A separate breed or just a colour variety? That was the debate in 1946, leading to a separate standard. The Serbian Tricolour Hound was then still called the Yugoslavian Tricolour Hound.
| FCI | Group 6 (Scent hounds and related breeds), Section 1.2 Medium-sized Hounds, Standard No. 229, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Serbia |
| Height at the withers | Males 45 to 55 cm (ideal 51 cm), females 44 to 54 cm (ideal 49 cm) |
| Weight | Not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | No reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | Short, abundant, glossy, somewhat thick and close-fitting, with fairly well-developed undercoat |
| Colours according to the standard | Rich red or fox red with black mantle or saddle, white on head, neck, chest and tail tip; white no more than a third of body surface |
Separate since 1946
The standard gives the same origins as other Balkan scent hounds. Following the 1946 debate, the dog gained separate breed status and a first standard, appearing at an international Belgrade show in June 1950. The FCI recognised it in 1961. The original question concerned its distinction from the Serbian Hound (Srpski Gonic).
Red, black and a little white
A rich red or fox-red base carries a black mantle or saddle, which can extend to the head and form two black temple markings. White appears as a snip or blaze, collar, chest patch and tail tip. More than a third white, ticking within white or a fourth colour disqualify. The head is long and narrow, tail slightly curved upwards and carried below the back.
Persistent on the trail
Devoted, friendly, lively, reliable and remarkably persistent: the standard’s description. That persistence is your main daily challenge. On a scent, the dog follows at the brisk, steady trot preferred by the standard, making recall difficult. A working-trial breed fits best with people who hunt. Without hunting, provide daily tracking, long distances on a long line and a well-secured garden.
Undercoat beneath short hair
The short, somewhat thick coat has fairly well-developed undercoat. Brush more during shedding, weekly otherwise. Regularly inspect the medium-length, thin ears lying close to the cheeks.
What research knows so far
No life expectancy can be established: McMillan and colleagues list the breed but do not analyse it. The only targeted study found was genetic. In 2025, Katica and colleagues measured AMY2B starch-digestion gene copies in eleven dogs, alongside other Balkan breeds such as the Bosnian Barak and the Posavatz Hound (Posavski Gonič). Overall, Balkan dogs fell within the range of other European breeds. The paper provides no disease findings.
Who the breed does and does not suit
A good home is with hunters seeking an enduring, vocal scent hound, or people with ample time, a rural setting and experience of hunting-motivated dogs. Difficult in the city, with little exercise or expectations of mainly off-lead freedom. Accept persistence as a trait rather than a challenge, and this is a friendly, reliable partner.
To see whether an enduring scent hound fits your everyday life, try the breed quiz; for more detail, read “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). The Puppy Starter Pack guides you through the first days. Red-and-black markings look lovely on a magazine-cover canvas, with every option among our dog portraits.
Further reading
- Beagle: a nose with a dog attached, and what that means day to day
- Autumn shedding in dogs and cats: what is normal and what is not
- Puppy training: the 5 rules that really work
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 229 Srpski Trobojni Gonič, Dreifarbiger Serbischer Laufhund (fci.be, German and English versions dated 11.12.2002, valid original standard dated 26.11.2002); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024 (breed listed but not analysed); Katica J et al., Copy number variations in AMY2B gene and amylase activity in Balkan dog breeds, PLoS One 2025.
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