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The Transylvanian Hound (erdélyi kopó in Hungarian) originated in Hungary and Transylvania when it was part of Hungary. (It is now in Romania.) It was mostly used for hunting.It is a strong, medium-sized scent hound, characterized by a black body, with tan and sometimes white markings on the muzzle, chest and extremities, and tan eyebrow spots. It has a high-pitched bark for a dog of its size. The breed was rescued from extinction in the late 20th century. There were once two varieties, the tall and the short, developed for different kinds of hunting in the Middle Ages. Only the tall variety survives today.
It is thought that the Transylvanian Hound descends from hounds brought by the Magyars when they crossed the Carpathian Mountains in the ninth century and bred with those already found in the area. These became the foundation stock for the breed. In the Middle Ages it was the favorite dog of the Hungarian aristocracy. Two height varieties developed to hunt different game in different types of terrain, and both varieties were kept together.
The tall variety was used for hunting woodland and grassland big game, such as European bison, bear, boar, and lynx. The short variety was used for hunting fox, hare, and chamois in overgrown or rocky terrain. The breed declined and was limited to the Carpathian woodlands, shrinking with the growth of agriculture and forestry, and by the beginning of the twentieth century it was nearly extinct. It was almost wiped out during World War II, and in 1947, after Transylvania became part of Romania, the Romanian government exterminated those that had survived in to remove the reminder of Hungarian rule. Some survived in Hungary and Slovakia, where breeders are now working to revive the breed.
In 1886 the first official registration of the breed began with the "Hungarian Hunting Dog Pedigree." In 1941 the breed was registered as a Hungarian Hound by the Hungarian National Vizsla Club/Hound Division and recovery of the breed started with 27 dogs. This ended with World War II, but a further recovery operation began in the 1960s.
The long-legged variety of the Transylvanian Hound is 22 to 26 inches tall and weighs from (66 to77 ;pounds. It has a typical scent hound head, long but not pointed and free from wrinkles; the ears are medium-sized and drooping, wide in the middle and tapering to a rounded tip.The body is relatively long but square, the chest broad and long but not overly deep; the low-set tail is kept undocked, and when hunting is typically carried curled at the level of the back. The coat is short, straight and close fitting, slightly longer in the long-legged variety than in the short. It is usually black and tan or black, tan, and white.
The continental climate of its native land, with its hot summers and cold winters with heavy snow falls, has resulted in a breed with great stamina as well as a very keen and reliable nose.
The Transylvanian Hound is usually obedient, good natured, tolerant of children and easy to train; as a pack hound it is very friendly with other dogs.It is described as being reserved, slightly suspicious and introspective in character; when hunting it shows courage and a good sense of orientation.
SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA
SPECIFICATIONS
“Hungarian Herding and Hunting Breeds” collector series – 5.
Designer: András SZILOS
Diameter: 34mm
Edge: reeded
Face value HUF 3,000
Metal: copper alloy (Cu75Ni4Zn21)
Weight: 16 g
Max. mintage: 20,000 proof-like
Issue date: October 4, 2023 |
