Crown Prince Rudolf of Habsburg had his professional hunters from Mürzsteg and Ischl take these dogs with them in 1881 and 1885, according to the FCI standard. This is a sturdy, short-legged hunting hound, rather than a Dachshund, tracking wounded hoofed game in the mountains.
| FCI | Group 6 (Scent hounds and related breeds), Section 2 Leash (scent) Hounds, Standard No. 254, with working trial (scent-hunting and blood-tracking tests) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Austria |
| Height at the withers | 34 to 42 cm; ideal males 37 to 38 cm, females 36 to 37 cm |
| Weight | Not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | No reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | Very dense, close-fitting double coat with dense undercoat over the whole body |
| Colours according to the standard | Ideal colour dark deer red with or without slight black ticking; black with clearly defined red-brown tan markings on the head (four-eyed pattern), chest, legs, paws and underside of the tail; a white chest star permitted |
From Erzgebirge hound to tracking specialist
In 1932, Austria recognised the breed as its third leash hound, then called Alpenländisch-Erzgebirgler Dachsbracke. Since 1975, it has had its current name and Austria as country of origin; since 1991, it has been classified among leash hounds. Its work is tracking wounded hoofed game and scent-hunting hare and fox. Related specialists include the Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound (Bayerischer Gebirgsschweißhund) and the Hanoverian Scent Hound (Hannoverscher Schweißhund).
Short-legged by standard
The standard requires a short-legged, sturdy dog with strong bone. Height at the withers and body length stand in a ratio of 2 to 3; chest depth should be about half the height, and the legs appear short in proportion to the body. Compare the Westphalian Dachsbracke (Westfälische Dachsbracke) and the Dachshund.
Fearless, with a friendly face
The expression should be intelligent and friendly, the temperament fearless; weak temperament is a disqualifying fault. The breed follows a cold trail independently and persistently.
Nose work rather than sofa life
A hunting home is the right place. Otherwise, provide blood trails and long outings at a trot, the preferred gait. Help the dog into the car and avoid wild jumps. Brush the double coat weekly.
What short legs mean genetically
The short legs come from two gene copies, the FGF4 retrogenes. Of 111 Dachsbrackes studied, 110 carried at least one copy of FGF4L1, which mainly shortens the legs, and 99 also carried FGF4L2 (Bannasch et al. 2022). FGF4L2 is associated with Hansen type I intervertebral disc disease: depending on breed, a single copy increased the risk of disc surgery by 5,5 to 15,1 times (Batcher et al. 2019, 569 dogs undergoing surgery). Two copies of FGF4L2 shortened Dachsbrackes by only 6 per cent. The authors therefore consider breeding out FGF4L2 feasible.
Two rare inherited diseases
Reports describe neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis in two offspring of one male, caused by deletion of the CLN8 gene (Hirz et al. 2017), and spinocerebellar ataxia in four dogs from two related litters, caused by a variant in SCN8A (Letko et al. 2019). Both are recessively inherited. Ask about the parents’ genetic tests, including FGF4L2. A reliable lifespan figure is lacking.
Hunters first
The breed suits hunters seeking a weather-resistant tracking hound for mountains and forest. Anyone wanting a compact family dog without work, or living with many stairs, should think twice about whether this little hound with a huge work ethic truly fits.
Before choosing a tracking hound, try the breed quiz, or explore the question further in our book “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). For the early days with a puppy, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. The deer-red coat looks warm in a poster in a wooden frame, while a digital artwork is ready immediately.
Further reading
- Dachshund: the back shapes their whole life
- Is my dog overweight? How to assess body condition and ideal weight
- The first 30 days with a puppy: a plan for weeks 1 to 4
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 254 Alpenländische Dachsbracke (fci.be, German version dated 18.06.1996, English version dated 18.06.1996, valid original standard dated 10.10.1995); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024 (breed listed but not analysed); Bannasch D et al., The Effects of FGF4 Retrogenes on Canine Morphology, Genes 2022; Batcher K et al., Phenotypic Effects of FGF4 Retrogenes on Intervertebral Disc Disease in Dogs, Genes 2019; Hirz M et al., Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is caused by the entire deletion of CLN8 in the Alpenländische Dachsbracke dog, Molecular Genetics and Metabolism 2017; Letko A et al., A Missense Variant in SCN8A in Alpine Dachsbracke Dogs Affected by Spinocerebellar Ataxia, Genes 2019.
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