A man’s best friend, a dog is also often a hunter’s most loyal companion. Helpful, hardworking, and having incredible senses, dogs are great at dealing with most of the tasks their owners trust them with. But how do you choose one? There are surely some subjective aspects to it, but for those who lean towards a more methodical approach, we introduce a series of articles about different breeds that will help you pick your next hunting dog. Today, we’re discussing the Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound. Our brand ambassador from Germany, Freddy Lietz, also owns one, so keep on reading for his insights from personal experience.
Medium height and weight, the Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound is often called the original hunting dog. With a super sensitive nose, they were used to find the trail of the hunted game. Now, they are loved equally by both hunters and their families.
The ideal family friend
As a breed, the Bavarian Mountain Scent Hounds are very loyal to their owners and other family members. However, the hound might not be as keen on strangers and other dogs, so make sure it gets to socialize from an early age.
Although not very friendly to strangers, the Bavarian Mountain Scent Hounds are not aggressive, nor do they bark a lot, so they are usually good for families with children. In fact, the bigger the family, the better – being very social with humans they know, they love when someone’s home, and can suffer from separation anxiety if left alone.
If properly taken care of, they also tend to have few health problems and can live up to 15 years. Plus, their grooming is quite simple, and they won’t drool or shed all over your place. The coat is smooth and short, so it is unlikely to cover the entire sofa with a new layer of wool. But that also means they won’t withstand extreme temperatures well.
The Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound is often called the original hunting dog. With a super sensitive nose, they were used to find the trail of the hunted game. Medium size and weight, they are now loved equally by both hunters and their families.
If you’re considering getting a Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound, keep in mind that you’ll have to give it quite a bit of time and attention. Highly energetic, they require a fair amount of regular exercise and stimulation. The good news is that they are very eager to please, making them easy to train. Bred as a purpose dog, the hounds also need regular brain stimulation – which, again, makes them ideal hunting companions.
“I got Luna 8 years ago, and she’s just great. She is very even-tempered, calm and relaxed. I chose this breed because it tends to be very responsible, and finding and retrieving game is a very special job that requires a lot of responsibility. I’m pleased to say Luna is great at this,” says Freddy.
Upon getting yourself a Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound, you might also get a patience test. Due to their active nature, they won’t be pleased if you only just teach them the main commands and stop playing around once the dog matures. Keep in mind that these hounds behave much better upon positive encouragement rather than punishment. And in case the dog misbehaves, it is most likely because it was bored – so, as tempting as it might be to punish it, you’ll be much better off by finding it something to do.
“In addition to our hunting missions, the dog accompanies me every day in the hunting ground, and we train regularly,” adds Freddy when asked about keeping Luna happy and on top of her game.
Of course, we couldn’t help but wonder which device Freddy prefers taking on his hunts with Luna. And he told us Helion is a great companion for them: “I mainly use the Pulsar Helion. It is easy to handle, the range and image detail level are great. It helps me to accurately recognize animals, which is crucial to me, because respect for the game is my top priority. Helion makes wrong shots impossible thus enabling truly responsible hunting.”
I got Luna 8 years ago, and she’s just great. She is very even-tempered, calm and relaxed. I chose this breed because it tends to be very responsible, and finding and retrieving game is a very special job that requires a lot of responsibility.
I mainly use the Pulsar Helion. It is easy to handle, the range and image detail level are great. It helps me to accurately recognize animals, which is crucial to me, because respect for the game is my top priority. Helion makes wrong shots impossible thus enabling truly responsible hunting.
When speaking about Bavarian Mountain Scent Hounds, we cannot ignore their intelligence. Known as some of the smartest dogs, they will love helping you with anything you ask from them. But do make sure you teach them to always get back to you – once the hound is onto something, it might become deaf to everything else. Freddy did confirm this, also adding that his Luna is “very focused when doing the job”.
In addition to our hunting missions, the dog accompanies me every day in the hunting ground, and we train regularly.
Even though the Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound is a rare breed, if you get your eyes on it, we do recommend visiting local shelters first. Sadly, quite a few end up there because of their active nature and the irresponsible behavior of the previous owners, who didn’t evaluate the time and effort required to keep the pups happy. So why not save one from misery?
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