Scent Hounds for Finding
The first breed that was created for specialized hunting by the nobility was the Saint Hubert Hound which was developed by the French monks of the Abbey of Saint Hubert in the Ardennes around 1100 AD, named after its patron who was a celebrated huntsman. This was the first breed to be described with the following distinctive appearance:
“ This large dog easily reached over 2 feet at the shoulder; it was at the same time powerful and fast, with an excellent nose and eager to hunt all animals. Its dark coat, its fine dense hair, its wide pendulous ears, its head marked with furrows and folds of skin all gave it a distnctive appearance” [2].
These Scent Hounds were greatly prized by huntsmen of the nobility who wished to hunt stag and wild boar for hours, the most obvious direct descendant of the Saint Hubert Hound being the Bloodhound. These scent hounds usually hunted on a leash. Later, because of his amazing finding or scenting abilities, the Saint Hubert Hound had a great impact on the selective development of many other breeds.
Small Scent Hounds
These include:
- A generic type of scent hound called a 'Harrier' mentioned in the First English Stud Book. It is interesting to note the modern pure breed Harrier is primarly used to hunt hare.
- Those breeds with shorter legs were later developed so people could also hunt with them more easily by foot, without the need for a horse. These include the 'Basset' family their name derived from the french word 'Basse' or 'Bas' meaning low.
- Those breeds which followed their prey beneath the ground and were called 'Terriers' from the Latin word 'Terra' meaning earth.
The Scent Hound according to Dr. Cauis (first written in1536 AD)
In 1536, Dr. Johannes Cauis called the type of dog with a keen sense of smell Harriers in his classification that was written in Latin and translated into English by A Fleming in 1576 [1]. The original translation of this important work is in my opinion too difficult to read to be printed in its original form. So it appears here as my interpretation in modern English:
| Interpretation by Jane Harvey | Source Material |
The Harrier
That kind of dog has a keen sense of smell. It draws into his nostrils the scent of the beast to be pursued and followed on foot. This dog does so with courage and lust. We may know this kind of dogs by their long, large, and bagging lips; by their hanging ears, reaching down both sides of their cheeks; and by the indifferent and measurable proportion of their making. This sort of dogs, we call Harriers. These consist of a number of different hunting dogs, some of which have names applicable only to certain types of prey. But so they can all be brought under the same heading, here is a list of some of the prey on which this type of dog can be used:
We do not hunt the rabbit but rather to take it with the net or ferret, but there are several types of harrier that are excellent in their natural ability to do so. Amongst these, there are some which hunt the fox and the hare. However, they do not hunt as successfully as would have had they been built specifically for this work not only in external features, but also with the instinct, for they swerve and miss more often than they should. |
Derived from pages 9 and 10 of A. Fleming's 1576 Latin-English Translation[1]
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References and Further Reading
[1] Dr Johannes Caius 'De Canibus Britannicus (of Englishe Dogges, the Diversities, the Names, the Natures, and the Properties)' pub. 1536 (in Latin). Trans. Abraham Fleming (1576).
[2] Fernand Mery 'The Life, History and Magic of the Dog' Pub. 1970 Madison Square Press English Translation New York Chapter 3 Page 47