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One2One Wye Walkies A bespoke, professional, dog walking service, designed to meet the needs of both you and your
pet. Our aim is to provide owners with peace of mind and dogs with guaranteed fun!
THE NEWS HOUND Newsletter/issue 9/Spring 2019
Page 2 of 10
One2One Wye Walkies
THE NEWS HOUND
Newsletter/issue 9/Spring 2019
Welcome to the Spring issue of ‘The News Hound’
(One2One Wye Walkies’ quarterly newsletter)
We’ve all watched our dogs enjoying a good sniff when out on their walks – be it
with nose pressed to the ground or raised in the air to detect and enjoy scents
wafting around them.
For centuries humans have utilised the extraordinary scenting skills of dogs to
hunt for our food, provide protection, search for people; and latterly to detect a
wide range of medical conditions.
In this issue of ‘The News Hound’ we’re focussing on various aspects of
recreational pursuits and fun training activities that employ the innate sense of
smell that makes dogs such a unique species. We are delighted to include a
special feature on the magnificent Coakham Bloodhounds; plus, details on a
variety of dog sports which include elements of scent work and some easy scent
games that you can play with your dog at home, alongside the regular seasonal
tips and quiz question. We do hope that you will find plenty of interest in this
newsletter and feel inspired to have a go at exploring your own dog’s fantastic
sense of smell.
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One2One Wye Walkies
THE NEWS HOUND
Newsletter/issue 9/Spring 2019
Introducing the awesome Coakham Bloodhounds
A day's hunting with the Coakham Bloodhounds usually means a good three hours in the saddle, with
the thrill of riding behind a driving pack of hounds, jumping a range of fences from huge hedges to
ditches and fixed timber. In the course of a day, the hunt will follow three to six ‘lines’, covering in
total between 10-20 miles. The country is usually walked with the landowners the week before a meet
to prepare the routes, trim hedges and build fences, but the field does not know the route hounds
will follow.
Founded in 1976, the Coakham
Bloodhounds hunt ‘the clean boot’
(unadulterated human scent left by a
man or woman running ahead of the
pack). Hunting with a pack of
bloodhounds is one of the least artificial
methods of hunting organised quarry.
The hounds hunt by scent alone, unlike
many other breeds of hounds that hunt
by sight. Meets are held each Sunday
from mid-October to the first Sunday in
May, with occasional mid-week bye-
days, by generous invitation of farmers
and landowners.
The quarry (usually two or three cross
country runners) play a major role in
the day's sport. Apart from being very
fit, they must know how the hounds
will hunt. The experienced Coakham
quarry also know how to throw the
hounds off their scent. They usually set
off 45 minutes before the hounds are
laid onto their trail and the field,
helping to maintain the excitement
and uncertainty of hunting a live
quarry.
There is usually a half hour break between each line to
allow the quarry to run the next and to give the
bloodhounds, horses and riders a chance to catch their
breath!
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One2One Wye Walkies
THE NEWS HOUND
Newsletter/issue 9/Spring 2019
When the pack was first established, it
hunted with pure bred bloodhounds. But
it soon found that, whilst their ability to
follow the scent was without compare,
they lacked the speed across open
countryside and the enthusiasm to cope
with natural obstacles. The current pack
consists of bloodhounds crossbred to the
Dumfriesshire Foxhound, a unique out-
cross which has developed the ability of
the pack to follow a natural human scent
with voice, speed, agility and drive.
The earliest known ancestor of the bloodhound is most probably a Celtic beagle by the name of
Seguier. In the ninth century in France and Belgium this breed of hound was called the Saint Hubert
Hound. The name came from the monastery of Saint Hubert at Andain, where the robust Seguier had
been bred for over 1000 years. According to legend, Bishop Hubert was a keen huntsman, and
regularly hunted his hounds in the Ardennes. Buried on November 3rd, 825, in the monastery which
later took his name, Saint Hubert became the patron saint of hunting. Each season the Coakham
Bloodhounds endeavour to meet on this day, and the hounds are blessed before the day's hunting.
On the continent the pure line was gradually lost through cross breeding. In England, however, the
bloodhound survived as a breed and thrived in the wild English/Scottish borderlands. That
inhospitable and inaccessible terrain was inhabited by clans which were constantly engaged in bitter
disputes and feuds, protecting their property from rival clans, poachers and cattle thieves. All the
clans made good use of the robust, strong and indefatigable descendants of the Seguiers. The number
and importance of these bloodhounds was such that a special tax was levied and used for the upkeep
of the packs. Some of these hounds usually worked on a leash, 1.5 fathoms long and made from horse
hide, and were known as Lyme or Lyamhounds.
Other hounds which required more space in which to track the human scent were called
Sleuthhounds. These hounds gained a reputation for always getting their man, and when the pack
was put on the scent of a wounded person leaving a trail of blood, it was only a matter of time before
they were caught, which is how they eventually became known as bloodhounds.
The Coakham Bloodhounds (continued)
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One2One Wye Walkies
The Coakham Bloodhounds (continued)
THE NEWS HOUND
Newsletter/issue 9/Spring 2019
200 years on, the enthusiasm with
which the hounds jump fences and
cross rivers in pursuit of the scent
often makes new followers fear for
the physical wellbeing of the human
quarry. But these days, when they
are finally caught, the most they
succumb to is chest high muddy
paws and big slobbery licks.
Puppy hounds join the pack as soon as the hunting season finishes in April, where they are coupled
to an older hound, so they learn the commands. The pack go out on road exercise every day in the
summer and when the puppies are sufficiently confident, they are allowed free. The hounds are
taken out with horses in August ready for puppy hunting at the end of the month. The pack start
with short hunts where the puppies follow the older hounds and soon learn to hunt. The official
hunting season starts in October and by then the puppies will be hunting fully.
In the past, the Coakham Bloodhounds were members of Sussex Search and Rescue and were called
out numerous times by the police to search for missing persons.
The hunt has now assumed entirely amateur status, funded and administered by the Committee
which also selects the Masters. The hunt country covers the South East of England, mainly the
counties of Kent, Surrey and East Sussex. It is registered with the Masters of Drag and Bloodhounds
Association.
If you’d like to see the Coakham Bloodhounds in action, check out the following video clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRa8T35BvDE
Material for this article has been reproduced by kind permission of Nic Wheeler, Huntsman
& Joint Master, Coakham Bloodhounds www.coakhambloodhounds.org.uk/
Photographs are reproduced by kind permission of Nigel Goddard www.nigelgoddard.co.uk
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One2One Wye Walkies
Did you know?
There are several organised dog sports & activities which involve scent
work training. These include:
Field Trial & Working Gundogs
Exercises include dogs being tested for their game finding ability (using dummies), speed
and directness of the retrieve, and natural nose.
Competitive Obedience
Exercises include a scent discrimination test where the dog must find a cloth with the
handler’s scent on it from a line of 5 other blank (non-scented) cloths. In the most advanced
levels, 10 cloths can be set out in any pattern, where one has a decoy scent on it; and in the
highest level the dog must locate the cloth with the judges' scent on it, and multiple decoy
cloths may be used.
Working Trials
Originally based on training for police work, this is now a competitive sport. Exercises
include a nosework section in which the dog follows a track laid by a 'tracklayer' (who is a
stranger to the dog) walking a set pattern designed by the judge and identical for each dog.
As the dog follows the track it must seek out and recover articles placed along the track by
the tracklayer. The other component of nosework is a 'search' where the dog must search
for and retrieve articles placed in a marked area.
Full details on all these activities can be found on the Activities page of the
Kennel Club website - https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/
THE NEWS HOUND
Newsletter/issue 9/Spring 2019
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One2One Wye Walkies
Some easy scent games that all the family can play
with your dog
These scent-based games are a fun way to challenge your dog’s sense of smell while teaching them
new, useful skills. You’ll love seeing your dog sniffing away, putting that wonderful nose to good use.
Find the treat!
The simplest way to engage your dog’s sense of smell is to hide a treat, then allow them to find it. You
can use a release command like “go find it!” before allowing them to search. At first, you can make it
easy by allowing them to watch you hide the treat, then you can up the ante by having them stay in
another room and trying increasingly difficult hiding spots. Don’t increase the challenge too quickly,
though, because you don’t want your dog to get frustrated and give up. Use a high-odour treat like
liver bites to keep your dog engaged.
Pick a Hand
This game is also great for teaching impulse control. Place a treat in one of your hands, then put your
hands behind your back and switch the treat into your other hand. Then hold out your fists and let
your dog sniff. Wait for them to nose or paw at one of your hands, and then open your hand to reveal
the treat (or no treat!) As your dog gets good at this, you can wait for them to sit calmly before
opening your hand.
Cups Game
Your dog can use their eyes and ears to find treats in the Cup game. Place three identical cups upside
down on a flat surface and put a treat under one of them. Switch the cups around while your dog
watches. Then, challenge your dog to figure out which cup contains the treat. At first, you can allow
your dog to knock over the cups until they find the treat. To increase the challenge, wait for them to
nose one of the cups, then pick up their chosen cup to allow them to take the treat, or to see if they
chose the wrong cup. Then, reshuffle the cups.
Hide and Seek
Hide and seek is a fun game that teaches your dog a few important lessons. By having your dog stay
without being restrained while you hide, you’ll teach a strong stay. They’ll learn to use their nose to
find you. They’ll also develop a stronger recall, and will be more likely to come when called, even if
they can’t see you. Of course, you will do all the hiding while your dog seeks. You can teach this with
treats, though your dog will probably also enjoy the thrill of finding you. Offering your treats only
some of the time can make the game more exciting for them.
THE NEWS HOUND
Newsletter/issue 9/Spring 2019
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One2One Wye Walkies
THE NEWS HOUND
Newsletter/issue 9/Spring 2019
Seasonal tips
Plants that are toxic to dogs
Now Spring is here, our gardens and wider countryside are bursting into bloom. Naturally we
all want to enjoy being outside with our dogs, but certain plants are toxic to dogs if eaten.
Below is a list of some common plants which can be a hazard:
Azalea/Rhododendron:
Highly poisonous to cats and dogs,
even if just a few leaves are eaten.
Daffodil: All parts of the daffodil
are harmful. Dogs sometimes eat
the bulbs, but even a small bite
can kill a small animal. Even
drinking the water in which cut
daffodils have stood is potentially
hazardous.
Geranium: All parts of geraniums
are poisonous to both dogs and
cats. Also present in summer.
Hyacinth: The bulbs are poisonous
to both cats and dogs.
Iris and gladioli: All parts of these
are toxic, but the bulb is most
dangerous as it contains a higher
concentration of chemicals.
Ragwort: All parts of this plant are
poisonous, and even small doses
can be fatal to cats and dogs. Also
present in summer and autumn.
Rhubarb: Rhubarb leaves are
poisonous to dogs and cats,
whether they are cooked or raw.
Also present in summer.
Snowdrops: While all the plant is
toxic, usually the bulbs are most
toxic to pets. Also present in winter.
Tulip: The bulbs are the most toxic,
however all parts of the plant can be
toxic in large quantities.
Cherry laurel: This hedging plant is
often used in gardens and public
parks. Be careful how you dispose of
hedge cuttings as the most common
cause of dogs being poisoned by the
plant is from eating or chewing these
leaves.
Ivy: Dogs are more likely to eat ivy
than cats and it can cause poisoning.
Laburnum: All parts of this plant are
poisonous, but especially the seeds.
Even chewing and spitting out
laburnum bark or twigs can affect a
dog.
Oak: Leaves can be harmful to pets
if eaten.
Potato: The leaves on potatoes can
be toxic to cats and dogs. Raw, green
or sprouting potatoes can also be
harmful.
Tomato: Leaves and unripe fruit on
tomato plants are toxic to cats and
dogs.
Yew: Nearly all parts of the plant are
harmful, including dried clippings.
Ingesting a small amount of leaves
can kill a dog.
Information taken from
PDSA article -
https://www.pdsa.org.uk
/taking-care-of-your-
pet/looking-after-your-
pet/all-pets/poisonous-
plants
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One2One Wye Walkies
THE NEWS HOUND
Newsletter/issue 9/Spring 2019
Quiz question
What type of
hounds are these?
(track down the answer
on page 10)
Watch out for the Summer
issue of ‘The News Hound’!
(due for circulation on
Friday 28 June 2019)
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One2One Wye Walkies
THE NEWS HOUND
Newsletter/issue 9/Spring 2019
These hounds are Trailhounds, used in
the sport of Hound Trailing, they look
similar to foxhounds but are leaner in
build. They were originally bred from
foxhounds with other crosses to get a
faster hound with a good nose. Various
out-crosses were tried many years ago
before the present type evolved,
including pointer, harrier and
sheepdog. Nowadays, only a foxhound
is very occasionally bred with a
Trailhound. They are bred for stamina
and speed.
Hound Trailing is a sport which takes
place all over the Lake District between
April and October. It dates back over
200 years. Individual owners get their
hounds fit, then take them to race
meetings, which are held most days
throughout the summer. The hounds
run a circular route of up to 10 miles
over field and fell, following a strong
aniseed and paraffin scent. Owners and
spectators wait at the meet where bets
are laid on the outcome.
When their racing career comes to an
end, Trailhounds can go on to make
excellent family pets.
For more details about Hound Trailing, look
up the following websites:
http://www.houndtrailing.org.uk
https://borderhoundtrailing.co.uk/
To find out how to adopt a retired
Trailhound visit
http://www.trailhoundwelfare.org.uk/
Answer to quiz question