Welsh Hound

Also called Welsh Foxhound, Bytheiad, Ci Hela Cymreig

Rare breedShort profile

From Wales, where it was bred to hunt in packs across rocky, hilly country.1 2

At a glance the quick version

Weight31.8 to 34 kg2 1

Height61 cm2 1

Sizelarge

UKC gives 70-75 lb (about 32-34 kg); Wikipedia gives about 34 kg. No separate figures by sex.

tireless stamina on rough ground

gentle and friendly with people

musical, far-carrying voice

1 2

Coat and looks how to spot one

rough, wiry coat (sometimes smooth)

A pack hound built much like an English Foxhound, usually carrying a hard, dense, medium-length coat that shields it in rough hill country. Some dogs have a smooth coat.2 1

Coloursred and whiteblackfawnredtanwhitemixed2 1

Personality what they are like

A calm, good-natured hound that tends to be patient with children and other animals. It is a self-reliant hunter with a mind of its own, so it learns best with steady, consistent handling.1 2

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Bred to run with a pack for long days over the Welsh hills, so it needs plenty of daily exercise and room to move. Packs are still used for drag hunting.1 2

Company who they like around

A pack animal by tradition that gets on well with other dogs and is described as tolerant of children and other pets.1

The story where it all began

Hounds were prized in Wales for centuries: tenth-century Welsh law set a price on them, and medieval bards wrote poems about favourite hounds. Hunts have kept pure Welsh packs for around 200 years, and a stud book has been kept since 1922. Today a few are also registered as rare-breed companions.1 2

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
Welsh law of the 940s valued a trained hound at 240 pence, twice the price of an untrained one.1
2
Medieval Welsh bards composed praise poems about individual hounds.1
3
The UKC describes it as descending from the old Celtic Hound and the Staghound.2

Recognised by the official bits

UKC: Scenthound Group; recognised 1 January 2006.2
Welsh Hound Association: Keeps the breed's stud book, which has been maintained since 1922; the breed has been kept pure since 1928.1
FCI / The Royal Kennel Club / AKC: Not recognised.1

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Welsh Hound. 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 month
Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
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 7every year

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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.

Wikipedia: Welsh Hound en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, history, stud book, size, temperament, fun facts
UKC: Welsh Hound ukcdogs.comused for recognition, size, coat, colours, temperament, ancestry

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