5 Breeds Of Hounds To Know
Within the category of hunting dogs we can find the breeds of hounds, whose sense of smell is more developed than that of the others. Also called “follow dogs”, these extraordinary animals can vary in size and are now often used as rescue dogs.
If you want to know everything there is to know about the main breeds of hounds , don’t miss this article.
Breeds of hounds with an infallible sense of smell
As the name suggests, hounds or following dogs have as their main ‘activity’, that of sniffing. While this happens with every breed, since dogs use their noses to find food, identify people and other animals, or spot dangers, dogs belonging to these breeds have very unique characteristics of their own. For example, even a very elongated muzzle:
1. Beagle
When we think of a hound, it is common to imagine a Beagle. This medium-small breed is used to hunt hares and rabbits thanks to its great olfactory capacity and to chase prey with extraordinary effectiveness.
Although the Beagle – visible in the photo that opens this article – has been around for thousands of years, it has been bred and developed in England as a companion dog in the fields since the 16th century. It is related to the Elizabethan era, since the famous queen was a true fan of the breed.
2. Basset hound
It is another of the most famous dog breeds. Also known as the giant dachshund, it has short legs, long ears, an elongated body and a highly developed sense of smell. It was created in France at the end of the 19th century from the cross between a Dog of Saint Hubert (which we will talk about later) and an English dog. It quickly became one of the favorite breeds among European nobles.
The basset hound is very calm and friendly, but also a bit stubborn. They are a loyal, affectionate and playful breed, especially when there are children. He loves spending hours sleeping and eating and can be a little lazy when it comes to exercise. Usually, they tend to become overweight if they are not walking enough.
3. Dog of Saint Hubert
His name in English is bloodhound and he is one of the largest dogs to follow and with the most developed sense of smell. There are known cases where he was able to track for as long as 15 days. It is one of those chosen to find people from different police forces internationally.
The Dog of St. Hubert – named after having been created in a Belgian monastery – is the result of the crossing of several hunting breeds and became popular when it was brought to England by King William. Among the main characteristics of the animal we can highlight its wide and full of wrinkles test , elongated ears, short hair (brown or black), with robust body and legs.
4. English Foxhound
Much like the beagle, it is a bit taller. The English foxhound is descended from the Dog of Saint Hubert just described and its main function is to accompany hunters mounted on horseback. It is characterized by its endurance: it can travel miles and miles without ever getting tired.
It is not usual for a dog of this breed to be adopted as a pet. The English Foxhound prefers to live in company with many like and loves the outdoors. Among its physical characteristics we can highlight its short coat and in three colors (white, black and brown). It has drooping ears like all hounds and can weigh up to about 40 kilos.
5. Basset Blu from Gascogne
The last of the examples of the breeds of hounds that we present in this article is of French origin and is very rarely seen outside this country. It is one of six internationally recognized types of basset hounds.
The Gascony Blue Basset has short legs, an elongated body, long tail, and medium sized ears that drop to either side. He was called ‘blue’ because his coat has a very pronounced appearance. A very similar breed is the Petit Bleu de Gascogne, which is taller than the basset and its legs are more elongated.
