Schweizerischer Niederlaufhund

Also called Small Swiss Hound, Swiss Short-legged Hound, Petit Chien Courant Suisse, Schweizer Niederlaufhund

Recognised breedFCI group 6Short profile

From Switzerland.1 2

At a glance the quick version

Height, male35 to 43 cm1 3

Height, female33 to 40 cm1 3

Sizesmall

excellent nose

steady and friendly

tireless and deft in rough terrain

1 2

Coat and looks how to spot one

smooth, rough or double coat

A low, rectangular scent hound, a scaled-down version of the Swiss Hound with a noble head and very long, low-set folded ears that reach to the nose tip. The coat may be short and smooth, harsh with a slight beard, or dense with an undercoat.1 3

ColoursSmall Bernese: white, black and tanSmall Jura: black with tanSmall Lucerne: blue speckled with black mantleSmall Schwyz: white with orange-red mantle1 2

Personality what they are like

A keen, untiring little hound with a superb nose and a melodious voice. Steady and friendly, ranging from calm to lively, and never aggressive.1 2

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Bred to hunt on its own, giving tongue as it follows game; needs regular long walks and outlets for tracking.1 2

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Coat care depends on coat type; all three are fairly easy to keep with regular brushing.1

Company who they like around

A friendly, people-oriented hound that enjoys working together with its owner.1 2

The story where it all began

Around 1900 several Swiss cantons limited hunting to smaller districts, where the fast medium-sized Swiss Hounds covered too much ground. Breeders selected shorter-legged dogs to create a slower, compact hound for these areas, and the breed club was founded in 1905.1 2 3

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
It was created specifically for hunting in small, enclosed districts where bigger hounds ran too fast.2
2
Its ears are so long that, folded forward, they reach the tip of the nose.3
3
Three coat types are allowed: smooth, rough and double.1

Recognised by the official bits

FCI: Standard no. 60, Group 6, Section 1.3 Small-sized hounds, with working trial; four varieties (Bernese, Jura, Lucerne, Schwyz).1
Schweizer Niederlaufhund-Club: Breed club founded 1905.2

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Schweizerischer Niederlaufhund. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

Brushingevery week
Bathevery 8 weeks
Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery 3 weeks
Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery day
ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 10every year

Tell me when it launches

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Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.

FCI Standard No. 60 Schweizerischer Niederlaufhund fci.beused for origin, classification, height, coat, colours, temperament, history
Wikipedia: Small Swiss Hound en.wikipedia.orgused for history, varieties, temperament, breed club
Wikipedia (de): Schweizer Niederlaufhund de.wikipedia.orgused for height, ears, history

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.