Also known as the Hamiltonstovare and the Swedish Foxhound, the Hamilton Hound is a gentle and outgoing breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.
History
The origin of the Hamilton Hound can be traced back to early 20th century Sweden when Count L.P. Hamilton began experimenting with crossing various breeds. Hamilton eventually bred the Harrier and the English Foxhound, and the Hamilton Hound was finally born.
Throughout its history, the Hamilton Hound has been most commonly used for hunting, tracking, and retrieving game such as fox, and for hunting and killing small vermin such as rats, proving its superior abilities to work in the harshest of terrain while providing companionship.
Today, while the Hamilton Hound has attained a regional popularity as a hunting and companion dog, the breed remains rather rare outside of its native Sweden.
Personality Traits
Best known for its gentle and friendly nature, the Hamilton Hound is a sweet breed that thrives on strong and dependable relationships with humans, as it often looks to its owner for guidance and assurance. These dogs are very intelligent, obedient by nature, and generally easy to train. As a pet, the Hamilton Hound is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate. This breed is not suited for full-time indoor or apartment living, and it enjoys spending time outdoors, playing games such as tug-of-war and frisbee, and taking long and leisurely walks.
Train-ability
Due to its outgoing attitude and willingness to learn, the Hamilton Hound generally responds well to basic training and commands. These bright dogs have the ability to learn to perform most any task their trainer is willing to take the time to teach.
Establishing immediate trust and respect is key to successfully training the Hamilton Hound. This breed can be somewhat sensitive to criticism and responds best to positive reinforcement and reward-based training.
Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed
There are many benefits to owning a Hamilton Hound, such as its no hassle, low maintenance coat. These active dogs are always on the go, and often quite amusing and entertaining to watch while at play. This breed is very intelligent, obedient by nature, easy to train, and capable of learning to perform many impressive tricks and tasks. When properly socialized from a young age, the Hamilton Hound gets along well with small children and other pets. These dogs are obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate, making excellent hunting dogs, family pets, and companions alike.
Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning a Hamilton Hound. This energetic breed requires large amounts of daily exercise and room to run and play outdoors. Anyone wishing to purchase this breed lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. A Hamilton Hound not receiving the proper amount of exercise and space will often act out by destroying property, chewing, barking, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.
The Hamilton Hound has a strong instinct to hunt and will occasionally indulge in a good chase. When on the run, these dogs are very quick, and may pose a threat to other animals, neighborhood pets, and small woodland creatures. These dogs must be leashed or properly secured at all times when outdoors.
This breed is known for being somewhat excitable when greeting humans and at play. Excessive barking, jumping, and full-body wags can cause headaches and accidents. Proper training can reduce these behaviors in the Hamilton Hound.
As previously mentioned, the Hamilton Hound remains rather rare outside of its native Sweden and can prove difficult to obtain. Individuals seeking to purchase this breed often encounter such challenges as inability to locate a breeder, extremely high prices, and being placed on long waiting lists.
Common Health Concerns
While the Hamilton Hound is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they do suffer from a few health problems, including: patellar luxation – dislocation of the knee, congenital heart defects, cryptorchidism – failure of one or both of the testicles to fully descend, skin sensitivity and allergies, food allergies, and bloat.
Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own a Hamilton Hound? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.
Sources:
http://www.heydogs.com/h/hamiltonstovare.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/hamiltonstovare
