Dog Breeds in the Hound Group

There are two kinds of hounds: scent hounds and sighthounds. Scent hounds hunt with their noses, sighthounds with their eyes. Both are some of the oldest kinds of dogs used by man to help him hunt.

How Hounds Work

Hounds tend to work independently. They move ahead of the hunter to track down and corner the prey. Many have a "baying" bark or song, while others have a sharp bark. These sounds let the hunter know where they are once they've found the prey.

Temperament of Hounds

Hounds are sweet and loving with people, but sometimes their "ears turn off when their noses turn on," as a popular scent hound-owner saying goes. Tracking an intriguing smell is what the scent hounds love to do most, even if you're in a hurry to do something else. The sighthounds are agile and fast, so be sure to keep them on a lead when you're not in a safely enclosed area with them. Overall, hounds are good-natured and want to please you.