What about hounds turns people off?
- Thread starter Sweet72947
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I was never a hound kind of gal myself...that is until my husband nearly drove me mad begging for a Beagle. And Beagles were my least favorite breed of dog until Seagle came home. When it comes to hound stubborn and hound independence he is the KING!! The day that he finally indulged me and decided to hand over his paw when I asked for it I called my Husband at work in excitement!! It was a big break through for us, because I had learned how to approach him and teach him the things he needed to learn.
I wanted to comment on the stinky hound thing. I am reading a book now on Beagles and Beagling and it discusses the stinky hound myth and most likely origins- someone already commented on this earlier in the thread but... It explains how many hounds were working dogs only, not pets. The mentality assocaited with beagles was that they were strictly outside dogs either chained or penned. Rarely were their 'areas' cleaned if ever. They lived in their own filth which in turn would make one stinky dog. I don't know if there is anything physiological about a hound that makes it smell, I can only say from the hounds I do know is that I have never smelled it.
I am slowly falling in love with the Beagle breed- stubborn little buggers they are!
I wanted to comment on the stinky hound thing. I am reading a book now on Beagles and Beagling and it discusses the stinky hound myth and most likely origins- someone already commented on this earlier in the thread but... It explains how many hounds were working dogs only, not pets. The mentality assocaited with beagles was that they were strictly outside dogs either chained or penned. Rarely were their 'areas' cleaned if ever. They lived in their own filth which in turn would make one stinky dog. I don't know if there is anything physiological about a hound that makes it smell, I can only say from the hounds I do know is that I have never smelled it.
I am slowly falling in love with the Beagle breed- stubborn little buggers they are!
Oddly, Hound, just about all of this pertains to Filas too 
The thing, for me, that is missing in a hound is the "hardness" which is something that not a great percentage of dog owners want to deal with - or should even try.
I wish more people would consider the hounds as family dogs. They have always, to me, seemed to have a great deal to offer as companions, especially when there are children.
The thing, for me, that is missing in a hound is the "hardness" which is something that not a great percentage of dog owners want to deal with - or should even try. I wish more people would consider the hounds as family dogs. They have always, to me, seemed to have a great deal to offer as companions, especially when there are children.
interesting responses!! I had a beagle when I was a kid--he was the best family dog you could want--but he did roam free, and took off for weeks at a time--but always came home!
As for the original question, I think there are many misconceptions about hounds--many of them already mentioned. I will add that the hound smell is really related to how well a hound is kept (same for any dog)--no hound smell in this house. The constant bark/bay--Baxter is less vocal than my lab. He responds to the command "quiet", and he will come when called--90% of the time. The other 10%--that beagle brain! He is a goofy, loveable, and loyal dog--count me in on the hound lovers.
As for the original question, I think there are many misconceptions about hounds--many of them already mentioned. I will add that the hound smell is really related to how well a hound is kept (same for any dog)--no hound smell in this house. The constant bark/bay--Baxter is less vocal than my lab. He responds to the command "quiet", and he will come when called--90% of the time. The other 10%--that beagle brain! He is a goofy, loveable, and loyal dog--count me in on the hound lovers.
I love hounds. By looks alone, they are probably my favorite group.
My current dog, Spanky is a terrier/hound mix.....two groups that elicit strong opinions, often negative, from dog people!!
I always read these threads about different dogs people don't care for, would never have, etc. I haven't been around a lot of breeds enough to know that I don't like them. I THINK I love every breed. I also think there are alot of breeds that I would not be able to handle; that I'm not dog savvy enough to own. Except for my own shortcomings, I would like to have a terrier, hound, toy, retriever, shepherd, bully, etc., etc., etc.
My current dog, Spanky is a terrier/hound mix.....two groups that elicit strong opinions, often negative, from dog people!!
I always read these threads about different dogs people don't care for, would never have, etc. I haven't been around a lot of breeds enough to know that I don't like them. I THINK I love every breed. I also think there are alot of breeds that I would not be able to handle; that I'm not dog savvy enough to own. Except for my own shortcomings, I would like to have a terrier, hound, toy, retriever, shepherd, bully, etc., etc., etc.
Oh I forgot to mention, Aubrey, my ex's dog that I picked out for him, is possibly a rottie/beagle mix, maybe some heeler thrown in, we'll never know. But she sure has the beagle scent focus! We can let her off-leash at the park but nowhere else, because she will just get on a scent track and go follow it until she gets bored. She is fun to train though, because she has enough Rottie in her to sort of off-set that "nose only" trait.
no myth about stinky hound here, i smell them at dog shows, freshly bathed, smell them at friends houses. bassets, beagles, bloodhounds, foxhounds, been there smelled that. doxies do not smell thank goodness and im sure that not all scenthounds smell, at least not all the time and maybe i am super sensitive having dogs that have no dog odor but i smell it on nearly every scenthound i ever met. not repeating a rumor here just my smelly experience maybe i am not only sensitive to noisy dogs but also dog odors. i do really love sighthounds and might have one some day not nearly as many of those in rescue as scenthounds for many different reasons. to each his own that is what makes having so many breeds to choose from great, and necessary as we all like and want different things.
sheepjoke
sheepjoke
Belle (our Bluetick coonhound) was at the shelter for over 6 months when we finally took her home. I can't imagine why she was there so long.... she is the absolute sweetest girl in the whole world... you really could do anything to her and she wouldn't growl, bark, or even move away.... she just LOVES the attention no matter what kind of attention it is. A trait that will come in VERY handy as Hannah starts moving around.
But while she is very very VERY sweet.... she is also very very very.... intelligently challenged.... lol or maybe she's just stubborn.... but seeing her in everyday life I think it's more than just stubborness lol. We have had her for almost a year and STILL we have not successfully housetrained her fully. She understands that when she has to go she goes to the door and whines.... we take her outside.... once she is outside she "forgets" what she was supposed to be doing lol. We could stay out there for hours and she won't go if there is even the slightest distraction (even if the distraction is only in her mind lol). As soon as we bring her back inside she "remembers" that she has to go. She has gotten pretty good for not messing in the house during the day for the most part.... but nighttime is hopeless. it's a losing battle lol. She seems to know she is supposed to come and wake us.... of course she doesn't seem to understand that she is supposed to wake us BEFORE she goes... not after. she's goofy..... but she is still a wonderful dog. Can't train her to do anything but God we love her anyway.
But while she is very very VERY sweet.... she is also very very very.... intelligently challenged.... lol or maybe she's just stubborn.... but seeing her in everyday life I think it's more than just stubborness lol. We have had her for almost a year and STILL we have not successfully housetrained her fully. She understands that when she has to go she goes to the door and whines.... we take her outside.... once she is outside she "forgets" what she was supposed to be doing lol. We could stay out there for hours and she won't go if there is even the slightest distraction (even if the distraction is only in her mind lol). As soon as we bring her back inside she "remembers" that she has to go. She has gotten pretty good for not messing in the house during the day for the most part.... but nighttime is hopeless. it's a losing battle lol. She seems to know she is supposed to come and wake us.... of course she doesn't seem to understand that she is supposed to wake us BEFORE she goes... not after. she's goofy..... but she is still a wonderful dog. Can't train her to do anything
but God we love her anyway.
I will get some pics of him this weekend to tempt you more! We actually have a bluetick coonhound right now. His name is Cato and he's a very sweet (if untrained) puppy boy. He's very tolerant too. There was a family with an OES and a four year old boy looking at him, and they were in the exercise area, and the boy hit him with a tennis ball! Cato didn't even care. He kinda startled a little, and then ran around like a loon.
But I ramble...lol
I love the sighthounds, but the scent hounds just never have appealed much to me one way or another. I dunno why. Most breeds i've had are very 'into' their owners and are basically hanging on my every word and movement. I've just always had herders and hounds are very very different.
I'm hoping to get a sighthound eventually, but I'm sure it's going to take a lot of adjusting to get used to.
I'm hoping to get a sighthound eventually, but I'm sure it's going to take a lot of adjusting to get used to.
I went to the rescue yesterday and lo and behold we have three new hounds! A beautiful black and tan coonhound, an english coonhound, and a beagle. Any takers?
:hail:
I agree completely... Dodger (Foxhound) has been an amazing teacher. He forces me to be a better trainer because he doesn't blindly follow "commands" (I hate that word LOL). Dodger makes me earn the right to call myself the trainer. And because I have earned it, he's a biddable little foxhound ;-)
I think people are turned off of the large scenthounds because they are "rarely" kept as pets (lack of popularity means that most people know nothing about them and what they do now is often a stereotype). I also think that their independent and prey driven nature are big factors (which is unfortunate since that varies from hound to hound). And most people want a dog that is into them (your own little fan club LOL). For the record, outside of a hunting environment most hounds are like that... But in hunting mode... Well I think the lack of control a person feels over a hound is the true problem.
Intelligence doesn't = trainability. And devotion doesn't = love. And neither = biddability. Hounds are incredibly intelligent and loving - they just don't show it how we expect/want them to... ;-)
I would absolutely love to own a scenthound, the only thing holding me back would be the unreliability off-leash. If there was a fenced dog-park or I had a fenced yard I'd have so many scenthounds it wouldn't be funny! I love when I get calls from people wanting me to watch their scenthounds, they're definitally my favorite group of dogs.
I don't want to hijack this thread, but I do have a question for all you scenthound owners. From what I understand young scenthounds need a lot of exercise, how much leash walking or hiking on a 60 ft. lunge line would an adolescent scenthound need per day? And I'm talking large hounds (coonhounds/foxhounds), not bassets or beagles. TIA
I don't want to hijack this thread, but I do have a question for all you scenthound owners. From what I understand young scenthounds need a lot of exercise, how much leash walking or hiking on a 60 ft. lunge line would an adolescent scenthound need per day? And I'm talking large hounds (coonhounds/foxhounds), not bassets or beagles. TIA
While hounds are active as pups (at least Zeus was), I don't think they're anywhere near as bad as some of the herding breeds. It was quite manageable with a decent amount of exercise.
I think the biggest problem with hound pups is that awful--yet somehow adorable--gallumphing phase. Before they grow into themselves, they become a clumsy set of blundering legs and flailing tail that tends to wreak havok on furniture, breakables and any humans in range. Poor Zeus repeatedly whacked his head into walls, tripped on his own feet and blundered into me when he misjudged his stopping distance.
I think the biggest problem with hound pups is that awful--yet somehow adorable--gallumphing phase. Before they grow into themselves, they become a clumsy set of blundering legs and flailing tail that tends to wreak havok on furniture, breakables and any humans in range. Poor Zeus repeatedly whacked his head into walls, tripped on his own feet and blundered into me when he misjudged his stopping distance.