The Evolution of Scent Hounds: From Wild Wolves to Modern Breeds

Hello reader! Thanks for visiting www.kanimall.com, we are running a series of providing information about all dog registered or unregistered, to best of our knowledge. In this attempt we have explained the origin of early wolf-like canid, the evolution of dog human relationship, formation of east and west European subspecies of early decedents of wolf like canid domesticated by humans, introduction of Asiatic line, development of different groups for classification of dog breeds based upon particular skill set and the evolution of sight hound dog breeds. Under present head line, we will try to explain the origin, evolution and development of different scenthounds using easy to understand the language in an interesting and lucrative way to facilitate our readers understand the origin of dog breeds classified as scent hounds.

Definition of dog breeds classified as the scent hound

Well, easiest identification is in the name itself. Classically a scent hound is a dog that primarily uses its sense of smell to hunt a prey. Dog breeds classified as scent hound follow the smell of the game animal to close in the game within a comfortable range to make the kill. The dog breeds classified as scent hound are having some of the best noses with strongest sense of smell in entire canine world.

First thought we get when were hear the words scent hound is of a dog with large nostrils and large hanging ears as like a Blood hound, isn’t it?

This is because blood hounds have become an icon for scent hounds but there are several breeds that are recognized for their extraordinary sense of smell. They come in a wide range of shape and sizes. You can get an idea of this very easily considering that beagle is also a scent hound.

In numerous cases trailing and flushing dog breeds are also classified as scent hounds. There is even a very unusual category of leash scent hounds and the related dog breeds to hounds.

But whatever it is the world of dog is beautiful and hounds whether sight hound dog breeds or scent hound dog breeds holds a special place in the entire dog world. So let us start our journey with the dog breeds classified as scent hounds.

Speaking of the classical definition there are a lot of controversies and difference of opinions from clubs to clubs and person to person who claim to be the experts of the topic in their own discrete view and understanding.

We will try to answer this issue but please remember this is just a personal view and all the theory and explanation does not intend to contradict with any other person of the school of thought. Dog breeds classified as scent hound are appropriate to do other works like guarding and companionship. It is really up to the decision of the concerned kennel club that which dog breed is to be registered as a scent hound.

List of some dog breeds registered as scent hound

1. American fox hound.
2. Anglo-French hounds.
3. Austrian black and tan hound.
4. Basset bleu de Gascogne.
5. Basset fauve de Bretagne.
6. Basset hound.
7. Bavarian mountain dog.
8. Beagle
9. Bloodhound.
10. Black and tan Coonhound.
11. Dachshund
12. English fox hound.
13. Estonian hound.
14. Finish hound.
15. Foxhound
16. Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen.
17. Grand bleu de Gascogne.
18. Harrier
19. Hungarian hound.
20. Otterhound
21. Petit basset Griffon Vendeen.

These are just a handful of dog breeds classified as scent hounds. As we will progress in our work I will try to provide you information of every breed that I will come across.

Endurance over speed for dog breeds classified as scent hound

Source: wikimedia.org

As explained earlier the keen sense of smell is the highlight of dog breeds classified as scent hounds. By the heightened sense of smell, the emphasis is on the detection of prey rather than outright killing by overwhelming the game animal by sheer speed and agility. Most of the times, it translates into long chases at slow speeds; over difficult terrains. Because of this endurance over speed and agility is more desirable quality. This is the basic reason why most of the dog breeds classified as scent hounds possess large noses, stocky power packed body with strong limbs and are full of densely packed muscles, like a cross fit athlete.

Controversies over dog breeds classified as scent hounds

There are several registries of different kennel clubs that have enlisted and recognized many dog breeds as scent hounds. But there are also many breeds that are native to a particular place and are not known outside the country or place of their origin. Native breeds are often go unrecognized to the outer world which makes it difficult for all of the kennel clubs to satisfactorily document all dog breeds recognized as scent hounds all over the world.

Some of the examples are kangal dog, kombi etc.

Top registries for dog breeds listed as scent hounds

Federation of Cynologique Internationale is the most authoritative kennel club in the world and they have placed dog breeds recognized as scent hounds into the ‘Group 6’ of their classification. There is a subdivision in this group also titled as the ‘section 2’ which places hefty and comparatively slow-moving scent hounds in it. This sun section is known as the ‘Leash Hounds’ and places dog breeds like ‘Bavarian Mountain Scenthound’, ‘Hanoverian Scenthound’ under this title. There is one more subsection of the ‘Group 6’ that places Dalmation and Rhodesian Ridgeback as the related dog breeds of the scent hounds group 6.

There are some categories and breeds in other kennel clubs that are not recognized by the Federation of Cynologique Internationale. One prominent example of such kennel club is united kennel club.

I will provide information on different kennel clubs and registries sometime later in this series.

Talking about United Kennel Club; United Kennel Club has divided its group for dog breeds classified as scent hound into two different categories.

The first subcategory is known as the ‘Tree Hounds’. In this category, the united kennel club has enlisted dog breeds that are otherwise known as the ‘Coonhounds’. Under this category, we can find American breeds and also their ancestor European breeds.

The second subcategory is known as the ‘Trailing Scent Hound’. In this category, United Kennel Club has enlisted dog breeds that are used for tracking purposes. This job of tracking is just not limited to the tracking of a game animal but it also to perform duties like search and rescue, fugitive tracking and capture and explosive detection.

You may Also Like:- King Kamfa Flowerhorn available for sale in Jaipur

Curled Gill Goldfish: Goldfish breeds Part 12

From our next post, we will start to publish information about different dog breeds classified as the hound dog breeds.

Here I would like to conclude this post but the work has not been completed yet. There are several topics remaining like the scent hounds, crossbreds hound dog breeds, controversies regarding hound dog breeds and many other interesting topics as we start breed introduction and move ahead in the series of dog breeds by Kaivalaya’s Ani-Mall.

So, it’s a goodbye for now.If you like our work at; Kaivalaya’s Ani-Mall please like and subscribe our blog.We are also open to any suggestion from our readers to improve our works.Thank you so much for visiting Kaivalaya’s Ani-Mall.