American Staghound | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Other names | Cold-blooded Greyhound, longdog of the prairie and American lurcher | ||||||||||||||||||||
Origin | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
Foundation stock | Greyhound, Scottish Deerhound, Irish Wolfhound & Borzoi | ||||||||||||||||||||
Breed status | Not recognized as a breed by any major kennel club. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Dog ( domestic dog ) |
The American Staghound, referred to by various names including the Cold-Blooded Greyhound, the Longdog of the Prairie and the American Lurcher, is a crossbreed of various sighthounds. It has been bred in the United States from the 19th century where it is used for hunting.
As European pioneers moved west into the American frontier in the 19th century, their livestock frequently fell victim to predation from wolves and coyotes, and large sighthounds were found to be the most effective hound variety for hunting these predators. [1] [2] [3] The American staghound developed as a distinctive variety of dog from crossings of various breeds of sighthound found in America at the time, principally the British Greyhound, Scottish Deerhound and Irish Wolfhound, and the Russian Borzoi. [1] [2] [3] In the Wild West the pioneers hunted predators in hunting parties mounted on horseback and accompanied by their staghounds. After settlement these hunts continued as recreational sport but with the reduction in numbers of predators to hunt, frequently deer was also pursued. [1] [2] [3] In recent decades deer has become the primary, if not exclusive, quarry pursued by these dogs. [1] [3]
Different hunters in various regions preferred different crosses, with field performance in local conditions and the quarry pursued being the primary factor in pursuing certain characteristics. [2] Greyhounds, Scottish Deerhounds, Irish Wolfhounds and Borzois have always been the most commonly used foundation stock; other sighthound breeds such as Whippets or Salukis have rarely if ever been used. [2] While some American staghounds have always been and are still bred from pedigree parents, many are bred to each other, resulting in successive generations of staghound ancestry. [2] American staghounds have been known by various names including the "Longdog of the Prairie" and the "American lurcher"; one version is referred to as the "Cold-Blooded Greyhound", these dogs tend to be smooth-coated animals that resemble large Greyhounds, with Greyhounds being the predominant breed in their ancestry and other sighthound blood included to add size. [2] [3]
The American staghound is a large, usually rough-coated, powerfully built variety of sighthound; as a dog crossbreed its appearance can vary markedly, but it usually stands between 25 and 33 inches (64 and 84 cm) in height and weighs between 65 and 100 pounds (29 and 45 kg). [1] [2] [3]
The Borzoi or Russian Hunting Sighthound is a Russian breed of hunting dog of sighthound type. It was formerly used for wolf hunting, and until 1936 was known as the Russian Wolfhound.
The EnglishGreyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Since the rise in large-scale adoption of retired racing Greyhounds, the breed has seen a resurgence in popularity as a family pet.
The Irish Wolfhound is a breed of large sighthound that has, by its presence and substantial size, inspired literature, poetry and mythology. One of the largest of all breeds of dog, the breed is used by coursing hunters who have prized it for its ability to dispatch game caught by other, swifter sighthounds. In 1902, the Irish Wolfhound was declared the regimental mascot of the Irish Guards.
Sighthounds are a type of hound dog that hunts primarily by sight and speed, unlike scent hounds, which rely on scent and endurance.
The Scottish Deerhound, or simply the Deerhound, is a breed of large sighthound, once bred to hunt the red deer by coursing. In outward appearance it is similar to the Greyhound, but larger and more heavily boned, with a rough coat.
The whippet is a British breed of medium-sized dog, of the sighthound type, related to the larger greyhound and the smaller Italian greyhound. Apart from the differences in height, the whippet closely resembles these two breeds; it has sometimes been described as "miniature greyhound", and casually referred to as "the poor man's racehorse". It is kept as a companion dog, for competitive showing, as well as for amateur racing. Whippet also participate in dog sports such as lure coursing, agility, and flyball. It has the highest running-speed of any breed in its weight and size range, and may have the fastest idle-to-running acceleration of any dog. Whippet is known for its gentle, affectionate, and calm temperament, being relaxed and serene at home while showing high energy and excitement outdoors.
A hound is a type of hunting dog used by hunters to track or chase prey.
Lure coursing is a sport for dogs that involves chasing a mechanically operated lure. Competition is typically limited to dogs of purebred sighthound breeds. The AKC has a pass/fail trial for all breeds called the Coursing Ability Test (CAT) and a timed 100 yard dash called Fast CAT where the dog's speed is converted to points.
Wolfhound or Wolfhounds may refer to:
Dog crossbreeds are dogs which have been intentionally bred from two or more recognized dog breeds. They are not dogs with no purebred ancestors, but are not otherwise recognised as breeds in their own right, and do not necessarily breed true.
Coursing by humans is the pursuit of game or other animals by dogs—chiefly greyhounds and other sighthounds—catching their prey by speed, running by sight, but not by scent. Coursing was a common hunting technique, practised by the nobility, the landed and wealthy, as well as by commoners with sighthounds and lurchers. In its oldest recorded form in the Western world, as described by Arrian—it was a sport practised by all levels of society, and it remained the case until Carolingian period forest law appropriated hunting grounds, or commons, for the king, the nobility, and other landowners. It then became a formalised competition, specifically on hare in Britain, practised under rules, the Laws of the Leash'.
A lurcher is a crossbred dog resulting from mating a greyhound or other sighthound with a dog of another type such as a herding dog or a terrier. The lurcher is not a "breed," but is a generic descriptor of a group of varying dogs. It was for hundreds of years strongly associated with poaching; in modern times, it is kept as a hunting dog or companion dog.
Hare coursing is the pursuit of hares with greyhounds and other sighthounds, which chase the hare by sight, not by scent.
The Polish Greyhound is a Polish sighthound breed. Despite its name, it is not a direct relative of the Greyhound dog.
A long dog is any dog of sighthound type, whether pure-bred or not. It is usually a cross-breed between two sighthounds of different breeds, one of which is usually a Greyhound
A feist is a small hunting dog. This group descended from the terriers brought over to the United States by British miners and other immigrants. These terriers probably included crosses between the Smooth Fox Terrier, the Manchester Terrier, and the now-extinct English White Terrier. These dogs were used as ratters, and gambling on their prowess in killing rats was a favorite hobby of their owners. Some of these dogs have been crossed with Greyhounds, Whippets or Italian Greyhounds, and Beagles or other hounds — extending the family to include a larger variety of purpose than the original ratter, or Rat Terrier.
The kangaroo dog or kangaroo hound is an Australian type of sighthound purposely crossbred from a variety of sighthound breeds to produce a hunting dog.
Wolf hunting with dogs is a method of wolf hunting which relies on the use of hunting dogs. While any dog, especially a hound used for hunting wolves may be loosely termed a "wolfhound", several dog breeds have been specifically bred for the purpose, some of which, such as the Irish Wolfhound, have the word in their breed name.
The Mahratta Hound, sometimes called the Mahratta Greyhound, is a breed of dog found in India. It is a sighthound, and like the Banjara Hound it is bred and used for hunting by the nomadic Banjara of Maharashtra. The Mahratta Hound is believed to be of Arabian or Persian heritage, is often blue and tan in colour and stands around 22 inches (56 cm). It is prized for its prowess in hunting panther and boar, both very formidable prey for a hound, as well as blackbuck.
The Poitevin, also known as the Chien de Haut-Poitou, is a breed of French scenthound from the province of Poitou, this predominantly pack hound was created in the 17th century to hunt wolves.