Sight hound
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:WhippetWhiteSaddled wb.jpg Sight hounds, also called gaze hounds, are hounds that primarily hunt by sight instead of by scent.
Contents |
Appearance
These dogs specialize in following prey by keeping it in sight. Therefore, the dog must be able to quickly detect motion, so these hounds usually have extremely good vision and smaller ear flaps so as not to obstruct possible peripheral movements. Because the prey is often quite fast and agile, such as deer, the dog must be able to keep up with it. As a result, most of these dogs have long legs for a long stride, a deep chest to support a strong cardiovascular system for long sprints, and a thin, wiry body to keep its weight at a minimum.
History
Sight hounds similar to the Saluki have existed for at least 5,000 years, with the earliest known sighthounds appearing in Arabia. Although today sight hounds are kept primarily as pets, they have been bred for thousands of years to detect movement, chase, capture, and kill prey. They thrive on physical activity. Some have mellow personalities, others are watchful or even hostile towards strangers, but the instinct to chase running animals remains strong.
So much so that, apart from pure hunting, various dog sports are practiced with purebreds, and sometimes with Lurchers. Apart from Greyhound racing (and Whippet racing) there are lure coursing, oval track racing, straight racing, open-field coursing, and other events practiced outside of North America.
Miscellaneous
Image:Kritikos Lagonikos 02.jpg The fastest sight hounds can reach speeds of over 40 mph (60 km/h).
The sight hounds who have erected ears (known as aboriginal hounds and usually called either a Pariah dog or even a Primitive Hunting Spitz sometimes) use sight, scent and hearing equally when they chase prey.
List of sight hounds
This family includes
- Afghan hound
- Africanis (a.k.a. Bantu Hound, Hottentott Hound, Kafir Hound, Khoikhoi Hound, Zulu Hound)
- American Staghound
- Australian Kangaroo Hound
- Azawakh
- Bakhmull
- Banjara
- Basenji hound
- Borzoi
- Canaan Hound
- Caravan Hound
- Carolina Dog
- Chart Polski (Polish Greyhound or Polish Sighthound)
- Chimkent Hound
- Chippiparai
- Circassion Harehound
- Cirneco dell'Etna
- Chortaj
- Deerhound
- Galgo Español (Spanish Greyhound)
- Greyhound
- Hebei Xi Quan
- Hortaya Borzaya
- Ibizan Hound
- Irish Wolfhound
- Italian Greyhound
- Kaikadi
- Khalag Tazi
- Kintamani Dog (some times called a Tiger Dog, when striped like a tiger)
- Kritikos Lagonikos (Crete Hound, Crete Dog)
- Kyrgyz Taigan
- Longdog
- Lurcher
- Magyar Agar (Hungarian Greyhound)
- Mudhol Hound
- New Guinea Singing Dog
- Pashmi (Lahori Pashmi, Pisuri Hound)
- Pharaoh Hound (Kelb tal fenek)
- Podenco Canario (Canary Islands Podenco)
- Podenco Ibicenco
- Podenco Andaluz (Andaluzian Podengo)
- Podengo Portugues (Portuguese Podengo)
- Rampur Greyhound (Rampur Dog)
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Saluki
- Santal Hound
- Scottish Deerhound
- Semirichinsky
- Shandong Xi Quan
- Silken Windhound
- Sindh
- Sloughi
- Thai Hound (
- Taiwan Dog (Taiwan Hound)
- Tazi
- Telomian Hound (Telomian Dog)
- Turkmenki
- Vaghari hound
- Whippet
See also
de:Windhund eo:leporhundo nl:Windhond no:Mynder Template:Link FA sv:vinthundar