Scenthound
Scent hounds are hounds that primarily hunt by scent rather than sight. They are generally regarded as having some of the most sensitive noses among canines.
These dogs specialize in following a smell or scent. Most of these breeds have long, drooping ears. One theory says that this trait helps to collect scent from the air and keep it near the dog's face and nose. They also have large nasal cavities, the better to process scent. Their typically loose, moist lips are said to assist in trapping scent particles.
Most of these breeds have deep, booming voices and use them actively when running, and especially when following a scent trail. Although this can be a nuisance in settled areas, it is a valuable trait that allows the dog's handler to follow the dog or pack of dogs during a hunt even when they are out of sight, such as when following a fox through woodland.
Scent hounds do not need to be as fast as sighthounds because they do not need to keep prey in sight, but they need endurance so that they can stick with a scent and follow it for long distances over rough terrain. The best scent hounds can follow a scent trail even across running water and even when it is several days old.
Most scent hounds were used for hunting in packs, sometimes with multiple dogs in a single pack. Longer-legged hounds ran more quickly and usually required that the hunters follow on horseback; shorter-legged hounds allowed hunters to follow on foot.
Alpine Dachsbracke*
American Foxhound
Anglo-Français de Petite Vénerie*
Ariegeois*
Artois Hound*
Austrian black and tan hound*
Basset Bleu de Gascogne*
Basset Fauve de Bretagne*
Basset Hound
Bavarian Mountain hound*
Beagle
Beagle-Harrier*
Berner Laufhund*
Blackmouth Cur*
Bloodhound
Brachet*
Bouge Linda*
Coonhound:
-American English Coonhound*
-Black and Tan Coonhound
-Redbone Coonhound*
-Red Tick Coonhound*
-Bluetick Coonhound*
-English Coonhound*
-Treeing Walker Coonhound*
-Plott Hound
Dachshund
Drever*
Dunker*
English Foxhound
Finnish Hound*
Foxhound*
Francais Blanc et Noir*
Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen (GBVB)*
Grand Bleu de Gascogne*
Hamiltonstovare*
Hanover Hound*
Harrier
Hungarian hound*
Irish Wolfhound
Kerry Beagle*
Kritikos Ichnilatis (Cretan Hound)*
Norwegian Elkhound
Norwegian Lundehund*
Otterhound
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Polish Hound (pl.Ogar Polski )*
Polish Scenthound (pl.Gonczy Polski )*
Porcelaine*
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Segugio Italiano*
Serbian Hound*
Serbian Tricolour Hound*
Schweizer Laufhund*
Smellhound Sherratt*
*Breed not recognized by the American Kennel Club