It is very important that they follow rules and to keep them in balance with training.

Feeding Abruzzenhund

They can eat a lot of food, depend on their activity. High-Quality dog food twice a day for a grown dog is a must. While puppies should eat 3-5 times, smaller portions of food. The food is important especially for working dogs, they need up to 2000-3000Kcal per day. Abruzzenhund will enjoy eating meat with a lot of vegetables and oil.

They are not recommended for small house or apartment. They need big yard because they require a lot of space. During the winter they can be outside because of their coat, but during the summer they need to be in the shade with a lot of fresh water available anytime.

Grooming the Abruzzenhund

The coat should be brushed and groomed very often because they have a thick coat. There is a lot of dead and loose hair in it. During shedding, period takes even more time to groom your dog properly. They love and they need exercise. Mental exercise is important as physical. Every day walking, running, playing with other animals is an important part of dog's activity. When they get enough quality exercise, they will sleep in the house.

Feeding the puppy

Feeding the puppy – 1-3 cups of high quality food served in 3-5 meals per day.

Feeding the adult

Feeding the adult – 3-5 cups of high quality food served in 2-3 meals a day.

Points for Good Health

Points for Good Health – generally healthy

Games and Exercises

Games and Exercises – The Hungarian Hound is a hunting dog and therefore accustomed to and bred for a high level of exercise. Their instinct for hunting is really strong so make sure you do not let them off leash outside of a contained area. They excel at tracking, field trials, lure chasing, and fly ball.