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Hound

life science Maturity 5-7 Next article →

Hounds are a very special type of hunting dog. They were actually the first hunting dogs ever used. These dogs help people find or chase prey. Some dogs use their eyes to see. Other dogs use their noses to smell. Some hounds use both of these skills. This makes them very useful for many jobs.

Beagle GRUMPY2
Beagle GRUMPY2

There are three main ways these dogs work. The first way is through sighthounds. These are also called gazehounds. They follow prey by using their great speed. They must keep the animal in their sight. These dogs help catch animals like fox, hare, deer, and elk.

The second way is through scenthounds. These dogs follow a scent to find prey. They can also find missing people. Scenthounds have great endurance. This means they can keep going for a long time. However, they are not fast runners.

The third group is a bit different. These breeds use both sight and scent. It is hard to classify them. They are not strictly sighthounds or scenthounds. They use both ways to find what they are looking for.

Many different breeds belong to the hound family. The Beagle is one famous breed. There are also many others like the Afghan Hound. You might know the Greyhound or the Dachshund. Other breeds include the Basenji and the Whippet. There are even many types of Basset hounds.

Hounds are different from gun dogs. Gun dogs help hunters by finding prey. They also help recover what was shot. Hounds focus more on the chase or the track. They use their speed or their smell to lead the way. This makes them a unique part of the dog world.

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File:Beagle GRUMPY2.JPG
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