Lithuanian Hounds are hunting dogs whose character and behaviour have been shaped as a result of the long and demanding selective breeding practices of hunters.
One of the earliest references to Lithuanian Hounds dates back to a court case from 1541. Information about dogs in these territories can also be found in the Statutes of Lithuania, the works by Jan Ostroróg, and later nineteenth-century sources.
A more comprehensive description of the Lithuanian Hound is provided in the article of S. F. Davidovich article (published in 1875) and in the article by D. A. Vilinsky (1876).
The inclusion of Lithuanian Hounds in the aforementioned and later cynological publications indicates that, by that time, they had already become a distinct and established breed, clearly differentiated from other hound breeds.
A drawing of the Lithuanian Hound is also found in the book Rok myśliwego [The Hunter’s Year] (1922) by the Polish author W. Korsak.
Unfortunately, the interwar period and the years of war in Lithuania were particularly complicated for the Lithuanian Hound. The breed did not receive official state recognition, while hunting activities, which would have helped to preserve the working characteristics of the dog, were also restricted. Consequently, the number of Lithuanian Hounds decreased dramatically.
Although hunting with hounds continued to some extent, it represented little more than the breed’s survival rather than its full development. As a result, the breed came close to extinction.
Restoration of the breed began in the 1950s, using the remaining representatives of the breed. In 1966, the first Lithuanian Hound breed standard was prepared and subsequently revised.
In 2007, the Lithuanian Hound Breeders’ Association was established and continues to oversee the preservation and development of the breed.
Following breed evaluations and extensive consultations, the Lithuanian Hound breed standard was updated in 2019.
Lithuanian Hound Breeders’ Association (Lietuvių skalikų augintojų sąjunga)
„Dūdė Foto“, Entuziastas media photo
