Hound Dogs

Posted by Jeanne on December 22, 2008

Elvis Presley may have made hound dogs popular with his 1956 remake of the song, “Hound Dog,” but ancient literature is replete with reference to Hounds. Zenophon the Greek discoursed at length on the care of hounds. This blog post highlights the breeds included officially in the Hound Show Group. There are many more hound breeds throughout the world but space does not permit mention of them.

A general grouping falls in three classifications — trailing hounds, coursing hounds, and miscellaneous.

Dachshund has Hunting Desire

Trail Hounds, as the name indicates, are keen to follow a trail or ground scent in the field. I can group the short-legged, long-backed breeds here: basset hound (a French breed), the dachshund, (really French in origin just as the poodle is German in origin). Do not be misled by the clowning dachs — he has a keen nose and usually delights to follow a game trail in the woods.

Beagle has Baritone Bark

The foxhound group is a familiar one. There are both American and English foxhounds. President Washington was a devout fancier of the foxhound and the chase. The harrier is a medium-sized foxhound. The beagle, belonging to the same general family, is the smallest, and perhaps with his baritone bay, the most melodious of all breeds.

Bloodhound: A Gentle Breed

The black-and-tan coonhound is the only one of a half dozen distinct coonhound varieties recognized for show and stud book (although there are minor stud books that embrace all coonhounds). The bloodhound is among the oldest of purebreeds, not at all bloody or vicious as his name implies; and his bloodlines have been used to modify or create other breeds. There is bloodhound blood somewhere along the line in coonhounds and bassets.

Use Sight in Preference to Nose

Coursing Hounds, having swiftness of action, pursue or course their game by sight rather than by the slower method of following the aura of scent. This does not mean they do not have scenting ability. The general greyhound family, perhaps the oldest of distinct canine families, includes the greyhound proper, the medium sized greyhound or whippet, and the toy size, the Italian greyhound.

Many Members of Greyhound Family

But the family is large and includes long-coated breeds. Among these are the afghan, the saluki or gazelle hound, perhaps the most graceful-moving of all breeds. The borzoi or Russian wolfhound. Scottish deerhound: and its large cousin the Irish Wolfhound, tallest and longest of all breeds.

The Miscellaneous Group brings together an interesting assembly of breeds. The basenji or barkless (but not noiseless) dog from the African Congo. Norwegian elkhound, an all-purpose dog in its native Norway and really not too much at home in the hound group. The otterhound, a rough and-ready water dog, ancestor of the airedale.

Ridgeback is from Africa

And the latest addition to the so-called royal canine family—the Rhodesian ridgeback, a medium to large-sized, short-coated, tan-colored hunting dog from Rhodesia, getting its name from this African area and from a ribbon of hair about one and a half inches wide, which runs along and on the backbone from base of shoulders to the rump but in the opposite direction to the ‘lay’ of hair, that is, it points toward the head.

Belgian Sheepdog Dog Breed

Posted by Jeanne on November 25, 2008

Belgian Sheepdogs should reflect the qualities of intelligence, courage, alertness, and devotion to their masters. They are intended as guardians of flocks and property and are sometimes trained for police work.

• Size – The height of the Belgian sheepdog should be at least  23-1/2 inches for dogs and about 22-1/2 inches for bitches, measured at the shoulder. The length, measured from breastbone to tip of hindquarters, should equal the height. Their weight should be at least 53 pounds.
• Position – He should stand squarely on all fours, the legs perfectly straight, viewed from all sides.
• Qualities – The Belgian sheepdog should reflect the qualities of intelligence, courage, alertness, and devotion to his master. His native environment has fortified him with marvelous powers of endurance, enabling him to resist the inclemency of the seasons and the vicissitudes of the weather, so characteristic of the Belgian climate. To his inbred aptitude as a guardian of flocks he adds the valuable qualities of the best guardian of property. In emergencies he is, without any hesitation, the stubborn and spirited defender of his master. He is watchful, attentive and always in motion; he is seemingly tireless. He shows a marked tendency to move in a circle rather than in a straight line.
• Skull – Flattened rather than rounded; not so wide to appear clumsy nor narrow as a whippet’s.
• Head and Muzzle – The head should be in proportion to the body; long, with a moderately pointed muzzle (not shorter than the skull), avoiding any tendency to snipiness. Jaws strong and powerful. Lips tight.
• Eyes – Brown, preferably dark brown, of medium size, not set too obliquely and not protruding; the gaze questioning and denoting intelligence.
• Ears – Triangular in shape, stiff, erect, well placed and not too long. Dogs whose ears are not erect are not to be considered.
• Neck – Round and rather outstretched.
• Top Line – Back, loins, and hips horizontal, large and powerful, of medium length.
• Tail – Strong at the base, of medium length, differing somewhat according to the variety. At rest, the dog holds it low, the tip bent straight back level with the hock. When in action, he raises it and gives it a curl, which is strongest toward the tip, without forming a hook.
• Defects – Carrying the tail too high, turning it to the right or to the left instead of carrying it in line with the center of the body. A dog without a tail or with a stump, whether naturally or by docking, cannot take a prize at any show.
• Breast – Narrow rather than broad.
• Chest – Not broad, but deep and well let down, as in all animals with rapid gait.
• Abdomen – Of moderate development, not flagging and not like a greyhound.
• Shoulder – Long and oblique, forming a sharp angle with the upper arm.
• Arm – Governed exactly by the length of the body.
• Forearm – Long, strong and moderately heavy from elbow to pastern.
• Hindquarters and Thighs – Strong and well muscled.
• Legs – Long and strong.