The South Devon Hunt keeps a kennel of approximately 30 couple of modern English Foxhounds.
The majority of foxhounds are registered in the Foxhound Kennel Stud Book (first published in 1841), and their breeding lines can be traced back over centuries, some as far back as the early 1700s. The South Devon Hunt keeps at least 30 couple of hounds. Hounds are counted in couples, because it’s quicker and more accurate that way, so 30 couple equates to 60 hounds. This allows us to take out around 20 couple five days a fortnight throughout the hunting season whilst resting any bitches in season or hounds with minor injuries. Though pack animals, each of our individual hounds has their own name. The first letter or two of the names given to all the whelps in a litter will correspond to the first letter or two of their dam’s (mother’s) or occasionally sire’s (father’s) name. Some of our current hounds are pictured on this page. See how many hounds you can count at the next meet you attend!
Like the majority of foxhound packs in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the South Devon Hunt’s hounds are predominantly Modern English Foxhounds. The Modern English Foxhound was first developed in the Welsh Border countries in the late 1920s by crossing English Foxhounds (now known as Old English Foxhounds) with Welsh Hounds. Old English Foxhounds, which are black and tan and of a particularly strong build, were generally considered to stand out for speed, courage, pack sense, stamina and drive; whereas the Welsh Hound, which is broken coated or “wooly”, was better renowned for its nose, tongue and persistence. Being a judicious blend of both breeds, the ideal Modern English Foxhound has all these qualities combined. It is lighter in build and faster than the Old English Foxhound. Bitches are generally considered more tenacious and persistent in poor scenting conditions, whereas dog hounds are generally considered more driven in good scenting conditions. The South Devon Hunt uses a mixed pack to suit our mixed scenting country.
In hunting terminology, hounds are always referred to as hounds, never dogs, and a dog other than a hound is referred to as a “cur”. Male hounds are known as doghounds, female hounds are known as bitches, and newborn puppies are referred to as whelps. Their tails are referred to as “sterns” and their feet are referred to as “pads”. Rather than barking or howling, they “speak”, “give cry”, “give tongue” or make “music”. Hound colours are black and tan, white, blue mottled, “badger pye” and “lemon pye”.
