At a glance the quick version
Coat and looks how to spot one
straight, hard, dense
A solid, well-balanced scent hound of medium size, strong without being heavy. The coat is straight, firm to the touch and thick, and it is kept fairly short but not sleek.12
Personality what they are like
A calm, confident hound that is open and friendly with people. It is keen and persistent on the trail, yet relaxed at home and generally quiet when it gets enough exercise.12
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Needs plenty of daily exercise and regular opportunities to use its nose; it was bred to track hares over long distances, even in snow.12
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
The short, dense coat is easy to keep: a weekly brush and routine checks of ears and paws are usually enough.1
Home where they are happiest
Suits an active rural or suburban home with secure outdoor space and access to open country for walks.2
Company who they like around
Very people-oriented and trusting; it does well as a family dog when its hunting drive has an outlet, and it responds well to reward-based training.12
The story where it all began
Wilhelm Conrad Dunker, a Norwegian army captain, built the breed in the 1800s by combining several scent hounds, including a Russian harlequin hound, to get a dog that trailed hares by scent. It came close to vanishing around the Second World War but recovered afterwards and is still kept mainly in Norway and Sweden.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
The breed carries the name of its creator, Captain Wilhelm Conrad Dunker.1
- 2
Its blue marbled (merle) colouring is traced back to a Russian harlequin hound used in its early breeding.2
- 3
It can keep working a hare trail in deep snow, something few hare hounds manage well.2
- 4
Outside the hunting season it is known for being a rather quiet dog if it gets enough exercise.2
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Standard no. 203, Group 6 (Scenthounds and related breeds), Section 1.2 Medium-sized Hounds, with working trial; standard dated 04.04.2016.1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Dunker. 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 8every 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 [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FCI Standard No. 203 Dunker fci.beused for classification, history, size, coat, colours, temperament
- Dunker - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for history, weight, temperament, fun facts
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.