All About Hounds
Friday, February 3rd, 2012Hounds were the original hunting dogs and are some of the oldest breeds known to man. The Hound Group of the American Kennel Club includes two kinds of dogs:
- Sight hounds who use wonderful visual acuity to identify their prey from a distance and then fantastic speed to run them down.
- Scent hounds who use a keen sense of smell to find their quarry and then exhibit great endurance to wear the prey down in a relentless pursuit.
Sight hounds modern day descendent’s are breeds like Afghan Hounds, Salukis and Greyhounds. They were largely bred by the traditional civilizations in the Middle East and pictures of hounds have been found on excavated vases dating back to 8,000 BC.
Coursing is a sport that uses dogs to pursue game such as wolves or jack rabbits and is a hunting practice that was frequently used by the nobility. So sight hounds are sometimes connected with the gentry and their appearance and bearing is typically considered regal and exotic. Coats on sight hounds go from the smooth coats of Greyhounds and Whippets to the thick glamorous manes of Afghan Hounds and Borzoi. However, underneath the coats, all sight hounds have an analogous sleek, long legged conformation that is all about speed.
Scent hounds were developed much later mostly in Medieval Europe. While sight hounds are sleek and speedy,, scent hounds usually have robust robust legs, long heads, pendulous ears and noses with a feeling of smell up to a million times better than human beings. Basset Hounds and Bloodhounds are prime examples of this appearance. In the Middle Ages it was the landed aristocracy that were accountable for the planned evolution of the hound breeds. Some scent hounds were schooled to kill their prey and others were used to keep game cornered while baying to summon the huntsmen. The larger scent hounds, like Irish Wolfhounds and Scottish Deerhounds, hunted wolves, elk and deer while smaller ones like Beagles and Harriers hunted rabbits and fox.
Over time many types of hounds were developed to specialize in hunting specific kinds of game. As a consequence, scent hounds come in numerous different body shapes and sizes. There are lethargic Basset Hounds, vibrant Beagles, wolf-like Norwegian Elkhounds and short legged Dachshunds. The common characteristic among these disparate looking breeds is they are all hunters that use a sharp sense of smell to find their target.
Both sight and scent hounds have been bred for years to act without intervention, so they have minds of their own. They aren't the kind of dogs that respond eagerly to commands without giving it some thought first. Sight hounds will run off after animals or even any motion that they may see, completely ignoring surrounding traffic. Scent hounds will wander away to follow any smell that they find fascinating. For these reasons hounds must be exercised on a leash or in a secure yard. Hounds can generally be strong willed and independent, but with a bit of patience and love, they can be trained and become superb, constant companions.
Bob Long is an engineer and author who has shared his life with many canine companions. he currently lives in Texas with his wife, two children and 5 dogs. He has multiple websites on different topics including the Best Dogs For Apartments and the Behavioral Charateristics of Apartment Dogs.
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