The common feature of all the dogs in this group is that they pursue game, large and small. Within the group hounds are classified into smaller groups of dogs that hunt using different senses.
Most of the dogs in this group are hounds that hunt by scent, once they catch a whiff of what they’re looking for they chase the prey and corner it until the Hunter arrives, using barks and calls to signal to the hunter where they are at. Dogs of this type include Foxhounds, Beagles, and Bassets.
Not all hounds hunt by scent, some are sight hounds. Among the best known of the sight hounds is the Greyhound. Sight hounds rely on their eyes rather than their noses to detect prey before giving chase. Once the prey has been sighted, sight hounds then use their enormous speed and power to overtake and dispatch the quarry. Other typical sight hounds include Salukis, Whippets, and Afghan Hounds.
Some hounds encompass both Sight and Scent hunting. They include the Pharaoh Hound and the Ibizan Hound, characterized by their sleek appearance and large erect ears. Some of these breeds come from very ancient origins. Similar looking animals adorn artifacts found buried in the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs thousands of years ago.
And yet another group of Hounds are classified in the Hound Group and they are the spitz dogs. The group includes breeds such as the Norwegian Elk Hound. These dogs are generally larger and stockier, with erect ears and bushy curled tail. Their thick coats help them to keep warm in very cold weather. These large, tough dogs were breed to give chase to game such as Wolves, Elk and Bears in frozen, wooded terrain and then hold the game at bay, Signaling its whereabouts with loud barks and howls, and distinctive calls. Today they are more commonly used for hunting gamebirds.
In addition to their hunting and tracking skills, many hounds make great guard dogs.
Here’s a short list of a few breeds that can be found in the Hound group:
Afghan Hound, American Foxhound, Basenji, Basset Hound, Beagle, Black and Tan Coonhound, Bloodhound, Borzoi, Dachshunds, Deerhound, Elkhound, English Foxhound, Greyhound, Harrier, Ibizan Hound, Irish Wolfhound, Otterhound, Pharaoh Hound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Salukis, Whippets.
