A hound is a
type of
hunting dog
A hunting dog is a canine that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different types of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and g ...
used by hunters to
track or chase prey.
Description
Hounds can be contrasted with
gun dog
Gun dogs, or bird dogs, are types of hunting dogs developed to assist hunters in finding and retrieving game, usually quail, dove, or duck. Gun dogs are divided into three primary types: retrievers, flushing dogs, and pointing breeds.
Types ...
s that assist hunters by identifying prey and/or recovering shot quarry. The hound
breeds were the first
hunting dog
A hunting dog is a canine that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different types of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and g ...
s. They have either a powerful sense of smell, great speed, or both.
There are three types of hound, with several
breeds type:
*
Sighthounds (also called ''gazehounds'') follow prey predominantly by speed, keeping it in sight. These dogs are fast and assist hunters in catching
game:
fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
,
hare,
deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...
, and
elk
The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...
.
*
Scenthound
Franz Rudolf Frisching in the uniform of an officer of the Bernese Huntsmen Corps with his Berner Laufhund, painted by Jean Preudhomme in 1785
Scent hounds (or scenthounds) are a Dog type, type of hound that primarily hunts by scent rather than ...
s follow prey or others (like missing people) by tracking its scent. These dogs have endurance, but are not fast runners.
* The remaining breeds of hound follow their prey using both sight and scent. They are difficult to classify, as they are neither strictly sighthounds nor strictly scenthounds.
List of hound breeds
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Afghan Hound
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Africanis
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Alpine Dachsbracke
The Alpine Dachsbracke (german: Alpenländische Dachsbracke) is a small breed of dog of the scent hound type originating in Austria. The Alpine Dachsbracke was bred to track wounded deer as well as boar, hare, and fox. It is highly efficient a ...
*
American Foxhound
*
American Leopard Hound
The American Leopard Hound is an American breed of hunting dog. It is recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) as a scenthound and is in the American Kennel Club's Foundation Stock Service. Characteristics
The American Leopard Hound is 21 to ...
*
Andalusian Hound
The is an ancient Spanish breed of warren hound used to hunt small game in Andalusia, Spain. It is one of four podenco breeds recognized by the Real Sociedad Canina de España. It is an agile dog generally used to hunt ducks, rabbits, boar and ...
*
Artois Hound
The Artois Hound is a rare breed of dog, and a descendant of the Bloodhound. A scent hound 22–23 inches high at the withers, weighing anything between 55 and 65 pounds, it is a well constructed dog with a slow graceful gait. It has a large ...
*
Austrian Black and Tan Hound
The Austrian Black and Tan Hound is a breed of dog originating in Austria.
History
There is no known history of the Austrian Black and Tan Hound until after the middle of the 19th century. This large sized hound was used for tracking woun ...
*
Azawakh
The Azawakh is a breed of dog from West Africa. With ancient origins, it is raised throughout the Sahelian zone of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. This region includes the Azawagh Valley for which the breed is named. While commonly assoc ...
*
Basenji
The Basenji ( /bəˈsɛndʒi/) is a breed of hunting dog. It was bred from stock that originated in central Africa. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale places the breed in the Spitz and primitive types. The Basenji produces an unusual y ...
*
Basset Artesien Normand
Bassets are a sub- type of scenthound deliberately bred with short legs, that are used for hunting where the hunters accompany the hunting hounds on foot.
History
Bassets were originally developed in France from where they spread throughout Euro ...
*
Basset Bleu de Gascogne
The Basset Bleu de Gascogne (), also known as the Blue Gascony Basset, is a long-backed, short legged breed of dog of the hound type. A French native breed, it is rare outside its homeland. It is recognized internationally by the Fédération Cy ...
*
Basset Fauve de Bretagne
The Basset Fauve de Bretagne is a short-legged hunting breed of dog of the scent hound type, originally from Brittany, a historical duchy of France.
Description
Appearance
The Basset Fauve de Bretagne is a smallish hound, built along the same li ...
*
Basset Hound
The Basset Hound is a short-legged breed of dog in the hound family. The Basset is a scent hound that was originally bred for the purpose of hunting hare. Their sense of smell and ability to ''ground-scent'' is second only to the Bloodhound.Har ...
*
Bavarian Mountain Hound
The Bavarian Mountain Hound (German: ''Bayerischer Gebirgsschweißhund'') is a breed of dog from Germany. As a scent hound, it has been used in Germany since the early 20th century to trail wounded game. It is a cross between the Bavarian Hound ...
*
Beagle
The beagle is a breed of small scent hound, similar in appearance to the much larger foxhound. The beagle was developed primarily for hunting hare, known as beagling. Possessing a great sense of smell and superior tracking instincts, th ...
*
Beagle-Harrier
*
Billy
*
Black and Tan Coonhound
The Black and Tan Coonhound is a breed of hunting dog. Developed in the United States from crosses between the Bloodhound and the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound, this scent hound runs its game entirely by scent and is used primarily for racc ...
*
Blackmouth Cur
The Black Mouth Cur, also known as the Southern Cur, Southern Black Mouth Cur and the Yellow Black Mouth Cur, is a medium to large sized breed of cur-type dog from the United States. Originating in the south of the country, the breed is a popular ...
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Bloodhound
The bloodhound is a large scent hound, originally bred for hunting deer, wild boar and, since the Middle Ages, for tracking people. Believed to be descended from hounds once kept at the Abbey of Saint-Hubert, Belgium, in French it is called, ...
*
Bluetick Coonhound
The Bluetick Coonhound is a breed of coonhound originating in the United States. The Bluetick Coonhound is known for its friendly personality, cold nose, and deep bawl mouth. It is most commonly used as a raccoon hunting dog, but may also be kep ...
*
Borzoi
The Borzoi or Russian Hunting Sighthound is a Russian breed of hunting dog of sighthound type. It was formerly used for wolf hunting, and until 1936 was known as the Russian Wolfhound.
Etymology
The system by which Russians over the ages n ...
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Bosnian Broken-haired Hound
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Briquet Griffon Vendéen
A Briquet Griffon Vendéen is a breed of hunting dog originating in France. Prior to the first World War it was bred down in size by the Comte d’Elva from the Grand Griffon Vendéen. The Briquet Griffon Vendéen was almost extinct after ...
*
Chippiparai
*
Cirneco dell'Etna
The Cirneco dell'Etna is an Italian breed of hunting dog from the Mediterranean island of Sicily. It is named for the Etna volcano in eastern Sicily. It has a keen sense of smell, and is used to hunt small game, particularly rabbits. As with ...
*
Combai
*
Coonhound
A coonhound, colloquially a coon dog, is a type of scenthound, a member of the hound group. They are an American type of hunting dog developed for the hunting of raccoons, hence their name, and also for feral pigs, bobcats, cougars, and bears. ...
*
Cretan Hound
The Kritikos Lagonikos (Cretan Hound) (Greek:Kρητικός Λαγωνικός) is a breed of dog from the island of Crete, in Greece.Pashley, R''Travels in Crete'' p. 33, vol. 1, J. Murray, 1837. The Cretan Hound is recognized both in Greece ...
*
Dachshund
*
Drever
The Drever is a breed of dog, a short-legged scenthound from Sweden used for hunting deer and other game. The Drever is descended from the Westphalian Dachsbracke, a type of German hound called ''Bracke''. The breed name Drever was chosen thro ...
*
Dumfriesshire Black and Tan Foxhound
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Estonian Hound
*
English Coonhound
The English Coonhound, also referred to as the American English Coonhound (by the American Kennel Club only) or the Redtick Coonhound, is a breed of coonhound that originated in and is typically bred in the Southern United States. It is descended ...
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English Foxhound
The English Foxhound is one of the four foxhound breeds of dog. It is a cousin of the American Foxhound. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt foxes by scent.
Description
Appearance
The breed standards' guidelines for showing English Foxh ...
*
Feist
*
Finnish Hound
The Finnish Hound (suomenajokoira, Finnish Bracke) is a breed of dog originally bred for hunting hare and fox.
Description
Appearance
The nob of the Finnish Hound is short, dense and coarse to the touch. The coat pattern is tricolor with ta ...
*
Galgo Español
The Galgo Español ('Spanish galgo') or Spanish Greyhound is an ancient breed of dog, specifically a member of the sighthound family.
The English greyhound is possibly a descendant of the Spanish greyhound and, for several years in the 20th ce ...
*
Gascon Saintongeois
The Gascon Saintongeois is a breed of dog of the scenthound type, recognised in two varieties, ''Grand'' (large) and ''Petit'' (smaller than the Grand, but ''not'' a small dog). Originating in France, the breed is used for hunting in packs a ...
*
German Hound
*
Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen
The Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen or GBGV is a dog breed from France.
History
The Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen is derived from the Grand Griffon. The first selections were made at the end of the 19th century by the Comte d'Elva who was loo ...
*
Grand Bleu de Gascogne
The Grand Bleu de Gascogne is a breed of hounds of the scenthound type, originating in France and used for hunting in packs. Today's breed is the descendant of a very old type of large hunting dog, and is an important breed in the ancestry of ...
*
Grand Fauve de Bretagne
The Grand Fauve de Bretagne was a breed of scenthound from Brittany used to hunt wolves and wild boar. The Grand Fauve de Bretagne were large rough-coated hounds, their coats were short, dense and harsh, and they were a uniform pale golden-brown ...
*
Grand Griffon Vendéen
A Grand Griffon Vendéen is a breed of hunting dog originating in France. It was the first of the Vendée griffons to be bred from the Greffier whose lineage dates back to the 16th Century. There are also several other breeds of Griffons fr ...
*
Greek Harehound
*
Greyhound
The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Since the rise in large-scale adoption of retired racing Greyhounds, the breed has seen a resurgenc ...
*
Griffon Bleu de Gascogne
The Griffon Bleu de Gascogne is a breed of dog of the scenthound type, originating in France, and is a versatile hunting dog, used on small and large game, in packs or individually. The Griffon Bleu de Gascogne has a speckled, rough coat.
App ...
*
Griffon Fauve de Bretagne
The Griffon Fauve de Bretagne (''English: Fawn Brittany Griffon'') is a breed of dog of the scenthound type, originating in France in the region of Brittany.
Appearance
The Griffon Fauve de Bretagne is a medium-sized dog, 48 to 56 cm (1 ...
*
Hamiltonstövare
*
Hanover Hound
The Hanover Hound is a breed of dog sometimes referred to as a Hanoverian Hound. It is a hunting and tracking dog descended from bloodhounds of medieval times. It was first introduced into France in the 1980s and is still a very rare breed. ...
*
Harrier
*
Hortaya borzaya
The Chortai, sometimes spelt Chortaj, is a breed of sighthound from Ukraine.
The Chortai is said to resemble a cross between a Greyhound and a short haired Borzoi, being a quite heavily built running hound but nevertheless displaying typical sight ...
*
Ibizan Hound
The Ibizan Hound ( es, podenco ibicenco, ca, ca eivissenc) is a lean, agile dog of the hound family. There are two hair types of the breed: smooth and wire. The more commonly seen type is the smooth. Some consider there to be a third type, l ...
*
Indian pariah dog
The Indian pariah dog, also known as the Indian native dog or INDog, South Asian pye dog and Desi Kutta, is a landrace of dog native to the Indian subcontinent. They have erect ears, a wedge-shaped head, and a curved tail. It is easily trainabl ...
*
Italian Greyhound
The Italian Greyhound ( it, Piccolo levriero Italiano, italic=no) is an Italian breed of small sighthound. It may also be called the Italian Sighthound.
History
Small dogs of sighthound type have long been popular with nobility and royalty. ...
*
Irish Wolfhound
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Istrian Coarse-haired Hound
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Istrian Shorthaired Hound
*
Kai Ken
The is a breed of dog from Japan, where it is a national monument. It is a rare dog even in its native land and is one of the six native Japanese dog breeds protected by the Nihon Ken Hozonkai.
Appearance
The Kai Ken is a medium-sized d ...
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Kanni
The Kanni (கன்னி), meaning pure (also known as the Maiden's Beastmaster), is a rare indigenous South Indian sighthound breed of dog found in the state of Tamil Nadu. Their native breeding tract is located around villages in the Ti ...
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Kishu Ken
The , sometimes called ''Kishu Inu'' or ''Kishu dog'', is a Japanese breed of dog. It is descended from ancient medium-sized breeds and named after the Kishu region, now Mie Prefecture and Wakayama Prefecture. It was designated a living natio ...
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Lakeland Trailhound
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Lithuanian Hound
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Longdog
A long dog (also long-dog or longdog) is any dog of sighthound type, whether pure-bred or not. It is usually a cross-breed between two sighthounds of different breeds, one of which is usually a Greyhound It is distinct from the lurcher, which ...
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Lurcher
A lurcher is a cross-bred dog resulting from mating a Greyhound or other sighthound with a dog of another type, commonly a herding dog or a terrier. The lurcher was for hundreds of years strongly associated with poaching; in modern times it ...
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Magyar agár
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Mountain Cur
The Mountain Cur is a type of working dog that is bred specifically for treeing and trailing small game, like squirrel and raccoons. They are also used for hunting and baying big game like bear and wild boar as well as being an all-purpose f ...
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Mudhol Hound
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Otterhound
The Otterhound is a British dog breed. It is a scent hound and is currently recognised by the Kennel Club as a Vulnerable Native Breed with around 600 animals worldwide.
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Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen
The Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen (), or PBGV, is a breed of dog of the scent hound type, bred to trail hares in bramble-filled terrain of the Vendée district of France. The breed is known in the United States as "Petit" or "PBGV," in Eng ...
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Petit Bleu de Gascogne
The Petit Bleu de Gascogne is a breed of dog of the scenthound type, originating in France and used for hunting in packs. Today's breed is the descendant of a large hunting dog. The Petit Bleu de Gascogne is not a small (petite) dog, the name ...
*
Pharaoh Hound
The Pharaoh Hound or is a Maltese breed of hunting dog. It is traditionally used for rabbit-hunting in the rocky terrain of the islands; the Maltese name means "rabbit dog".
It is classified by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in it ...
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Plott Hound
The Plott Hound is a large scent hound, originally bred for hunting bears. In 1989, the North Carolina General Assembly designated the Plott Hound as the official State Dog. The Plott Hound was first registered with the United Kennel Club in 194 ...
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Podenco Canario
Podenco Canario (In English: ''Canary Island Podenco'', ''Canary Island Hound'', or ''Canarian Warren Hound'') is a breed of dog from the Canary Islands. The Podenco Canario is still used today, primarily in packs, most often for the sport hun ...
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Polish Greyhound
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Polish Hound
The Polish Hound, commonly known as Ogar Polski, is a breed of hunting dog indigenous to Poland. The Polish Hound has a keen sense of smell. This heightened sense combined with the endurance needed to hunt in harsh environments led to its use in ...
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Portuguese Podengo
The Portuguese Podengo, also known as the Podengo Português or Portuguese Warren Hound, is a hound (sight and scent) dog breed, breed from Portugal. As a breed, the Podengo is divided into three size categories that are not interbred: small (Peque ...
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Posavac Hound
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Rajapalayam
Rajapalayam () is a City in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the largest municipality in the Virudhunagar district. Rajapalayam is located in the Madurai to Quilon National Highway at a distance of 562 km south to the state capita ...
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Rampur Greyhound
The Rampur Greyhound is a breed of sighthound native to the Rampur region of Northern India, which lies between Delhi and Bareilly. It is believed the Rampur Greyhound descends from early Afghan Hounds, with their present-day appearance due to e ...
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Rastreador Brasileiro
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Redbone Coonhound
The Redbone Coonhound is an American breed of hunting dog. As a type of coonhound, it may be used to hunt raccoon, deer, bear, boar, cougar, or other large game. It originated in the Southern United States, and derives from foxhounds brought by ...
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Rhodesian Ridgeback
The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a large dog breed bred in the Southern Africa region. Its forebears can be traced to the semi-domesticated ridged hunting and guardian dogs of the Khoikhoi. These were interbred with European dogs by the early colonist ...
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Sabueso Español
The Sabueso Español or Spanish Hound is a scenthound breed with its origin in the far north of Iberian Peninsula. This breed has been used in this mountainous region since hundreds of years ago for all kind of game: wild boar, hare, brown bear, ...
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Saluki
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Schillerstövare
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Segugio dell'Appennino
The Segugio dell'Appennino or Piccolo Lepraiolo Italiano is a breed of small Italian scenthound, bred specifically to hunt hare. It may be either smooth-haired or wire-haired. It received full recognition from the Ente Nazionale della Cinofi ...
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Segugio Italiano a pelo forte
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Segugio Italiano a pelo raso
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Segugio Maremmano
The Segugio Maremmano is an Italian breed of scent hound from the coastal plains of the Maremma, in Tuscany. It is mainly used for hunting wild boar, but may also be used to hunt hare and other mammals. They may be either smooth-haired or rough ...
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Serbian Hound
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Serbian Tricolour Hound
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Schweizer Laufhund
The Schweizer Laufhund is a breed of scenthound, originally from Switzerland.
History
left, Bernese Huntsmen Corps with his Schweizer Laufhund, painted by Jean Preudhomme in 1785
In the 15th century, this breed was sought after by Italian dog ...
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Schweizerischer Niederlaufhund
The Schweizerischer Niederlaufhund (Small Swiss Hound), is a breed of dog of the scenthound type from Switzerland. ''Niederlaufhund'' means short-legged hound. The breed has a number of different varieties (all of the same breed).
Description ...
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Scottish Deerhound
The Scottish Deerhound, or simply the Deerhound, is a large breed of sighthound, once bred to hunt the red deer by coursing. In outward appearance, the Scottish Deerhound is similar to the Greyhound, but larger and more heavily boned with a rough-c ...
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Shikoku
is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...
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Silken Windhound
The Silken Windhound is an American breed of sighthound. Like most sighthounds, Silkens are noted coursers.
Traits
Appearance
Silken Windhounds are graceful, small- to medium-sized Sighthounds with silky coats of middling length. Silken co ...
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Sloughi
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Smalandstövare
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Styrian Coarse-haired Hound
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Taigan
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Treeing Walker Coonhound
The Treeing Walker Coonhound is a breed of hound descended from the English and American Foxhounds. The breed originated in the United States when a stolen dog known as "Tennessee Lead" was crossed into the Walker Hound in the 19th century. ...
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Trigg Hound
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Transylvanian Hound
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Tyrolean Hound
The Tyrolean Hound is a breed of dog that originated in Tyrol also called the Tiroler Bracke or Tyroler Bracke. They are scent hounds that descended from the Celtic hounds in the late 1800s, mainly for their hunting skills. They are hardworking ...
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Welsh Foxhound
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Westphalian Dachsbracke
The Westphalian Dachsbracke is a small, short-legged scenthound, a breed of dog originating in Westphalia, a region of Germany. The Westphalian Dachsbracke was used in Sweden to develop the Drever.
Appearance
The Westphalian Dachsbracke (''We ...
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Whippet
The Whippet is a dog breed of medium size. It is a sighthound breed that originated in England, descended from the Greyhound. Whippets today still strongly resemble a smaller Greyhound. Part of the hound group, Whippets have relatively few ...
See also
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Dog type
Dog types are broad categories of domestic dogs based on form, function, or style of work, lineage, or appearance. Some may be locally adapted dog types (or '' landraces'') that may have the visual characteristics of a modern purebred dog. In ...
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Hunting dog
A hunting dog is a canine that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different types of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and g ...
*
Scent hound
Franz Rudolf Frisching in the uniform of an officer of the Bernese Huntsmen Corps with his Berner Laufhund, painted by Jean Preudhomme in 1785
Scent hounds (or scenthounds) are a Dog type, type of hound that primarily hunts by scent rather than ...
*
Sighthound
References
External links
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Dog types
Hunting dogs
Hunting with hounds
Dog shows and showing