Scent hound

Scent hounds (Scenthounds) are a type of hound that primarily hunts by scent rather than sight. The "Scenthound" breeds are generally regarded as having some of the most sensitive noses among canines.

"Scenthounds" specialize in following a smell or scent. Most of these breeds have long, drooping ears. One theory says that this trait helps to collect scent from the air and keep it near the dog's face and nose. They also have large nasal cavities, the better to process scent. Their typically loose, moist lips are said to assist in trapping scent particles.

Most of these breeds have deep, booming voices and use them actively when running, and especially when following a scent trail. Although this can be a nuisance in settled areas, it is a valuable trait that allows the dog's handler to follow the dog or pack of dogs during a hunt even when they are out of sight, such as when following a fox or raccoon through woodland.

"Scenthound"s do not need to be as fast as sighthounds because they do not need to keep prey in sight, but they need endurance so that they can stick with a scent and follow it for long distances over rough terrain. The best scent hounds can follow a scent trail even across running water and even when it is several days old.

Most "scenthounds" are used for hunting in packs, sometimes with multiple dogs in a single pack. Longer-legged hounds run more quickly and usually required that the hunters follow on horseback; shorter-legged hounds allowed hunters to follow on foot. Hunting with some breeds, such as German bracke, American Foxhounds, or coonhounds, involves allowing the pack of dogs to run freely while the hunters wait in a fixed spot until the dogs' baying announces that the game has been "treed". The hunters then go to the spot on foot, following the sound of the dogs' baying. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tv/columns/story?columnist=sutton_keith&page=g_col_Sutton_case-for-coon-hunting Coon hunting on ESPN] ]

The Fédération Cynologique Internationale places scenthounds into Group 6, and includes a Section 2 for "Leash Hounds". These are a category of scenthound, including the Bavarian Mountain Scenthound (Bayrischer Gebirgsschweisshund, no. 217), the Hanoverian Scenthound (Hannover'scher Schweisshund, no. 213), and the Alpine Dachsbracke (Alpenländische Dachsbracke, no. 254). In addition, the Dalmatian and the Rhodesian Ridgeback are placed in Group 6 as "Related breeds" (related to scenthounds, although the Rhodesian Ridgeback hunts more by sight.)

The United Kennel Club divides its Scenthound Group into two categories. The first includes the American hunting dogs known as coonhounds and the European hounds from which they were developed. These are referred to as "Tree Hounds". The second category is referred to as "Trailing Scenthounds", and includes dogs used for tracking of both game and humans, reputedly descended from a type of bloodhound kept by monks in Belgium. [ [http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/WebPages/LrnBreedInfo United Kennel Club (US) breed information] ] The "Scent hound" type includes the following breeds:

*Alpine Dachsbracke
*American Foxhound
*Anglo-Français de Petite Vénerie
*Ariegeois
*Artois Hound
*Austrian black and tan hound
*Basset Bleu de Gascogne
*Basset Fauve de Bretagne
*Basset Hound
*Bavarian Mountain hound
*Beagle
*Beagle-Harrier
*Berner Laufhund
*Blackmouth Cur
*Bloodhound
*Brachet
*Coonhound
**Black and Tan Coonhound
**Redbone Coonhound
**Redtick Coonhound
**Bluetick Coonhound
**English Coonhound
**Treeing Walker Coonhound
**Plott Hound
*Dachshund
*Drever
*Dunker
*English Foxhound
*Finnish Hound
*Foxhound
*Francais Blanc et Noir
*Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen (GBVB)
*Grand Bleu de Gascogne
*Hamiltonstovare
*Hanover Hound
*Harrier
*Hungarian hound
*Kerry Beagle
*Kritikos Ichnilatis (Cretan Hound)
*Norwegian Elkhound
*Norwegian Lundehund
*Otterhound
*Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
*Polish Hound (pl."Ogar Polski" )
*Polish Scenthound (pl."Gonczy Polski" )
*Porcelaine
*Rhodesian Ridgeback
*Segugio Italiano
*Serbian Hound
*Serbian Tricolour Hound
*Schweizer Laufhund
*Westphalian Dachsbracke

ee also

*Dog type
*Explosive detection
*Fox hunting
*Hunting dog
*Scenthound Group
*Sighthound
*Tracking (dog)
*Search and rescue horse
*Truffle hog

References