Colombian Fino Hound

		Colombian Fino Hound
		FCI standard Nº 376

Origin		Colombia
Translation		Asociación Club Canino Colombiano Official language : ES
Group		Group 6 Scenthounds and related breeds
Section		Section 1 Scenthounds
Working		Without working trial
Acceptance on a provisional basis by the FCI		Wednesday 11 February 2026
Publication of the official valid standard		Wednesday 11 February 2026
Last update		Tuesday 3 March 2026
En français, cette race se dit		Fino Colombien
Diese Norm ist in deutscher Sprache sichtbar		Kolumbianischer Edelhund
En español, esta raza se dice		Sabueso Fino Colombiano
In het Nederlands, wordt dit ras gezegd		Colombiaanse Fijne Hond

Usage

Dog used for tracking, hunting, and as a companion animal.

Brief historical summary

The Sabueso Fino Colombiano is a hunting dog developed in Colombia from packs of scent hounds and certain pointing dogs imported from continental Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America from the colonial period onward. Its great hunting abilities made this dog very popular among all social classes, from the presidents of the Republic and the upper classes, who practiced hunting as a sport, to peasants who commonly used these dogs to obtain their food. These hunting dogs have been used for over 200 years in Colombia for tracking various game species. They are perfectly adapted to the country's diverse geography and climate.

General appearance

A typical, high-pitched hound with long ears and a long tail, rectangular in shape, a passionate and rather robust hunter, medium to large in size, with short or wire hair and a variety of coat colors.

Important proportions

The ratio of height at the withers to body length is 10:11.5.
The body height, measured from the withers to the elbows, should be equal to the height of the elbows from the ground.
At the head, the length of the muzzle is equal to or slightly less than that of the skull.

Behaviour / temperament

Tenacious in the hunt, affectionate at home, it makes an excellent companion dog. Thanks to its hunting instinct, it can coexist with other dogs within the pack and is friendly towards strangers.

Head
Of medium length, it is harmonious and proportionate to the body.
Cranial region
Cranial region		Rectangular, with slightly diverging craniofacial axes and a straight topline.
Skull		Less wide than it is long, with a ratio of 1:1.3. Viewed from the front, the skull is slightly domed, with visible brow ridges. The occipital crest is preferably pronounced.
Stop		Well-defined, but not too pronounced.

Facial region
Nose		Large, well-developed, with large nostrils. Fully pigmented in harmony with the coat.
Muzzle		Of medium length, which may be equal to or slightly less than that of the skull, with a straight profile. Viewed from above, the muzzle is rectangular. Its width tapers slightly towards the nose, without giving the muzzle a truncated or pointed appearance.
Lips		Well-developed, neither too thick nor drooping. The upper lips cover the lower lips.
Jaws and teeth		Strong and well-developed jaw, with a scissor bite, although a regular bite is acceptable. Ideally, the dentition is complete, with strong, properly aligned canines.
Cheeks		Flat.
Eyes		Oval in shape, with a gentle expression. All colors are acceptable depending on the coat, except for blue or odd-colored eyes.
Ears		Long, drooping, with or without folds, set at the outer corner of the eye or just below, with rounded tips. Ideally, they should easily extend beyond the length of the muzzle when stretched forward and should at least reach the tip of the nose.

Neck

Strong, moderately long, possibly with small folds at the throat.

Body
Body		Rectangular, supple, moderately robust.
Topline		Strong, rising slightly from the withers towards the croup.
Withers		Prominent.
Back		Strong and supple.
Loin		Short and strong.
Croup		Moderately long, moderately broad, with an angle of approximately 30°, forming a gentle curve in line with the back.
Chest		Moderately broad, with a deep forechest, reaching well to the elbows or even lower, with well-sprung ribs.
Underline and belly		Slightly tucked up.

Tail

Long, extending beyond the hocks. Set on moderately high, it tapers towards the tip. When the dog is in motion, the tail is carried raised like a saber, or it wags horizontally at the level of the croup, but should never be curled over itself.

Limbs

Forequarters
Generality		Strong, with solid bone structure, well-balanced.
Shoulders		The shoulder blades are correctly positioned, well laid back and well angulated, forming an angle of approximately 90° with the upper arm.
Upper arm		Moderately long humerus, strong bone structure, and well-developed muscles.
Elbows		Firm, neither turned in nor out.
Forearm		Strong and straight, moderately long.
Carpal		Strong and flexible.
Pastern		Slightly sloping and forward.
Forefeet		Oval, medium-sized, with strong nails and pads, which may be partially depigmented depending on the coat color and type.

Hindquarters
Generality		Powerful, angulated, and well-muscled, with parallel hocks that are not too long.
Upper thigh		Long, with strong but not overly developed musculature. The hip joint has a 100° angle.
Stifle		Strong, moderately angled.
Lower thigh		Long and well-angulated with the femur.
Hock		Strong, broad, and well let down.
Metatarsus		Straight, short, perpendicular to the ground, and parallel when viewed from behind.
Hind feet		Round, medium-sized, sturdy, with strong nails and pads, which may be partially depigmented depending on the coat color and type.

Gait and movement

Agile and effortless, balanced, with long strides that cover ground well and good drive from the hindquarters. The trot is supple, and the topline remains stable in motion. The tail is carried high.

Skin

Fine and elastic. On the body, it may be fully pigmented or only partially, depending on the coat color.

Coat
Hair		Short-haired variety (standard and large sizes) Short, smooth, and glossy coat. The tail hair should not be bristly. Wire-haired variety (standard and large sizes) The coat is uniform, dense, and harsh, with an undercoat. The muzzle has a goatee. The eyebrows are thick. The hair on the ears should be shorter than on the body. The tail is evenly covered with close-lying hair.
Colour		Coats are highly varied : red, black, brown, gray, with or without white markings. Coats may display different shades, patterns, and color combinations. Merle is not permitted.

Size and weight
Height at withers		Standard variety (short-haired or wire-haired) : 45 to 50 cm, with a tolerance of 2 cm less. Large variety (short-haired or wire-haired) : 51 to 58 cm, with a tolerance of 2 cm more.
Weight		Standard variety (short-haired or wire-haired) : Between 15 and 25 kg. Large variety (short-haired or wire-haired) : Between 25 and 35 kg.

Faults

• Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work.
• Faults listed should be in degree of seriousness.

General faults

Ears set too high (above the corner of the eye).

Croup too high.

Elbows turned outwards.

Missing two or more teeth.

Tail set too high or too low.

Serious faults

Square overall appearance.

Short ears (not reaching the tip of the nose).

Horizontal topline.

Excess skin, very drooping lips, overdeveloped dewlap, drooping eyelids.

Naturally knotted tail (spinal deformity).

Woolly coat in the wire-haired variety.

Disqualifying faults

Aggressive or timid dog.

Long-haired dog.

Atypical dog.

Albino dog.

Merle coat.

Blue or odd-colored eyes.

Overshot bite.

Undershot bite.

Ectropion.

Entropion.

NB :

• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
• The above mentioned faults when occurring to a highly marked degree or frequently are disqualifying.
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.

Bibliography

https://www.fci.be/

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Colombian Fino Hound