Bosnian Coarse-Haired Hound

Infobox Dogbreed
name= Bosanski Oštrodlaki Gonič, Barak, Bosnian Coarse Haired Hound


image_caption= Barak
altname= Bosnian Broken-haired Hound, Bosnian Roughhaired Hound, Bosnian Hound, Illyrian Hound
nickname=Barak
country= Bosnia and Herzegovina
fcigroup= Group 6 Scenthounds
fcisection= Section 1.1 Large-sized Hounds
fcinum= no. 155
fcistd= http://www.fci.be/uploaded_files/155A2000_en.doc
akcgroup=
akcstd=
ankcgroup=
ankcstd=
ckcgroup=
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kcukstd=
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ukcgroup =Scenthound Group
ukcstd =http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/Breeds/Barak
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notrecognized=
note= The united Kennel Club (US) uses the Fédération Cynologique Internationale breed standard.| The Bosnian Coarse Haired Hound or Bosanski Oštrodlaki Gonič, also called the "Barak", is a hunting dog breed developed in Bosnia. The breed is a scenthound, orignally used to hunt large game. The "Bosanski Oštrodlaki Gonič's" name is translated as coarse haired, broken-haired, and roughhaired (among others), and refers to the texture of the shaggy coat (usually called "broken-haired" or "hard" in English.)

History

Barak was the name of a Turkish general who occupied Hodidid in 1435, part of the conquering of the area by the Ottoman Empire; he was the brother of Isa-Beg Ishaković who founded Sarajevo in 1461. [ [http://web.mit.edu/4.175/www/center_home_sarajevo_past.htm Sarajevo: its Past and Monuments by Husref Redzic, from Redzic, H., 1982, "Sarajevo: Its past and monuments," published in Survey, Periodical for Social Studies Sarajevo, University of Sarajevo, No. 4 ] ] Folklore identifies Barak as keeping shaggy hunting dogs, and so Barak is used to refer to dogs with a rough coat. An alternative derivation of the word Barak is from a German word, Bracke, referring to hounds.

The former name given to the Barak breed was "Illyrian Hound", refering to a pre-Slavic people of the area. Today's breed is descended from indigenous dog types, crossed with an Italian gun dog in the 1890s. [ [http://www.istrianet.org/istria/fauna/dogs/dogs-politics.htm Mixing Dogs with Politics, from the Foreign Press Bureau Daily Bulletin. "The Bosnian Barak is for the time being the only Bosnian breed that has been recognised"] ] "Local hunters, wanting to produce an efficient scent hound, developed this breed in the nineteenth century, using the available stock of dogs." [ [http://www.barak.bhtornjak.com/en/ Barak breed website, in Bosnian and English] ] The early type of today's smaller Istarski Kratkodlaki Gonič breed may also have contributed to the Barak.

The "Bosanski Oštrodlaki Gonič" was first recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1965 under the name of "Illyrian Hound". The name was changed to more accurately describe its area of origin in Bosnia. The breed is in Group 6, Scenthounds, Section 1.1 Large-sized Hounds, and is breed number 155. It is also recognised by the United Kennel Club (US) as the " Barak", in the Scenthound Group. [ [http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/Breeds/Barak Barak, United Kennel Club] ] The breed is not recognised by any other major kennel clubs in the English speaking world, although many minor kennel clubs, internet dog registry businesses, and rare breed registries promote and register it as a unique pet.

Description

Appearance

The most striking feature of the "Bosanski Oštrodlaki Gonič" is its shaggy, hard coat of yellowish (wheaten or red) or greyish colours, often with a white blaze on its head along with other white marks. The standard calls for a body length ten percent greater than height; these proportions are given to differentiate the "Bosanski Oštrodlaki Gonič" from other hounds of the area which are "a bit low on leg". [ [http://www.thebreedsofdogs.com/YUGOSLAVIAN_HOUNDS.htm Yugoslavian Hounds] ] Height ranges from 46-55cm (18-22in) at the withers, and weight is between 16-24kg (35-53lbs). The dog normally carries its tail curved slightly upward, and its face has a bushy moustache and beard.

Temperament

The breed standard describes its behaviour as lively, as well as courageous and persistant. Unlike many other large hounds and hunting dogs, they are known to make good pets and companions.

References