Tyrolean Hound

Hound Group Medium (25-50 lbs)
Height 16-20"
Weight 33-48 lbs
Lifespan 12-14 years
Price $600-$1,200

About the Tyrolean Hound

Built for alpine work, the Tirolerbracke is a medium scenthound with an exceptional cold nose, meaning it can follow trails that have gone stale by hours. Austrian hunters use it largely for tracking wounded game in steep forest, work that requires persistence, careful footing and a willingness to keep going alone. That translates into a pet with substantial needs: an hour and a half or more of daily activity, ideally in varied terrain with real scenting content, and mental work in the form of tracking games. Temperament is friendly, even-tempered and affectionate at home, gentle with children and sociable with other dogs. These are not guard dogs and they greet strangers politely. The voice, however, is loud and used generously on trail, and a bored one will practise in the garden. Training requires a patient handler. The breed is intelligent and keen to work but strongly independent once a scent takes hold, and recall in the woods is genuinely unreliable, so a trailing line and fenced ground are the sensible tools. Reward-based methods suit its sensitivity. Grooming is easy: a thick double coat brushed weekly, tolerant of harsh weather, with the drop ears needing regular checks. Alone-tolerance is moderate and better with company. Suits rural, active, hunting-oriented homes with distant neighbours. The distinguishing quality is that tracking ability on cold blood trails, which is the reason Austrian hunters keep the breed rather than an imported alternative.

Temperament

Affectionate Great with Kids Dog-Friendly Playful Easy to Train
Affection Level
Good with Children
Good with Other Dogs
Playfulness
Protectiveness
Trainability
Energy Level
Barking Level
Intelligence
Adaptability

Physical Characteristics

Size Category Medium (25-50 lbs)
Height 16-20"
Weight 33-48 lbs
Coat Type Double
Coat Length Medium
Colors
Hypoallergenic No

Care Requirements

Exercise Needs

High (60-90 min/day)

60 minutes per day recommended

Grooming

Moderate - Weekly

Shedding:

Mental Stimulation

Needs plenty of mental challenges

Drooling

Living Conditions

Apartment Friendly
Good for First-Time Owners
Tolerates Being Alone
Cold Weather Tolerance
Hot Weather Tolerance

Cost of Ownership

Purchase Price $600-$1,200
Annual Cost $1,100/year

Costs vary based on location, breeder, and individual needs. Annual costs include food, veterinary care, grooming, and supplies.

Health Considerations

Like all breeds, Tyrolean Hounds may be prone to certain health conditions:

Regular veterinary check-ups and proper care can help prevent or manage many health issues.

Best For

  • Families with Children
  • Active Owners

May Not Be Ideal For

  • Apartment Living
  • Long Work Hours Away
  • Sedentary Lifestyles

Guides for your Tyrolean Hound

The story behind the Tyrolean Hound

The Tyrolean Hound comes from the Tyrol region of Austria and the surrounding alpine countries, where hunters needed a hound able to work steep, forested and often snowy terrain, both driving game and tracking wounded animals. It belongs to the family of central European bracken hounds descended from older Austrian and Celtic hound stock, and it is often described as having been favoured by Tyrolean nobility in earlier centuries. Systematic breeding began in the nineteenth century, and a standard was established around the turn of the twentieth century, with a smaller variety later discontinued so that only the larger form remains. International recognition followed. The breed is still used for its original purpose in Austria and neighbouring alpine regions, where working tests form part of breeding requirements, and it is very seldom seen elsewhere or kept purely as a companion.

Originally bred for: Alpine scenthound, wounded game tracker, hare and fox hunter. You can trace how working roles shaped today’s breeds across our dog guides.

Feeding a Tyrolean Hound

A complete diet matched to workload suits this hardy hound, increased during hunting season and in cold weather, then reduced when activity drops to prevent gain. Two calm meals with rest either side suit a deep-chested dog working steep ground.

Watch for: No breed-typical food intolerance is documented. Field-working hounds often develop upsets from scavenging rather than from their diet, and drop ears predispose to moisture-related inflammation. Persistent problems should be assessed by a vet before food is blamed.

Mealtime extras: training treats worth keeping in your pocket. Everything else lives in our dog nutrition and feeding hub.

Living with a Tyrolean Hound

Day to day, the basics matter most: how much exercise your dog needs, how often to get out for a walk, and how much sleep is normal.

For play and enrichment, browse our favorite dog toys and interactive toys for rainy days.

Gear that fits the breed makes life easier: a well-sized dog bed, a properly sized crate.

Raising a puppy? Work through crate training and the teething timeline — or see how old your dog is in human years with our dog age calculator.

Compare Tyrolean Hound with Other Breeds

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