Hounds are among some of the oldest dog breeds to be found in the world today.
Pharaohs were known to revere dogs that greatly resembled the Greyhound and the Ibizan.
Evidence of this has been found on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs decorated with colored
pictures of dogs bearing very similar appearance.
Dogs in this group are avid hunters. From the days when bows and arrows or spears were used in
the pursuit of game, the dogs in this group offered a variety of skills to assist in the hunt. For example....
Sighthounds with their remarkable vision and great speed, could spot game in the
far distance and chase it down.
Scenthounds with their keen sense of smell could
pick up the trail of game and track it for miles. What these dogs lacked in speed, they made up
for in stamina. Among the "scented" dogs are the Bassett, the Beagle and the Otterhound
which can follow scent trails even through water.
Many of the smaller hound dogs have been
used to hunt the hare, foxes and badgers. They are very capable in forested and mountainous
terrain. Some were developed to track down and kill their prey. While others were expected to
corner their quarry and hold them at bay until the hunter arrived on the scene. You're probably
familiar with the "baying" noise that some of these dogs make.
Quite a few dogs in this
group have also been used for hunting of a more "sporting" nature, but some of these sports have
now gone out of favor, such as fox hunting.
The Hound group of dogs is an interesting and diversified mixture,
exhibiting different levels of energy, a variety of sizes and shapes from small to very large,
and a wide range of coat and color.
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