Standard: Bayrischer Gebirgsschweisshund

This is 2006 standard, last revised in 1999. We at the Bavarian Bloodhounds of Arizona follow the standard revised in 1959 for our breeding stock, which shows dogs, both males and females by approx. 2.5 kg (5 lbs) smaller. These dogs are more agile, faster and more cut.

Country of origin:  Bavaria, Germany

Appearance:
          - Lighter, very agile and muscular dog of medium size
          - Males reach a shoulder height of 52 cm (20.5 inches)
          - Females reach a shoulder height of 48 cm (19 inches)
          - The body is elongated, of quadratic shape; the behind is slightly elevated.

  Male:                                                         Female:
 

Head: the head is not heavy; the forehead is broader, rather convex, the nose has a gentle "stop", it has to be adequate to the cranium, not too long and not too pointed. The nose is either black or a dark rusty brown. The bone ridges above the eyes are pronounced; the lips overlap but may not over-hang. Only the corner of the mouth is pronounced when the maw is closed.

Ears: are of more than medium length. The tips of a whelp's ears should reach up to the nose. Their base is high and broad. They hang down at the sides of the head without any folds or wrinkles. The tip of the ear is rounded.

Eyes: are bright, well-closed, adequate to the head, slightly slanted. It is colored brown to dark brown, the darker the better.

Neck: is of medium length and firm.

Back: very firm and broad, long and straight, well and deeply muscled all the way down to the loins.

Chest: deep and long, belly retracted.

Tail: of medium length - reaching to the heel, may not have a low base. It is narrowing to a point, and has a thicker fur on the downside. The dog carries it in a slight arch horizontally, or slightly hanging down.

Front Legs: slanted shoulder blades, long shoulder, firm yet not heavy bones. The legs appear straight when viewed from the front.

Hind legs: thighs thick and long, calves of medium length, slanted, from the heel downward the leg must be perpendicular to the ground.

Paws: shaped like a spoon, fingers well-locked, well-developed claws - colored black, or brown in the case of lighter forms.
-Fur: Thick, snug, rather rough, with a matted sheen, softer on the head, coarser and longer on the legs and belly. The oldest family lines display a ridge on the back on the body's middle line.

Color: it covers the whole scale of brown tones from a rusty red, stag red, red-brown, black-yellow, brown-yellow, cafe latte, also a grayish red - like a stag's winter coat. Some individuals may have an intensively colored back, head and ears, to the point of being black.

Faults that remove an individual from breeding stock:
   - Short body that appears to be quadratic in profile.
   - A pronounced high shoulder
   - Inadequately short or long legs
   - Long, flat paw with spread fingers
   - Cow posture, o-posture (genu valgum, genu varum)
   - Deviating shoulder blade
   - Concave back
   - Weak lumbal region (small of the back)
   - Pointed head with an unpronounced maw
   - Too low base of the ears, folds on the ears
   - Red nose
   - Ektropium, entropium
   - Light eye color (like a bird of prey)
   - Short neck
   - Strongly curved or spiraling tail
    -Overhanging upper or lower jaw (badly fitting)
   - All-black coat with red marking
   - White markings on the body (except for a white dot on the chest)
   - If a dewclaw is found on a whelp's hind legs, remove it ASAP