Montenegrin Mountain Hound (Crnogorski Planinski Gonic)

Print my Pet · 20. October 2026 · 3 min di lettura·Aggiornato 20.10.2026

Montenegrinischer Gebirgslaufhund als Wandbild im Stil Royal mit kurzer Uniform, Raum: altrosafarbenes Schlafzimmer

The red spots above its eyes should be hazelnut-sized. Such is the precision of the Montenegrin Mountain Hound’s FCI standard; its base colour is always black. This once earned it the occasional name of simply the Black Hound.

FCI	Group 6 (Scent hounds and related breeds), Section 1.2 Medium-sized Hounds, Standard No. 279, with working trial
Country of origin	Montenegro
Height at the withers	44 to 54 cm; ideal males 49 to 50 cm, females 48 to 49 cm
Weight	Not specified in the FCI standard
Life expectancy	No reliable study figure found (N/A)
Coat	Short, dense, harsh, glossy and close-fitting, with well-developed undercoat
Colours according to the standard	Black with red markings above the eyes, on the muzzle and undersides of legs, ranging from pale to vivid red; a small white chest patch up to 3 cm tolerated but undesirable

The black-coated Balkan hound

The standard tells little history. It simply states that the breed undoubtedly shares its origins with the other Balkan scent hounds, such as the Serbian Hound (Srpski Gonic) or the Serbian Tricolour Hound (Srpski Trobojni Gonic). A first standard was written in 1924. According to the standard, the FCI recognised it at its Warsaw meeting in May 1969. The current version dates from December 2014, with French as the original language.

Balanced, biddable and affectionate

The standard needs only four qualities for its temperament: very balanced, biddable, deeply attached to its person and reliable. It excludes aggressive or overly shy dogs. That sounds like an agreeable companion, and indoors it often is. Outside, it remains a scent hound with a required working trial, bred to follow a game trail independently and persistently.

Medium-sized, strong and agile

The body is about ten per cent longer than the height at the withers, and the head measures 45 per cent of that height. It moves on tight cat feet with black pads and invariably black nails, preferably at a lively, even trot. Dogs below 44 or above 54 cm are disqualified, as are those with a curled tail or one carried over the back.

Meeting its needs without hunting

Non-hunters can replace the game trail with tracking, mantrailing or woodland search games. Add long daily walks, using a long line where wildlife is plentiful. Train reliable recall from puppyhood, but expect fresh scent to make it deaf to you nonetheless.

Short coat, little fuss

The hair is short, harsh and glossy, over quite a substantial undercoat. A weekly session with a rubber grooming mitt keeps it clean, more often during shedding. After walks through undergrowth, check for ticks and look inside its close-hanging ears.

Health: very little research

No reliable figures are available. The breed appears only in the name list in the British longevity study by McMillan and colleagues and was not analysed because of insufficient data. We found no study in Europe PMC specifically investigating disease in this breed. The standard itself disqualifies dogs with entropion or ectropion, inward- or outward-rolling eyelid margins. Ask breeders about the parents’ eye results.

Who will enjoy it, and who will not

It is happiest with hunters or rural owners who make time for scent work every day and appreciate an affectionate, quiet housemate. It is unsuitable for first-time owners without a connection to hunting, city flats or long days alone. Give it work and you gain a reliable partner with a dark coat and a bright mind.

The breed quiz can show whether a Balkan scent hound fits your everyday life; our book offers more thorough guidance: “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). For those first weeks with a puppy, try our free Puppy Starter Pack. A black coat with red markings looks lovely as a poster in a wooden frame; find more ideas among our dog portraits.