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Westphalian Dachsbracke 🐕

Westphalian Dachsbracke

Scenthound / FCI Group 6 · Purebred · Germany's short-legged tricolor tracking hound from Westphalia — tenacious on scent, compact in build, and bred to follow game through the densest terrain

33–40 lbsWeight
12–15 inHeight
12–15 yrsLifespan
HighEnergy

🐾 Overview

The Westphalian Dachsbracke (Westfälische Dachsbracke) is a compact, short-legged scenthound from the Westphalia region of northwestern Germany. The breed was developed by crossing Deutsche Bracke (German Hound) with Dachshunds to produce a smaller, lower-to-ground tracking dog capable of following scent trails through dense underbrush and into burrows. The name "Dachsbracke" literally means "badger hound" or "bracke of the dachshund type" — combining the Bracke (scenthound) tradition with the low-slung body of the Dachshund.

The Westphalian Dachsbracke was formally recognized by the German Kennel Club (VDH) in 1935 and by the FCI under Group 6 (Scent Hounds, Section 1.3 — Small-sized Hounds). It is closely related to the Alpine Dachsbracke of Austria and the Drever of Sweden, both of which share similar origins. While rare outside Germany and Scandinavia, the Westphalian Dachsbracke is valued by German hunters for its ability to track hare, fox, and wounded deer in terrain too dense for larger hounds.

📸 Photo Gallery

Real Westphalian Dachsbrackes — browse photos of this compact tricolor hunting hound.

😊 Temperament & Personality

The Westphalian Dachsbracke combines the tenacity of a hound with a surprisingly affectionate, family-friendly personality. In the home it is cheerful and social; in the field it is focused and determined.

  • Cheerful, friendly, and affectionate with family
  • Good with children — tolerant and playful
  • Generally sociable with other dogs — bred to work in packs
  • Stubborn and independent on a scent — hound instinct takes over outdoors
  • Vocal — uses a full hound voice when tracking; not suited to noise-sensitive environments
  • Curious and active — needs daily mental and physical stimulation

🏃 Exercise & Activity Needs

  • Daily exercise: 45–60 minutes minimum — walks, sniff-heavy exploration, or field work
  • Despite short legs, this breed has remarkable endurance — can track for hours
  • Nose work, tracking, and scent trails provide ideal mental stimulation
  • Always keep on leash or in a securely fenced area outdoors — hound nose overrides recall
  • Adaptable to rural or suburban environments provided exercise needs are met

✂️ Grooming & Coat Care

  • Short, dense, weather-resistant coat — low maintenance; brush weekly
  • Minimal bathing needed — every 6–8 weeks or when dirty from field work
  • Check and clean floppy ears weekly to prevent ear infections
  • Trim nails every 3–4 weeks; short legs mean nails wear more slowly
  • Moderate year-round shedder

🎓 Training

  • Intelligent but independent — hound stubbornness requires patience and consistency
  • Positive reinforcement with food motivation works well
  • Recall training is the highest priority — hound drive can override commands on a scent
  • Early socialization helps build a well-rounded, confident adult
  • Excels in tracking, nose work, and mantrailing activities

🏥 Health & Common Issues

The Westphalian Dachsbracke is a hardy breed with few serious hereditary conditions. Their short-legged structure requires some attention to spinal health, as with all chondrodystrophic breeds.

Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) Ear infections (floppy ears) Obesity (food-motivated)
Average Lifespan
12–15 years
Size Category
Small–Medium · 33–40 lbs
Vet Visits
Annual wellness; spine and ear monitoring
Pet Insurance
Recommended

🏠 Is a Westphalian Dachsbracke Right for You?

The Westphalian Dachsbracke suits active owners, hunters, or tracking sport enthusiasts who want a compact, hardy hound with a great home temperament. Their manageable size makes them more practical than larger hounds while retaining full working capability. The main challenge is managing their powerful hound voice and off-leash instincts.

👶With Kids★★★★☆
🐕With Dogs★★★★☆
🐈With Cats★★☆☆☆
🏠Apartment★★☆☆☆
🔰First-Time Owner★★★☆☆
🌡️Cold Climates★★★★☆

🐾 Related Breeds

🐕Alpine Dachsbracke 🐕Dachshund 🐕Beagle

🍽️ How Much to Feed a Westphalian Dachsbracke

Puppy (8–12 weeks)
3–4 meals/day
Puppy (3–6 months)
3 meals/day
Adult (1+ year)
2 meals/day
Senior (9+ years)
2 smaller meals/day

📏 Daily Portion Guide

33 lbs (less active)
1¼ cups/day
37 lbs (average)
1½ cups/day
40 lbs (working dog)
1¾ cups/day

✅ Best Foods for Westphalian Dachsbrackes

  • Quality kibble with high protein content to fuel tracking endurance
  • Measure portions carefully — this breed is highly food-motivated and prone to obesity
  • Avoid free-feeding; set meal times help maintain healthy weight
  • Joint support supplements helpful for the chondrodystrophic spine from age 4+
  • Omega-3 fatty acids support coat health and reduce inflammation

🚫 Dangerous Foods

ChocolateGrapes & RaisinsOnions & GarlicXylitolMacadamia NutsAlcoholAvocado

💡 Tip: Boarding your Westphalian Dachsbracke?

Westphalian Dachsbrackes are sociable and generally adapt well to boarding. Their vocal nature (hound bay) may be a consideration — choose a facility with individual kennels or private runs if noise is a concern. Ensure outdoor exercise areas are securely fenced; their nose will compel them to follow any interesting scent trail. Pack their regular food to maintain digestive health.

💰 How Much Does a Westphalian Dachsbracke Cost?

Reputable Breeder (Germany)
$600–$1,400
Imported to US/International
$2,000–$3,500
Rescue/Adoption
Extremely rare
Avoid ⚠️
Very rare outside Germany — verify FCI-registered breeder

📅 Monthly Cost

Budget approximately $80–$150 per month for a Westphalian Dachsbracke.

Food
$35–$60/month
Vet (annual)
$300–$550/year
Pet insurance
$20–$40/month
Grooming (minimal)
$20–$35/month

🧬 Westphalian Dachsbracke Mix Breeds

Westphalian Dachsbracke mixes are essentially unknown outside specialist hunting circles. Any cross with another hound breed typically produces a tenacious, nose-driven dog with a cheerful temperament.

🐾 Westphalian Dachsbracke × Beagle

Two friendly, compact scent hounds — the result is a small to medium tracking dog, highly food-motivated, vocal, and wonderful with families.

Size
20–40 lbs
Energy
High
Shedding
Moderate
Price
Rare — price varies

🐾 Westphalian Dachsbracke × Dachshund

Back to roots — two closely related short-legged hunting dogs producing a compact, determined tracker with classic hound personality.

Size
15–35 lbs
Energy
High
Shedding
Low–Moderate
Price
Rare — price varies

🎉 Amazing Facts About Westphalian Dachsbrackes

  • 🧬 The Westphalian Dachsbracke was created through a deliberate cross of two very different German hunting dog traditions: the tall, long-legged Deutsche Bracke (German Hound) and the short-legged Dachshund. The goal was to produce a dog with the Bracke's powerful nose, stamina, and hound voice but low enough to the ground to follow game into dense brush and even underground — a dog that could do the work of both a hound and an earth dog.
  • 🏔️ Despite its Westphalian name, the Westphalian Dachsbracke is closely related to the Alpine Dachsbracke of Austria — both breeds share the same Bracke-Dachshund heritage and were developed in parallel in different mountain and forest regions of Central Europe. The Alpine Dachsbracke was used by Archduke Johann of Austria on his hunting expeditions to Egypt and Turkey in the 19th century, giving it a more glamorous historical footnote than its German cousin.
  • 🇸🇪 The Westphalian Dachsbracke is considered one of the ancestors of the Drever, Sweden's most popular hunting breed. Swedish hunters imported Westphalian Dachsbrackes in the early 20th century and bred them selectively to produce a hound suited to Swedish forest conditions. The Drever was recognized as a separate breed in 1947 and is now far more numerous in Scandinavia than its German ancestor.
  • 🔊 Like all Bracke-type hounds, the Westphalian Dachsbracke communicates actively with its voice while tracking — giving its full hound bay when following a hot trail. German hunters use this vocal tracking to follow their dogs from a distance through dense forest without needing to keep visual contact. The quality, rhythm, and tone of the dog's voice on a trail is considered a key indicator of hunting ability in traditional German hound culture.
  • 📊 The Westphalian Dachsbracke remains one of the rarer FCI-recognized German breeds, with annual registration numbers counted in the hundreds rather than thousands. In Germany it is maintained almost entirely within hunting circles; very few are kept purely as companions. This means that nearly every registered Westphalian Dachsbracke alive today comes from working hunting stock — making the breed's hunting instincts exceptionally well-preserved.

📋 Westphalian Dachsbracke At a Glance

FCI Group
Group 6 — Scent Hounds, Small size
Origin
Germany — Westphalia region, recognized 1935
German Name
Westfälische Dachsbracke
Purpose
Tracking hare, fox, and wounded deer in dense terrain