Finnish Hound

Description

The head of the Finnish Hound is proportionate to the size of the dog and slightly domed. The forehead of this breed is slightly convex. The head and muzzle are distinct, but still blend in together very smoothly. The muzzle itself is quite long, at least as long as the rest of the skull, but not quite as long as is the case with many scenthounds. The muzzle is moderately deep and tapers slightly. The lips of this breed are relatively long, but should not be pendulous. The nose of the Finnish Hound is large and should always be black in color. The ears of the Finnish Hound are moderately long, but to a lesser extent than many scenthounds. The ears should hang down close to the sides of the head. The eyes of the Finnish Hound are medium-in-size and dark brown in color. The overall expression of most Finnish Hounds is calm, relaxed, and pleading. The Finnish Hound has a double coat. The breed’s undercoat is short, dense, and soft while the outer coat is medium-short to medium in length, straight, dense, and quite harsh. There is only one acceptable coloration for the Finnish Hound, tricolor. Finnish Hounds should ideally have reddish brown coats with white markings and a solid black saddle-shaped marking on their backs. This black marking tends to be much larger on the Finnish Hound than on many closely related breeds, and often extends well down the dog’s sides, legs, and neck. The white markings are most commonly found on the legs, chest, and belly. Occasionally, a Finnish Hound will be born with alternate markings, most commonly brown and white without any black. Such dogs are ineligible in the show ring and should probably not be bred, but otherwise make just as excellent companions or hunting dogs as any other breed members.