Have we got a staghound?

R

Rose Folly

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 June 2010
Messages
1,906
Location
North East Somerset
Visit site
We always have rescue dogs so, when our beloved Tash died 3 years ago, we went, as usual, to the local dog resuce centre. A dog immediately caught my eye - he looked like a foxhound, only taller, and he was standing with a wistful, bemused look on his face in a big run surrounded by pooches who mainly came up to his shoulder.

I said to OH that there was no way I was going to leave a foxhound in there, so home he came. But we've never made our minds up as to what we have actually got. I would love some suggestions.

He stands about 25 inches high at the shoulder. His coat is a foxhound's in texture. He has a white body with lemon/ginger spots and a chocolate head with central white wishbone. He is upstanding, long stern, deepchested but tapers nicely from his ribs. He has immensely powerful quarters. He has a real 'Landseer' look about him.

He is extremely fast and has massive endurance, as we know to our cost. He can jump 6 feet with ease. He has proved very difficult to train (his previous owners had obviously done nothing with him) but endless evenings at dog-obenience classes have worked. He is lovely with humans, a very very sharp watchdog - the best we have ever had - and I can't watch hunting programmes on the Horse and Country channel because the moment he hears hounds speak he joins in. I'm not clever enough to post a photo of him on here.

Yesterday a man came up to me in a carpark as he'd seen our boy in the car, and asked if he was a staghound. I said I had no idea. The guy said he'd been to some show where there were staghounds and that he looked exactly like them. In the far distant past my father hunted a pack of staghounds for one season, but I can't find the relevant photos.

So, if any of you, from my hazy description, have any ideas on whether he would be likely to be a staghound, I'd love to know. (The Dogs' Home described him as a pointer, which he patently isn't.) Many thanks.
 
When a few years ago I worked for a foxhound pack any hounds that grew too big or chased deer would be packed off to the staghound pack. So if your boy looks like a big Foxhound thats probabley what he is. A photo would be a big plus as there is a foreign breed out there cant think of its name but looks like a big foxhound.

Just a thought does he have a tatoo in his ear?
 
MM Well done I was thinking of that breed, and yes staghounds are large foxhounds or thats my experience.

Be very interested to know whether he has a tattoo or not as he gets excited when hearing hounds so its very likely he came from some pack and would be able to identify which one.
 
I Googled Hamiltonstovare, and that's not him! (What a nice type of dog though). Our boy's much finer than that and looks like an extremely elegant tall foxhound, with a long, fine tapering muzzle. Earlier tonight I brought up the Hunting Life forum, and there was an action photo of a staghound on there that we thought resembled him very closely.

When we first had him someone suggested he was a trailhound (idea now rejected); But the lady at the Trailhound society also asked if he had an ear tattoo - which he hasn't, so far as we can see. Shapewise, the breed he looks most like is a tall Dalmatian, if you exchange the black spots for his lemon/ginger ones and his dark chocolatey head. Strangely, there's a Dalmatian at dog training whom he seems much atttached to.

Anyway, thanks you for your ideas, and if I can work out how to put a photo on I will. Oh his other 'hunting' attributes are his slightly turned in fromt legs ending in real hounds' pads - and a wonderful nose (scenting wise).

He foiled a would-be burglar at our neighbours' house the other night - and so staghound or not, rescue or not, he's our pride and joy; and he's so gentle with our very old bitch.
 
Maybe some greyhound in there? My terrier loves getting involved when hunting comes on tv and starts the other girls off!!
 
I cant think he was from a registered pack as they wouldnt be giving hounds away,and 2 i would of thought he would be tatooed.
Maybe he is a KC reg fox hound,or crossed with one???
 
Most dogs get excited when they hear other dogs on the TV - ours goes wild and as a patterdale x-breed from Derby centre he's definately never seen a pack!
 
Our fellow's fairly oblivious to other dogs on TV - though he did have a soft spot for Cesar Whatsit. But the H & C channel have a long running repeat of Berkeley Castle and the Berkeley pack, and he goes absolutely mad and is watching as well as baying. It's definitely hounds that excite him. Our other dog is appallled at this overexuberance and usually leaves the room.

He also trots to heel when I indavertently take him riding (he's very rude to dogs in gardens which is why it's inadvertently!) but does not, unlike Dalmatians we've known, trot to heel behind bikes, pushchairs etc (the old acrriage dog syndrome).

I'll try to get my son to put a picture of him on here; but thank you everyone for your ideas so far. It's given us food for thought.
 
Rose Folly said:
Our fellow's fairly oblivious to other dogs on TV - though he did have a soft spot for Cesar Whatsit. But the H & C channel have a long running repeat of Berkeley Castle and the Berkeley pack, and he goes absolutely mad and is watching as well as baying. It's definitely hounds that excite him. Our other dog is appallled at this overexuberance and usually leaves the room.
So does my dog he is an Aussie


He also trots to heel when I indavertently take him riding (he's very rude to dogs in gardens which is why it's inadvertently!) but does not, unlike Dalmatians we've known, trot to heel behind bikes, pushchairs etc (the old acrriage dog syndrome).

Mine to until i taught him otherwise
I'll try to get my son to put a picture of him on here; but thank you everyone for your ideas so far. It's given us food for thought.
Click to expand...

I think your looking into these things a little much :)
 
Deerhounds are, as the name suggests, for hunting deer, male & female. Anything like a Deerhound ? Deerhounds look like a Greyhound with a wirey coat.
 
No! He is short-haired, and coat feels just like your average foxhound's only a tad smoother - probably because he's an indoors dog. His muzzle is slightly finer than the average foxhound. He is also much taller. His stern is slightly less curved than most hounds. Beautiful dark eyes, slightly almond shaped. Local people call him the Landseer dog as he has that wonderful sentimental look.

You're right, KatieLou. I'm probably looking into this too much. But I would just love to get to the bottom of his ancestry, as he looks like a purebred, not a mongrel, but obviously isn't.
 
According to google, stag hounds are only found in America & Australia, and are a cross of deerhounds & greyhounds - and so are a hybrid, not a distinct breed in their own right.

american-staghound-1.jpg


Staghounds don't seem to be recognised by the Kennel Club, probably because of the above cross-breed reason - they don't recognise our dog's breed the Patterdale Terrier either.
 
Last edited:
Labrador x Greyhound, Collie x Greyhound or a Saluki cross? That sounds quite similar to your boy.

- I enjoy playing guess the breed!
 
BrambleandMonty. Your saluki X photo has several resemblances. The eyes, definitely. Also the wistful expression and the powerful racing hindquarters. But our boy has a wider, hound chest, hound legs with that slight 'elbows out' look, and real squared-off hound pads - no elegant tapering greyhound feet.

Someone said today that he has a very old-fashioned look about him, like hounds in Victorian paintings - those that are standing about looking noble. He has a very upright shoulder.

When I can collar my son and get a photo on here you'll see! It's like playing that 'Film, Book, Play' game, or Charades. Thank you for humouring me....
 
He certainly sounds like he has got a bit of sighthound in him. What that sighthound is, could be anybodies guess! Enjoy him, just be careful around cats!
 
KatieLou - the body of your dog in the water (top photo) is extremely like him except ours is a tad longer in the leg - but very very close. And his head is like your second dog (finer and more slender muzzled than the top one). What beautiful dogs! Are they yours? Thank you so much for those.

And to the post just previous to yours - yes, he's a real gazehound, though he has a good nose as well. But he only speaks when quarry is in sight. Incidentally I don't think he hs any KILLER instinct at all. He's very steady round livestock, is frightened of rude cats, and was seen doing a sort of ritual fire dance round a frog the other night. But very very territorial and, as said before, a brave and hyper alert housedog.
 
Rose Folly said:
KatieLou - the body of your dog in the water (top photo) is extremely like him except ours is a tad longer in the leg - but very very close. And his head is like your second dog (finer and more slender muzzled than the top one). What beautiful dogs! Are they yours? Thank you so much for those.

And to the post just previous to yours - yes, he's a real gazehound, though he has a good nose as well. But he only speaks when quarry is in sight. Incidentally I don't think he hs any KILLER instinct at all. He's very steady round livestock, is frightened of rude cats, and was seen doing a sort of ritual fire dance round a frog the other night. But very very territorial and, as said before, a brave and hyper alert housedog.
Click to expand...

No not mine i found them on google. Pointer x greyhound.
 
It would be very unusual for a staghound (or foxhound for that matter) to find its way into a rescue to be quite honest. They are not allowed to be given away/sold out of hunt service to pet homes and if it doesn't have a tattoo then its unlikely it has come from a hunt originally.

Judging by where you live, your nearest staghound pack is the Quantocks but even that is quite a distance from you.

He sounds a lovely dog and I am looking forward to seeing his picture :)
 
TBH I'm only going by what the guy int he carpark said. He was not a hunting man, and I've never been out with staghounds. I agree that it's unlikely he's from a staghound pack (dog, not the man!!).

He did, however, desert me one morning when the Mendip Farmers were hunting quite near our house. Luckily I got to him before he joined in.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top