The Lithuanian Hound is a rare, medium-size hunting dog

Hunting dog

A hunting dog refers to any dog who assists humans in hunting. There are several types of hunting dogs developed for various tasks. The major categories of hunting dogs include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and gun dogs...

 from Lithuania

Lithuania

Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...

. It is sturdy and heavily-boned, but also sleek but with muscular, with a short black coat with some brown on snout, chest, ears, forehead. The official standard allows for a small white spot on the chest, but not on toes. The dog's long tail is naturally low. The head is large, chest is broad, deep and low. Ears are long with rounded tips, and hang close to cheeks. Neck is quite long and strong with no dewlap

Dewlap

A dewlap is a longitudinal flap of skin that hangs beneath the lower jaw or neck of many vertebrates. While the term is usually used in this specific context, it can also be used to include other structures occurring in the same body area with a similar aspect, such as those caused by a double...

. The feet are strong and round, with compact toes, helping it be a fast, very agile, and determined pursuer.

The Lithuanian Hound has been traditionally used to hunt hare

Hare

Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...

, fox

Fox

Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...

, and boar

Boar

Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...

. The breed is mentioned in the Statutes of Lithuania

Statutes of Lithuania

The Statutes of Lithuania originally known as the Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were a 16th century codification of all the legislation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and its successor, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth...

 (16th century). It is believed that it comes from the mixing of bloodhound

Bloodhound

The Bloodhound is a large breed of dog which, while originally bred to hunt deer and wild boar, was later bred specifically to track human beings. It is a scenthound, tracking by smell, as opposed to a sighthound, which tracks using vision. It is famed for its ability to discern human odors even...

s with several other hound breeds. Once a popular breed in Lithuania, the population decreased to 78 individuals after World War II. Thanks to several enthusiasts, the hound was revived, standardized, and the number of registered and documented dogs reached around 350 in 1987. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union

Dissolution of the Soviet Union

The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...

, the breed decreased to around 150 individuals by 1998. The decrease in popularity is explained by changing hunting habits: the Lithuanian Hound is best suited for hunting large animals in large open areas, but modern hunting plots are decreasing in size. The Lithuanian Cynological Society plans to register the breed with the Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Fédération Cynologique Internationale

Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...

(FCI).