COUNTRY: USSR
HEIGHT: 22-26 inches
COAT: Short, dense
COLOR: Tricolor, white predominant
OTHER NAMES: Russian Piebald Hound, Gontchaja Russkaj'a Pegaja
GROUP: Hound
English Foxhounds were brought into Russia during the reign of Empress Anne (1730-1740), and by the latter part of the 19th century, these English dogs had been blended with the Russian Hound to form a breed called the Anglo-Russian. After 1951, it was renamed the Russian Harlequin Hound,
In those early days, hounds were valued just for their voice and fierce speed as they tracked the quarry only until sighted, at which time the Borzoi were slipped. For this, the Foxhound excelled. But as hunting changed over to using only the scenthound, this blend of English and
Russian dogs created an outstanding dog for the Red Chase, so called because of the traditional term red game for fox or wolf.
This hound had the beautiful voice, speed, size, persistence and endurance of both its ancestors, plus the Foxhound's smart, visible color. This color was important to be able to distinguish the game from the hound, even in heavy cover. The Harlequin Hound is squarer in build than the Russian Hound, carrying a strong head, with a well-defined stop and plenty of flews.
Today, the Harlequin Hound is being improved in type and uniformity. The members of the Dynamo Sport Society of Tula have produced a particularly fine, uniform pack of Harls used for wolves. In the 1980s hunters from Moscow and its suburbs began to utilize the best Tula dogs to upgrade their own stock. At current Soviet dog shows, the quality of the Harlequin is now considered equal to the best Russian Hounds.
In those early days, hounds were valued just for their voice and fierce speed as they tracked the quarry only until sighted, at which time the Borzoi were slipped. For this, the Foxhound excelled. But as hunting changed over to using only the scenthound, this blend of English and
Russian dogs created an outstanding dog for the Red Chase, so called because of the traditional term red game for fox or wolf.
This hound had the beautiful voice, speed, size, persistence and endurance of both its ancestors, plus the Foxhound's smart, visible color. This color was important to be able to distinguish the game from the hound, even in heavy cover. The Harlequin Hound is squarer in build than the Russian Hound, carrying a strong head, with a well-defined stop and plenty of flews.
Today, the Harlequin Hound is being improved in type and uniformity. The members of the Dynamo Sport Society of Tula have produced a particularly fine, uniform pack of Harls used for wolves. In the 1980s hunters from Moscow and its suburbs began to utilize the best Tula dogs to upgrade their own stock. At current Soviet dog shows, the quality of the Harlequin is now considered equal to the best Russian Hounds.