Hounds

 

Hounds were originally bred to hunt mammals. They come in many sizes, depending on the size of their intended prey. There are two types of hounds: those that use their nose to find game (scent hounds) and those that use their eyesight to spot game (sight hounds).
Scent hounds, such as the Bloodhound and Norwegian Elkhound, sense their prey by smell, run them into a corner or up into a tree and then bark or bay until their masters can arrive. Beagles use their noses to find rabbits and then chase them into the path of their master. Dachshunds will track animals to their nests and then flush them out. Besides using their noses to hunt, scent hounds have been trained to use their keen sense of smell to detect drugs, hidden explosives and other contraband items.
In some cases, scent hounds can be difficult to obedience train because their super sensitive noses are constantly bombarded with enticing and distracting odors. In general, all scent hounds are gregarious and friendly, used to working along side their human companions in the field.
The most popular scent hound in the US is the Beagle, followed closely by the Dachshund. Other familiar scent hounds include the Basset Hound and Black & Tan Coonhound.
Sight hounds are elegant, streamlined dogs that were developed to spot and chase game until it was exhausted. Many of these breeds have existed for thousands of years. In ancient Egypt, Greyhounds were followed by their chariot driving masters as they chased gazelles through the desert. This style of hunting was popular for centuries until the invention of the shotgun made it easier for man to kill his prey from a distance.
The most popular sight hound in the US is the Rhodesian Ridgeback, one of the few hound breeds that is used as a guard dog. Other familiar sight hounds include the Whippet, Afghan Hound, Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound), Saluki and Irish Wolfhound. Competitions for sight hounds include lure course racing, in which dogs pursue a plastic object pulled along a wire on a marked course. Greyhound racing is actually a type of lure course racing.
Both scent and sight hounds are robust and have great stamina. Most are gentle, but some can be noisy, because of their tendency to bay. Their exercise requirements are relative to their size. Coat care varies depending on the length and type of coat.

Types of Hounds
Afghan Hound
American Foxhound
Basenji
Bassett Hound
Beagle 13
Beagle 15
Black & Tan Coonhound
Bloodhound
Borzoi
Dachshund - longhaired
Dachshund - shortcoated
Dachshund - wirecoated
English Foxhound
Greyhound
Harrier
Ibizan Hound
Irish Wolfhound
Norwegian Elkhound
Otterhound
Petite Basset Griffon Vendeen
Pharaoh Hound
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Saluki
Scottish Deerhound





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