Austrian Black and Tan Hound

Many researchers believe that the Austrian Black and Tan Hound directly descends from the ancient Celtic Hounds that accompanied their masters throughout Europe as they conquered new lands. These fierce Celtic warriors were not just thugs on a power trip, they were in many ways a sophisticated people with a written language, creative and artistic literature and artwork and although not civilized by today’s standards, they had a justice system that kept the chaos in check. By deciphering their language, historians learned more about the dogs that travelled and fought with them. These dogs were described as loyal, fierce and sturdy. They were expected to track a wounded animal, or human, for long miles and hold their prey until their masters could catch up. These dogs are simply known as Celtic Hounds. During the 19^th century, breeders in Austria began cultivating a breed that was able to track wounded prey for long distances. Simply put, these breeders were trying to develop a dog that would be a top-notch hunter with a keen nose and inexhaustible speed. The Austrian Black and Tan Hound was the result of these efforts. Since then, he has become one of the most dominant hunting dogs within Austria. However, he is not very well known outside of Austria and is considered to be a rare breed. The Austrian Black and Tan Hound has distinctive coloring and has inspired many to nickname him Vieraugli which is the German word for four-eyed. He has been recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale in 1954 as the Brandlbracke (Vieraugl). In 2006, the United Kennel Club recognized him as the Austrian Black and Tan Hound.