What a huge name for a little dog! You may have seen this hound in prestigious dog shows, nicknamed the PBGV. In the show ring, he often appears as a pampered “dog of the week,” yet this little hound is much more functional than he appears!… Read more…
The Otterhound is a rare and seldom-seen dog of unknown breed origins. He was developed in England to rid the streams of fish-depleting otters, plunging into icy water to follow an otter into its den and hold it there until the hunter brought in a terrier to kill the otter. It is well-documented that in 1212, King John kept a pack of Otterhounds… Read more…
Since the ancient times of the Vikings, the Norwegian Elkhound was a constant companion with hunters, mariners and families. The national breed of Norway, this hound ha existed in Scandinavia for more than 5,000 years. Tapestries display him along with the Norse gods; portraits of mighty hunters depict both their swords and their Elkhounds… Read more…
By 1500 BC, large dogs became known in Ireland, brought to the land of the ancient Celts by seafaring Greeks. The first mention of the huge dog that would become the Irish Wolfound was found in Roman documents in A.D. 391. The biggest dog breed in the world has changed little since antiquity…
Irish Wolfhound Photo Read more…
Although this is an ancient breed, the Ibizan Hound is rarely seen in America outside the show ring. He resembles depictions of the Egyptian jackal god, Anubis. He was most likely taken to the Balearic island of Ibiza by Phoenician traders where he was fully developed as a hunting hound…
Two Ibizan Hounds Race
“Harrier,” in old Norman-speak, means “hunting dog.” He is one of the oldest scenthounds still existing today, dating back to 13th-century England. In appearance, he resembles a Beagle or American Foxhound, but is a distinctly different breed… Read more…
From ancient times, hunting dogs were developed to be sighthounds – dogs that found their prey by sight rather than smell and could run down their target with astonishing speed. Greyhound-like dogs have existed since antiquity in Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire…
Two Greyhounds Pose For The Camera
This breed is distinctly different from his cousin, the English Foxhound. He has a long history in America, brought here in 1650. Fox hunting gained such popularity that George Washington kept a kennel of American Foxhounds… Read more…
At first glance, you might mistake an English Foxhound for his American cousin. Since the 1600’s foxhunting was a favorite pastime among British aristocricy. It was the job of the Master of the Hounds to carefully breed their bloodlines for purity and performance…
English Foxhounds Waiting For Command
South of the Mason-Dixon line, there is no sound more recognizable or more enthralling than the loud, low, deep bay of a Black and Tan Coonhound who has treed a raccoon! This is a true American breed, developed from the Bloodhound and Virginia Foxhound… Read more…