Today we’re going over the dogs in the Hound Group! These dogs were originally put in the Sporting Group, but in 1930, the American Kennel Club created a new group for these dogs. Today, more than 30 dogs are part of the Hound Group.¹

These dogs are all very unique, but the one thing they all have in common is that they were bred for hunting. Some would use their nose to help find quarry, while others would chase after them. Each of these dogs has a special skill that would help hunters take down their target.²

Some of the dogs you might recognize in this group are:

• American Foxhound

• Basset Hound

• Beagle

• Bloodhound

• Dachshund

• Greyhound

The stories behind these dogs are really cool. This is what the AKC has to say about some of them:

The American Foxhound helped when it came to hunting foxes. They were a favorite of George Washington and actually became the state dog of Virginia!

Bloodhounds are the best in the world at finding people that are lost or hiding. Their incredible sense of smell helps them with this and they are a favorite choice to help police departments.

Irish Wolfhounds were bred to take down wolves in Ireland in the 15th century. These guys were actually so good at their job that wolves almost went extinct.

Dachshunds were used to take down badgers. They would dig into their dens before killing them.

Did you learn something new about hounds? Share with us what you learned by replying to this email or tagging us on social media!

All the best,
Chris & the WERC Team

Sources & Further Reading:

1. https://www.purina.com/about-purina/dog-shows/westminster-dog-show/articles/hound-group

2. https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/hound/page/2/

3. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/hound-group-dogs/