Transylvanian Hound Dog Breed

Below are the details and specs for the Transylvanian hound.

This medium-sized breed weighs 55-80 pounds, and stands 18-24 inches at the shoulders.

Transylvanians are great as both hunting and family companions. Their intelligent, obedient, inquisitive natures make them excellent allies in the woods; their affectionate, sensitive personalities are perfect for children and other pets. This breed can be stubborn at times, but is quite easily trained.

These low-maintenance dogs will need little grooming and care; they will, however, require a lot of exercise.

Transylvanian Hounds are believed to have originated in Hungary around the 9th century. According to historians, the ancient Magyar tribes developed this breed by crossbreeding several varieties of hounds, most notably the Polish Hunting Dog. Transylvanians became especially popular with Hungarian royalty during the Middle Ages, as they used them for hunting. Because of the varying terrain in Hungary, two varieties of this breed developed: a taller, longer-legged variant was used to hunt bison and bears, while a short-legged variety was developed to hunt smaller game like foxes and rabbits in the denser underbrush. Over time, though, the long-legged variety became dominant, and the shorter variant no longer exists.

Through the centuries, Transylvanians slowly declined in number, and the breed was nearly extinct by the early 1900s. In the latter 20th century, Hungarian breeders sought to revive its existence, and were somewhat successful; even so, the Transylvanian Hound is somewhat rare outside its native Hungary. Though the American Kennel Club officially recognizes the breed, it does not publish a breed standard for it.

The Transylvanian has a short-haired, dense coat. This breed's streamlined body is a bit greater in length than in height. The head is long and oval, eyes are brown and slightly slanted, and ears are long, hanging, and slightly rounded at the tips. The chest is long and broad, legs quite long and straight, and the tail is low-set, long, and curved slightly.

Protective, courageous, loyal, and good-natured, the Transylvanian, due to its lineage as a hunting dog, is an intelligent breed with excellent instincts. These dogs are energetic, inquisitive, obedient, and possess excellent senses of smell and direction, so they make fantastic hunting companions. They're also extremely affectionate, friendly, and playful, so they are nearly perfect family dogs as well. One of the Transylvanian's greatest assets is that it has keen intuition about people—in other words, it can be trusted to know the difference between friendly strangers and intruders, or playful kids and delicate infants. This breed is easily trained, but is sometimes stubborn, and may be difficult to persuade to do (or not do) something once its mind is made up.Due to its protective and inquisitive nature, a Transylvanian will also be a superb watchdog.

Life expectancy is 10-12 years. This breed is hardy and healthy; no major health issues are known, but some Transylvanians may suffer from hip or elbow dysplasia.