At the beginning of the last century, the Russian Hound or Kostroma Hound had a lot minor differences based on region or breeder and often had names similar to those regions or borrowing their breeders name.
The first Soviet Canine Congress finally adopted generalrules for this breed in the 1920s, taking the dogs bred in the Kostroma region as standard. Soon, regional breed features were banned and, nowadays, the Russian Hound is among most popular breeds in the whole country.
This dog is slightly slightly shorter than long and thick set, featuring an even, quiet personality.
Although they once hunted in packs, the modern Russian Hounds are now generally “solo” hunters. They have a keen scent and boast great endurance and persistence in pursuing their game (they generally hunt rabbits and sometimes other type of animals like fox). They have rich and powerful voices that can be heard across large distances.
The russian hunters state they can recognize individual dogs from far away by their distinctive sound, either tenor, alto, or baritone, or a high-pitched treble “voice”. According to a Russian dog researcher, the hounds voice sings to the glory of the hunting game in the autumnal Russian forest. In such a moment, true hunters forget about their guns. Tears come to their eyes, and emotions take over. It is due to moments like these that true hunters always take their hounds with them.
Scent hounds have been used in Russia probably even before the Middle Ages. Actually, the Russians feel that the original Kostroma Hounds were crossed with different impure breeds many years ago in order to obtain certain characteristics, like oblique eyes, smaller ears and thick gray undercoat.
Even though the Russian Hounds have changed progressively over their vast history due to selective breeding, they maintain a lot of their original qualities. This is the dog most suited to the Russian hunters, hound hunting being a national sport in Russia. The dogs are also very adapted to the countrys climate.
The dogs measure 22 to 27 inches at the withers and have a powerful body. The head is broad between the ears and features triangular ears. The eyes are dark and, as mentioned, have a slightly oblique setting. The Russian Hounds have strong, muscular legs, which provide great help during long hunting session.
Their coat is moderately short and very dense, perfect for coder climates. The main colors are yellow or red. The coating may occasionally have a black saddle or small, white markings.
The dogs are very obedient, always happy to please their owner and show off their skills. The perfect living space for this breed is a medium yard, where the dog can play ang get rid of that extra energy typical to most hunting breeds. Being a very active breed, a lot of exercise is needed.
The Russian Hound is a dog breed that stood the test of time and will surely be a great friend and companion for you.
