German Hunting Terrier: Size, Weight & Temperament

The German Hunting Terrier is brave, hardy, and possesses a pronounced, barely containable prey drive. Without hunting work, it quickly becomes unbalanced and headstrong toward other animals.

The breed needs daily, intensive work – ideally genuine hunting assignments such as den work, blood tracking, or flushing; plain walks fall far short of what it needs.

There is a smooth-coated and a wire-coated variety, both low-maintenance and needing only occasional brushing. More important than coat care is consistent, early training.

The breed is genetically very robust and largely free of hereditary disease, since strict working trials are central to its breeding. Injury risk stems mainly from the hard hunting work itself.