The new breed hoping to sniff out success at Crufts 2023

The Bavarian Mountain Hound, a German scent hound, will compete in their own breed classes for the first time at Crufts this weekend, as the event heads into its second day today.

Just under 1,000 Bavarian Mountain Hounds have been registered by The Kennel Club since they were officially recognised in 1990 with six now heading to the world’s biggest celebration of dogs on Saturday 11 March, each vying for the Best in Show crown.

The breed originally worked to track down game using their incredible sense of smell in the steep Bavarian mountain slopes. They are an agile and active breed, which was ideal for the mountain terrain and they are known for their powerful sense of smell, but also their calm and obedient nature, and devotion to their owners.

Minna Borsuk, Chairman of the Bavarian Mountain Hound Society of Great Britain, said: “We are delighted that the Bavarian Mountain Hound will be competing in their own classes and making history at Crufts this year. They are a truly unique and quirky breed, completely loyal and very loving, and we’re so excited to have such a big platform for the breed for the first time, and that more people will have the opportunity to find out about these dogs.

“Of course, they’re not a breed for everyone, they need a lot of amusement and entertainment, so best suit someone with an active lifestyle. However, thanks to their impeccable sense of smell, there are so many activities, beyond the hobby of dog showing, that they enjoy, such as mantrailing, scentwork or agility. And of course they make a great pet too, for the right owners. We urge people to come and meet these dogs at Crufts and see for themselves!”

Crufts visitors can also meet and find out more about the Bavarian Mountain Hound in the Discover Dogs area of the show, where breeders and enthusiasts will be on hand to share information on the breed, and dog-lovers can meet these unusual hounds.

The six Bavarian Mountain Hounds are amongst almost 20,000 dogs are vying for the Crufts for Best in Show title this year, including over 3,400 dogs from overseas. France leads the way with 398 dogs, just ahead of last year’s frontrunner, Italy (387).

More than just a dog show, Crufts celebrates the many diverse roles that dogs play in our lives, and sees competitions such as The Kennel Club Hero Dog Award, the Scruffts Family Crossbreed of the Year competition, and the ever popular fast-paced agility and flyball competitions.

This year will also see more than 16 hours of the Crufts TV show broadcast for dog-lovers across the UK on Channel 4 and More4.

Crufts runs from 9 – 12 March 2023 at the NEC in Birmingham. More information and tickets for the event are available on the Crufts website.