Is a Hound the Best Pet for You?
Are you looking for a new dog for your family — or just trying to learn more about your hound? Hound dogs can make great pets, but there are some considerations to keep in mind, too. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of having a hound dog for a pet and cover some common health problems you can expect to find in hounds.
What Is A Hound?
What type of dog qualifies as a hound and what were hounds originally bred to do? Hounds were bred to hunt, which is something you probably already know if you own one (my beagle likes to “bury” her bone in the couch cushions and then dig it out). The American Kennel Club points out, however, that hunting is about the only thing hounds have in common — this group is so diverse that it’s hard to narrow in on any further similarities besides hunting.
Hounds come in many different shapes and sizes, both large and small. So if you’re afraid a hound might not be right for your family, don’t count them out just yet, because there are lots of different options within the hound family. The following dog breeds are all hounds:
This is just an abbreviated list — there are many other types of hounds that can make great pets, too.
Why Are Hounds Good Pets?
Many types of hounds are good family dogs and excellent around kids. They’re also fairly low-maintenance as far as grooming and other care.
Because of their strong nose, hounds can be helpful dogs to have around on a ranch or a farm, and they’re also very intelligent.
Of course, hounds aren’t perfect. They can be very loud, so they might not be the best dog for an apartment or a condo. They’re stubborn and easily distracted (make sure there aren’t any holes in your fence). And some hounds, like basset hounds, are prone to developing health problems that could get costly (pet insurance can help!). But overall, hounds are great dogs to have — and remember, there are so many different types of hounds that it will be easy to find the perfect one for you.
Common Health Problems in Hounds
Like any dog group, hounds are prone to several specific health problems. These include:
You can prevent your hound from developing health problems by regularly taking it to the vet .
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Is a hound breed right for you?
Should you expect a sociable, low-maintenance dog that picks up training on the fly or the opposite? Here are a few things to keep in mind when deciding whether a hound dog is the companion for you.
Sighthounds need far less dog exercise than people think but they do need free-running exercise. This can be problematic for many owners as they will often ignore everything with the thrill or the chase or the joy of running, and so recall can be a serious issue. Owner will need a large, enclosed, safe area for this – so a large garden or access to a fenced field or other enclosed area.
Sighthounds are the short-distance, high-speed sprinters of the canine world, which is why this dog loves to take off suddenly. They hunt by sight and are spurred to chase fast-moving objects. Surprisingly, they do not need a huge amount of exercise; it is the type of exercise, rather than the duration, that is important.
Greyhounds, for example, are sometimes known as the ‘60kph couch potato’ as their short, intense bursts of running are broken up by hours of content snoozing! Two 20-minute walks a day can be enough for these dogs, provided they can run free in a safe, flat area with no nearby roads to pose danger.
Despite their hunting tendencies, your sighthound should be a pleasure to exercise and can easily be trained to walk to heel. Make sure to keep a good hold of their lead though, as a surprise cat encounter, passing cyclist or jogger can trigger their chase instincts without warning. Your sighthound might run flat-out, their enthusiasm making them deaf to your calls, until the chase comes to a natural end. Your sighthound probably isn’t being mischievous, just doing what they’ve been bred for – so teaching a good recall is essential to prevent unexpected adventures!
Scent hounds are more about long pursuits of scent – and so prefer long walks with lots of opportunity to use their noses. They are equally single-minded though and have similar problems with recall however. Scent Hound breeds love the great outdoors and generally have a lot of stamina, having been bred to follow long scent trails. Unlike Sighthounds, which are short-distance, high-speed sprinters, Scent hounds can best be compared to marathon runners – they’re happy to trot or run along steadily for hours at a time, so lovely long walks are a must for these breeds.
Good luck with this one! Hound dog breeds view training as a dark art so owners will need to be patient, consistent and find a way to motivate and reward a dog whose greatest joy is sniffs or chases. Spending time with a hound as a puppy teaching a Watch Me, will pay off when they are older.
However, just because dog training is a challenge, it doesn’t mean owners shouldn’t try. Some hound dogs do take to training well and some have even competed in agility – and working with scent hounds on nose-work is a joy for both dog and owner where both can succeed and have a lot of fun.
A hound dog will often appear more aloof and independent than other breeds – and usually less demonstrative. This doesn’t mean they bond to their owners any less, just that they show their love from a comfortable distance! As always however this varies within the breeds and individuals.
Sociability with other dogs also varies with the breed. Some are pack hounds who love living, working and being with other dogs while others are loners. Not likely to be safe with cats (especially unknown cats) and small furries. For more information on socialising your puppy, check out our in-depth article.
Most hound dog breeds are fairly low maintenance when it comes to grooming with some needing little more than a wipe over with a cloth. You can find out more about puppy grooming from our easy guide.
Usually quiet – although some of the pack hounds do bay.
Most hound breeds are happier sprawled out on front of a fire or on a sofa than lying on their owners – but there are, as always exceptions and some are more than happy to use their owner as a pillow. In most cases, they are not the kind of dogs that will get involved with children’s games or family activities, preferring to watch from an amused distance.
‘Hide and seek’ is one of many great games for scent hound breeds that you can join in with yourself! It also helps develop their recall training, especially as their recall response can quickly deteriorate when on walks that are full of interesting smells that you hadn’t planned for!
Playing with your dog in less stimulating places and rewarding them for finding you during ‘hide and seek’ games can help them stay more focused on you. The better your dog’s recall training, the more you can let them off the lead to follow scents without the risk that they might disappear, oblivious to your calls. Your dog doesn’t meant to misbehave, but sometimes natural instincts, and the temptation to follow them, become too much to ignore!
There are other games that your Scent Hound can play that use their infamous tracking skills. Following a scent trail – or Scent Hound ‘Tracking’ – is a sport in its own right in some countries, including the US. In the UK, Tracking is one of the activities tested in Working Trials – a canine sport that is the pet owner’s equivalent of police dog work. During the Trials, dogs are judged on their agility, obedience, scent detection and following abilities. If you are interested, breed clubs should be able to point you in the direction of your nearest training class.
Scent hound breeds also enjoy a game of ‘fetch’, which is a good way of helping reinforce the recall command. Throw a toy into long grass and, when your dog finds it, call them to you before greeting them with lots of praise and a treat.
If you want to try running with your dog, given their need for long periods of exercise, Scent Hounds may make good jogging companions. They will trot beside you on a lead for miles at a time. However, always make sure they are given opportunities to rest and drink when needed – after all, it’s not so easy for them to just tell you!
Chase games and scenting games can increase the bond between a hound dog and their owner – and indeed very few scenthounds are given an outlet to use their incredible noses. Check out our top tips for playing with your dog.
Finding safe, suitable places for fast dogs to exercise away from your own garden can be difficult. Some breed organisations hire Greyhound race tracks for fun racing days, and watching Afghans or any sighthounds sprinting around a track at full speed is quite an unforgettable sight! Find a safe, dog-friendly beach or nearby field to exercise, play ‘fetch’ and practise recall training – all great forms of sighthound exercise, too. Why not buy a ball-thrower to increase your throwing distance and give your dog more of a chance to reach top speed?
Sighthounds can also be quite cat-like in their play, stalking, chasing and pouncing on their toys. Attach a toy to the end of a length of rope and then encourage your dog to chase it – you could even attach the rope to the end of a solid pole, such as a broom handle, to make a more robust canine version of a cat’s fishing-rod toy.
You could be the perfect owner for a hound breed if:
The bond between you and your hound can be strengthened in many ways. Exercise – especially a chance to use their incredible nose on long country walks (scent hounds) or opportunities to run safely in a secure location (sighthounds) is the first of these.
Then after suitable exercise, your hound will love sleeping at your feet, in front of the fire or on the sofa beside you. Most will also enjoy stroking and gentle, relaxing grooming sessions.
Like most hounds, who were originally bred to hunt in packs, your Scent Hound will usually be sociable with other friendly dogs and particularly enjoy canine company. If you have two or more Scent Hounds in your home, they are likely to play with each other and be less reliant on you to provide entertainment. The downside is that there will be more noise when theyre playing together, as scent hound breeds like to bay, and one dog barking or howling can soon set off the other! Training will also be more time-consuming, so it is important to train each of your canine friends individually in order to establish a strong bond with them.
The bond between you and your Scent Hound can be strengthened in a number of ways: play, training and exercise are all great for your dogs emotional and physical health, but theyll also love just spending time together. If your dogs been adequately exercised – mentally and physically – a Scent Hound will enjoy simply snoozing at your feet in the evening while you read or watch TV.
Your dog will also enjoy being stroked and brushed all over. Daily grooming will also ensure that any debris picked up from forays through the undergrowth is removed, and that any coat and skin-related health issues can be noticed and treated early on. As well as that, the act of stroking and gentle brushing will be relaxing and strengthen the bond between you.
Sighthounds can appear less openly affectionate than other breeds, but they usually form close, loving bonds with their family. They might not be as overtly affectionate as a tail-wagging, present-carrying Labrador, but that doesnt mean the attachment is any less; a Whippets temperament may seem not as enthusiastic next to a Retrievers, for example but thats because they have a sighthounds unique personality! Your dog will enjoy physical contact with you and may prompt you to stroke them by leaning against you, or enjoy sleeping with their head on your feet or lap (which keeps you warm, too)!
Your sighthound can form close bonds with other dogs, although toy dogs might trigger their hunting instincts if they act too much like fast-moving toys. As some of the fastest dogs, dont be surprised if your sighthound becomes overenthusiastic and wants to give chase! Cats and even house rabbits can all live happily in homes with sighthounds, but it very much depends on whether they have been raised together and how carefully they are introduced and supervised. If you want a sighthound puppy and have cats, make sure your pup has grown up with cats in a breeders home to give you the best chance of a successful introduction. Even then, a good deal of careful training and vigilance are required once the pup arrives home. Be very careful if considering taking on a rescue sighthound if you already have cats or small dogs, and perhaps seek the advice of a behaviourist on referral from your vet to help you introduce them.
Most scent hounds love their food and will often eat their meals very quickly if given a chance! They may also scavenge and steal food (which theyll be able to sniff out using their talented noses) so keep heavy or lockable lids on your kitchen and outside waste bins.
As your scent hound loves it when you feed them, rather than give them just two meals a day, why not split their allowance up and make it more fun? Make mealtimes longer-lasting and more interesting by devising different ways of providing their nutrition. Scatter up to 50% of their measured daily dry food around the garden on dry days, or hide it in different places inside the house. Outside, and out of sight from your dog, lay scent trails to the hidden food to encourage him to be a real Scent Hound and work for his dinner!
Reserve up to 5% for use as rewards when training, especially if youre training your scent hound to come, as its particularly important to motivate a Scent Hound. The remaining amount should be fed in two meals every day (morning and evening) so that your dog will always see you as a provider of food.
If youre following the guidelines on the back of the dog food packet, your Scent Hound will be getting all the nutrition they need no matter how you split it up – so dont worry if, after all the food-seeking games, the amount you put in their bowl looks small!
Your sighthound probably isnt food-motivated unless they are hungry from a lot of exercise; in fact, some sighthound can be quite picky about what they eat. However, as they are motivated by fast-moving toys that they can chase and catch, you can make mealtimes more interesting by putting half of their daily dry food allocation in throwable or rollable toys that dispense food. Use another 10% as rewards when training, especially when teaching your sighthound recall. The remaining amount can be split into two meals and presented in a bowl; its helpful for your dog to remember that you are a provider of food.
If your dog has wet food, use other more convenient treats as rewards in training, but be careful to include them when calculating their daily requirements. As long as you are following daily feeding guidelines (which youll find on their dog food packaging) overall each day and monitoring your dogs weight to keep them in ideal body condition, dont worry if the resulting amount you put in his bowl looks small, and certainly dont add more! Provided your dog has their daily food allocation and you are providing a complete diet, they will have all the nutrients and energy they need to stay on top form!
Do hound dogs shed?
Plenty of hound dogs shed, and if there are allergies in your family itâs important for you to do some digging into the type of hound dog youâre thinking of welcoming into your home. Hereâs a tip: Afghan Hounds donât shed as much as the average dog â but that doesnât mean theyâre hypoallergenic. In fact, no dog is truly hypoallergenic. But, they have long, silky hair coats that require regular grooming.