Southern Hound facts for kids
Southern Hound (illustration from The Dog 1852)
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| Origin | Britain |
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| Breed status | Extinct |
| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |
The Southern Hound was a type of dog that lived in Britain a long time ago. It is now extinct, meaning there are no more Southern Hounds left. People think it slowly mixed with other dog breeds until its original bloodline disappeared. This likely happened sometime in the 1800s.
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Where Did It Come From?
It's not totally clear where the Southern Hound came from. Many people believe it was related to the Talbot. The Talbot was a mostly white, slow, and loud scent hound. Some say the Talbot came from Normandy in France.
It's thought that the Talbot might have been crossed with Greyhounds. This would have made them a bit faster. However, a writer named William Youatt said in 1852 that the Southern Hound might have lived in Britain for a very long time. He thought it might not have been brought from France by the Normans.
What Did It Look Like?
The Southern Hound was a large, strong dog. It had a square head and long ears. Its chest was deep, and its body was long and lean. This dog also had a deep, musical bark.
It was not a fast dog, but it had an amazing sense of smell. Hunters used it to follow the scent of animals. Because it was slow and steady, it was good for hunting animals like hare or deer. These animals would eventually get tired from the dog's constant chase. Unlike a fox or rabbit, they could not hide in a den or burrow.
Why Did It Disappear?
The Southern Hound was quite common in the southern part of Britain during the 1700s. But further north, people preferred the North Country Beagle. This dog was faster, but probably not as good at sniffing out trails.
A writer known as "Stonehenge" said in 1859 that Southern Hounds had a large flap of skin under their throat called a dewlap. This helped tell them apart from the Northern Hound. However, pictures of the Southern Hound from that time don't always show this detail. It's hard to know how much the Talbot, Northern Hound, and Southern Hound mixed. Even writers in the mid-1800s found it hard to tell them apart.
The Southern Hound became less popular in the 1700s. This was because people wanted shorter hunts. Faster dogs like the Foxhound became more popular. William Youatt wrote that some Southern Hound packs were still used in Devon in the 1800s. They were sometimes used with Foxhound packs to help find a lost scent. Some were also used in Wales to hunt polecats, which could take days. They were also used to hunt otters before helping to create the Otterhound breed.
Its Legacy Today
The Southern Hound's genes live on in many modern dog breeds. A famous bloodhound breeder, Edwin Brough, said he used a pure Southern Hound named "Clara" in 1881. He bred her with his bloodhounds. This mix helped create the bloodhounds we see today.
Many modern hound breeds are thought to have Southern Hound blood. These include Beagles, Harriers, Foxhounds, Coonhounds, and Bloodhounds, among others.
See also
In Spanish: Southern hound para niños
