Dogs 101: 10 Hound Breeds

This article provides information about 10 types of hounds. Read on to find out which breed matches your personality, family, and lifestyle.

Hound Breeds

1. American Foxhound/English Foxhound
2. Greyhound
3. Harrier
4. Irish Wolfhound
5. Norwegian Elkhound
6. Otterhound
7. Rhodesian Ridgeback
8. Saluki
9. Scottish Deerhound
10. Whippet

Foxhounds were bred for four different functions, and there are, therefore, four different varieties: trail field hounds, lone fox hunters, drag hounds, and pack hunting dogs. The pack hunter makes the best pet.

The English Foxhound is a little stouter than its American cousin, but its appearance and temperament are almost identical. The pack hunting Foxhound is a large dog, developed to hunt in packs of 15-20 dogs. This essentially social activity has resulted in a very vigorous but submissive dog.

Behavior problems may include roaming, baying when a member of the breed hears other dogs barking, and house soiling. "Kennel dog syndrome" has been the most common complaint with this breed.

The Greyhound is another dog whose function is clearly observable from its build. Greyhounds are built to run fast, to chase after deer and, more recently, to race. Descriptions include: lovable and tractable, high-strung, easily upset by sudden movements, starting readily, stubborn, and trainable only when calm. There is a divided opinion on the temperament of the Greyhound, some sources praising its friendliness and gentleness, other focusing on its potential for being high-stung and nervous.

Because of its willowy build, it is prone to tremble in cold weather. Behavior problems may include: fear biting, phobias and timidity, touch shyness, irritable snapping and house soiling.

The Harrier looks like a smaller version of the English Foxhound and is used for a similar purpose, hunting by scent in a pack. The Harrier's quarry was, appropriately enough, the hare. Descriptions include: easy going, solidly built, handy in size, well constructed and muscular, and both hardy and active, gentle with people, stubborn and bold, too restless for the city.

Behavior problems may include: indoor restlessness, excessive barking, roaming and house soiling.

The Irish Wolfhound is an enormous animal, probably the tallest breed of dog in existence. Standing at 36 inches at the shoulders and reaching up to 7 feet when standing on its hind legs. In the past it was used for hunting wolves in Ireland and for bringing down the six-foot-tall Irish elk. Today, giving the conspicuous scarcity of Irish wolves and elk, the breed is perpetuated primarily as a pet. Descriptions include: quiet mannered and dignified, beneath the fierce looking exterior there beats a gentle heart, it treats most other dogs as insignificant, commands are slowly executed, sluggish.

Behavior problems may include clumsiness, an occasional dominant animal's challenging its owner's authority and other dominance related problems.

The Norwegian Elkhound is a medium-sized, thick-coated, powerfully built dog adapted to the severe Scandinavian winters. Originially used to hunt the huge Scandinavian elk, this breed is strong, compact and extremely hardy. Descriptions include: willingness to hunt day after day and all day long in rugged country, where stamina rather than extreme speed is called for, being able to bounce like a rubber ball when struck by elk hooves, absolutely dependable and trustworthy, may start bullying in a attempt to have its own way, easy going, reliability and quickness to learn, stubborn and bold, intelligence and eagerness for praise, staunchness, dignity and independence. The contradictions stem from the dog's potential for dominance. It may be obedient to dominant owners but disobey submissive ones. Its tendency to hold its quarry at bay makes it a potentially effective guard dog.

Behavior problems may include: excessive barking, roaming, dominance problems and stealing and guarding food.

The Otterhound is an unusual looking hound with its rough, shaggy coat. The coat is waterproof, and this breed can track its quarry by scent through rough, wet terrain, running and swimming tenaciously to the end of the hunt. Descriptions include: sagacity and unfailing devotion, amiable and boisterous, extremely sensitive nose, inquisitive and persevering in the investigating scents, easygoing, occasionally stubborn.

Behavior problems may include: house soiling, roaming, food stealing, clumsiness and tenacious sniffing.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a large dog bred in Africa as a guard, scent hunter and big-game hunter. It is characterized by a ridge of hair growing in the opposite direction of the rest of its coat along the length of its spine. It is a powerful, agile dog that can pull down a wounded buck or worry a cornered lion until the hunter arrive. Descriptions include: strong, muscular and active dog, capable of great endurance and a fair amount of speed, stubborn and bold, disobedient to submissive people.

Behavior problems may include: dominance related problems, challenging family members, aggression and house soiling.

The Saluki, the royal dog of Egypt, is considered by some authorities to be the oldest known breed.

The Scottish Deerhound is a large dog reminiscent of, but smaller and slimmer than, the Irish Wolfhound. Its long legs and Greyhound build, slightly obscured by its shaggy coat, are designed for high speed and endurance. Descriptions include: tremendous courage, gentle dignity, quiet, keen scent, not aggressive, great persistence, not a sparkler, somewhat timid, not very quick to obey, devoted and loyal to its masters.

No potential behavior problems were mentioned in the literature or by breeders.

The Whippet is a small dog that looks like a miniature Greyhound. It is a small sight hound used for racing, coursing rabbits and killing rats. Descriptions include: high strung and timid, not very demonstrative or playful and poorly padded for roughhousing and the cold, should be trained gently, never bullied or harshly punished.

Behavior problems may include: phobias, house soiling, timidity and irritable snapping.