Scent hound

Hounds are hunting dogs that hunt either by following the scent of a game animal (scent hounds) or by following the animal by sight (sighthounds). There are many breeds in the scent hound type, and scent hounds may do other work as well, so exactly which breeds should be called scent hound can be controversial. Kennel clubs assign breeds of dogs to groups, which are loosely based on breed types. Each kennel club determines which breeds it will place in a given group.

Scent hounds 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, which helps them scent better. Their typically loose, moist lips are said to assist in trapping scent particles.

Because scent hounds tend to walk or run with their noses to the ground, many scent hound breeds have been developed such that the dog will hold their tail upright when on a scent. In addition, some breeds (e.g., beagle) have been bred to have white hair on the tips of their tails. These traits allow the dog's master to identify it at a distance or in longer grass.

Scent hounds do not need to be as fast as sighthounds, because they do not need to keep prey in sight, but they need endurance so 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 scent hounds are used for hunting in packs of multiple dogs. Longer-legged hounds run more quickly and usually require that the hunters follow on horseback; shorter-legged hounds allow 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.^[3]

Most scent hounds have a range of vocalizations, which can vary depending upon the situation the dog finds itself in. Their baying voice—most often used when excited and useful in informing their master that they are following a scent trail—is deep and booming and can be distinct from their barking voice, which itself can have variations in tone, from excited to nervous or fearful.

As they are bred to "give voice" when excited, scent hounds may bark much more frequently than other dog breeds. 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.

The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) places scent hounds into their classification "Group 6". This includes a subdivision, "Section 2, Leash Hounds", some examples of which are the Bavarian Mountain Hound (Bayrischer Gebirgsschweisshund, no. 217), the Hanover Hound (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". Dachshunds are assigned to their own "Group 4" reflecting their versatility to both hunt both above and below ground.

The Scenthound Group of the United Kennel Club (US) is divided 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 category also includes curs, American dogs bred for hunting a variety of game, such as squirrels, raccoons, opossums, bobcats, cougars, American black bears, and feral pigs. The second category is referred to as Trailing Scenthounds, and includes dogs used for tracking of humans, reputedly descended from the St. Hubert Hounds.^[4]

Genetic studies indicate that the scent hounds, including dachshunds, are more closely related to each other than they are with other branches on the dog family tree.^[5] Their nearest relatives are pointers, setters, spaniels & retrievers, including the Dalmatian, who shares the scenthound's endurance, and the Newfoundland, a giant retriever, but excluding the poodle & water dogs.

Scenthound hunting styles are diverse in order to target varied species of game, the demands of climate, terrain and vegetation, the goals of the hunter, rules and regulations restricting who can hunt what, where and how, and designation (typically unjustified) of certain wildlife as being pests or dangers that ought be exterminated.

Scenthounds developed to work with serious hunters & gamekeepers usually work singly:

Leash hounds, including FCI leash hounds and bloodhounds and versatile breeds such as French bassets when working leash hound style work singly, follow the tracks (footprints, broken vegetation, blood) and trails (shed skin, hair, etc. that may settle considerably downwind from the actual track) of specific quarry such as wounded deer and missing persons. The leash helps in a number of ways, such as controlling speed and ensuring a discreet approach that will not startle the deer and cause it to bolt.

Walking (aka Running) hounds such as Swiss and Swedish scenthounds hunt singly off-leash. They will first cast (search for) a track or trail, then follow it, and once close switch to air scenting (the specialty of sporting dogs) especially if the quarry is in an area of pooled scent such as above a warren. The hound may catch and retrieve, or pass the game to the opposite side as the hunter (the specialty of herding dogs) and flush it back to a hunter waiting with gun or net.

Coonhounds hunt singly or race in groups of 4. As the trail of a raccoon winds in circles, climbs up one tree trunks across branches and down another trunk, and zigzags back and forth across water, ending not too far from where it began, the hunter does not follow at a walk or run but stays behind until the trailing bay switches to a bark marking a successful tree, and then navigates to the dog(s) in the dark.

Boar hounds work in small groups as a single hound cannot manage a boar at the end of the trail. The Sabueso Español first finds the boar’s resting place singly as a leash hound, and after the location is surrounded by hunters, a brace or trio are released to flush it out. Other boar-hunting hounds such as the Transylvanian and Artois find the boar as a brace, trio or small pack of no more than 6-8 hounds, surround it and hold it at bay while the hunter catches up, gets into position and takes aim. Curs, if classified as scenthounds rather than as GSD-like herding dogs, similarly require a trio or so to hold a treed cougar, a wild boar or a feral cow.

Dachshunds work singly or in small groups of 3-5. Their specialty is flushing animals from their dens to the surface, with dachshunds up to ~23 cm (9”) height or 46 cm (18”) chest circumference fitting in badger holes, and dachshunds of up to ~15 cm (6”) height or 30 cm (12”) chest circumference fitting in rabbit holes. Single dachshunds can track a deer or work a small den, while small groups can hold a boar or better cover an extensive burrow network with multiple entrances.

Pack hounds were developed to work with recreational hunters and exterminators, as their efforts yield a poor ratio of game meat to hungry dog:

Large pack hounds of ~66 cm (26”) height were developed to pursue the fastest game, such as wolves and deer. The faster the hound, the easier it is to check (lose the scent trail) by overshooting a turn or veering slightly off course, and stopping, reversing, re-casting and re-determining which way is forwards would waste valuable time that would allow the quarry to move farther ahead. Pack hounds pick the line back up on the run, trained to follow on-line hounds or to respond to directions given by the hunter, who can tell by sight and sound which hounds have the trail. Traditional pack sizes suggest it may take as many as 2-5 dozen hounds to reliably hold the line at top speed. The hunter(s) follows necessarily on horseback, and may lead a brace of wolfhounds or deerhounds for the final sprint at the end of the trail, after spending much less energy following than the scenthounds who are sniffing while running. Fox hunting was developed as an alternative in response to the decline in population of the large game, and while the sighthounds might be replaced by a trio of running fox terriers or bench-legged terriers carried in saddlebags, the hounds hunt much the same, in large packs followed on horseback.

Otterhounds are tall but heavily built, and although they are capable for galloping for hours, much of their work is slower due to the difficulty of following scent in water and swimming and wading. Though occasionally depicted in large groups for spectacle or competition, they hunted primarily in medium-small packs of 8-14 accompanied by a hunter armed with a spear and brace of Sealyham or tall terriers, occasionally accompanied by a boat to carry the terriers to the opposite shore or a horseman to follow hounds pursuing an otter who tried to make a break for it across land.

Medium pack hounds of ~53 cm (21”) height lack the leg length to overtake large prey, and hunt primarily hare, sometimes fox or boar. Those from open areas, such as Harriers, are still fast enough that they are often followed on horseback and need the numbers of a medium-sized pack. Pack hounds developed to hunt in forested or mountainous areas, such as Balkan hounds, have the agility to navigate difficult terrain but are necessarily followed on foot, and slowed enough by the difficulty of the hunt that a small pack of 2-5 couples can hold a line. Some medium breeds are versatile and willing to be singled out to work as walking hounds and/or on-leash trackers, while others are never employed without a pack.

Small pack hounds of ~35 cm (14”) height all have short legs due to genetic chondrodystrophy (CDDY) and/or chondrodysplasia (CDPA). The short legs carry the nose, brain and lungs of a larger dog low and close to the concentration of scent at a pace slow enough that a single basset or 2-4 beagles (CDDY short but also IGF1 dwarfed with smaller heads and bodies than bassets) can readily hold a line. However, the breeds were developed in order to increase accessibility of the social hunt event beyond the means of athletic hunters and riders, and thus retain pack instinct and desire from their taller ancestors and historical function entertaining social gatherings.

The scent hound type includes the following breeds: