“You ain’t nothin’ but a Hound Dog”

Croome & West Warwickshire opening hunt 2011.

I had the privilege,  while on a recent trip in England, to attend opening meet of the Croome & West Warwickshire Hunt.  It was held in the Midlands of the UK and was  attended by 100 riders and many following on foot.

It is with this  experience, fresh in my mind, that I researched the history of the hounds in the pack,  better known as Fox Hounds.  And, beauties these canines are.

In the book, Why You Say It, by Webb Garrison I found a nice summary of the origin of the term, Hound.

“Before the Norman conquest of England, French hunters bred a keen-nosed dog which they called the St. Hubert.  One of their rulers, William, took a pack to England and hunted deer by following the dogs on foot.

“Saxons had never before seen a dog fierce enough to “seize” its prey, so they named William’s animals ‘hunts’, meaning ‘seizure’.  Altered over time to hound, it was long applied to all hunting dogs.  Then the meaning narrowed to stand for breeds that follow their quarry by scent.

“Many medieval noblemen kept large kennels that included deer hounds, boar hounds, and hare hounds.  Though they varied in size and appearance, all hounds were noted for their tenacity.  A pack would follow a scent for miles.  If the trail was lost, dogs would often double back and find it again.  The animals were admired for the way they pursued game with such singular determination.

A human who engages in relentless pursuit of a goal or plan, dogging the footsteps of someone else, is still compared with a hunting dog and is said to “hound” his or her quarry.”

Best wishes to all good hounds and dogs in my life and yours.

a happy relaxed pack ready for day of hunting in England