Dog breeds of the AKC: Hound Group
The American Kennel Club (AKC) currently (2019) recognises 193 breeds of dog, which have been bred for different purposes. All dog breeds have been consigned to one of seven groups, according to factors such as size, shape, function and temperament. The seven dog groups recognised by the American Kennel Club are; Toy, Herding, Sporting, Non-sporting, Working, Terrier and Hound.
Hound Breeds
Hound breeds were selectively bred to be used for hunting, using either by scent or by sight. While today few hounds are used for hunting purposes, the instinct still remains strong in all the hound breeds. Sighthounds tend to be large breeds as in the past they were expected to chase down large game such as deer, elk, moose, and wild boar. Scenthounds were generally smaller breeds which were used to chase prey to ground. Some of the medium-sized hound breeds would utilise both sight and scent to hunt game such as rabbits and foxes. Dog breeds in the Hound Group are:
- Afghan Hound
- American English Coonhound
- American Foxhound
- Azawak
- Basenji
- Basset Hound
- Beagle
- Black and Tan Coonhound
- Bloodhound
- Bluetick Coonhound
- Borzoi
- Cirneco Dell’ Etna
- Dachshund
- English Foxhound
- Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen
- Greyhound
- Harrier
- Ibizan Hound
- Irish Wolfhound
- Norwegian Elkhound
- Otterhound
- Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
- Pharaoh Hound
- Plott
- Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
- Redbone Coonhound
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Saluki
- Scottish Deerhound
- Sloughi
- Treeing Walker Coonhound
- Whippet
