It owes its existence to hunting reform. When some Swiss cantons introduced hunting by territory around 1900, medium-sized hounds were considered too fast for the smaller grounds. Hunters wanted the same nose and voice, only closer to the ground: the Small Swiss Hound (Schweizer Niederlaufhund).
| FCI | Group 6 (Scent hounds and related breeds), Section 1.3 Small-sized Hounds, Standard No. 60, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Switzerland |
| Size (height at the withers) | Males 35 to 43 cm, females 33 to 40 cm, tolerance plus or minus 2 cm |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | no reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | smooth hair short and close-fitting; rough hair harsh and elastic with little undercoat and slight beard; double coat with very dense, straight outer hair and dense undercoat |
| Colours in the standard | white and black with tan markings (Bernese), black with tan markings (Jura), blue roan with black patches (Lucerne), white with orange-red patches (Schwyz), plus all mixtures of these colours |
A club since 1905
According to the standard, planned selection and deliberate crosses produced a smaller breed intended to resemble the larger Swiss Hound in colour, voice and determination to find game. The club was founded on 1 June 1905, initially as Schweizerischer Dachsbracken-Club, now Schweizer Niederlaufhund- und Dachsbracken-Club. Its larger cousin’s four colour varieties and every mixture of them are permitted.
Friendly, nimble and keen-nosed
The standard describes an enduring, passionate little scent hound that follows trails reliably and hunts persistently with a melodious voice. It is explicitly suitable for blood tracking too, following wounded game. Its nature should be friendly, neither timid nor aggressive, with temperament ranging from calm to lively.
Short legs: what genetics tells us
Small size is partly linked to two gene copies called FGF4L1 and FGF4L2. A 2022 study measured 36 Small Swiss Hounds: even one FGF4L1 copy reduced shoulder height by around 16 per cent. The authors recommend pairing dogs with FGF4L1 but without FGF4L2, because FGF4L2 is associated with slipped-disc risk (Bannasch et al. 2022). Another finding concerns a rare storage disease, neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis: two littermates began losing coordination, orientation and sight from around one year; its recessive MFSD8 cause is now detectable by genetic test (Rietmann et al. 2024). Ask for the parents’ FGF4 and NCL tests. We found no reliable lifespan figure.
Three coats, three care plans
Smooth hair needs little more than a curry brush; rough hair needs occasional plucking of loose hairs; the double coat’s dense undercoat needs more frequent brushing during moulting. The long, low-set ears reach the nose tip and need checking after every woodland outing.
Tracking rather than ball throwing
Jumping and wild ball games do no favours to a short-legged dog’s back. Scent work is a better outlet: blood trails, search games and long, leisurely walks on a long line. Kept lean, its strong body carries it tirelessly through any terrain.
Who it suits
Hunters seeking a conveniently sized dog for hunting by scent and tracking wounded game, and nature-loving people who take its nose seriously even without hunting themselves. Its friendly nature makes it more sociable than some larger hounds.
Who is less suited
Small does not mean undemanding. Anyone seeking a quiet indoor companion or unsupervised off-lead freedom is unlikely to enjoy this passionate trail voice.
The breed quiz helps you decide whether a small hunting dog with a big voice suits you; our book offers more detail: “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). For the early days with a puppy, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. Find artwork of your Small Swiss Hound among our dog portraits or as a digital artwork for instant download.
Further reading
- Dachshund: its back shapes its whole life
- Beagle: a nose with a dog attached, and what that means daily
- Is my dog overweight? Checking body shape and ideal weight
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 60 Schweizer Niederlaufhund (fci.be, German and English versions dated 13.10.2015); Bannasch D et al., The Effects of FGF4 Retrogenes on Canine Morphology, Genes 2022; Rietmann SJ et al., Intragenic duplication disrupting the reading frame of MFSD8 in Small Swiss Hounds with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, Animal Genetics 2024; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024 (breed not listed).
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