Trigg Hound
Encyclopedia
The Trigg Hound is a variety of the American Foxhound
, developed in Kentucky
by Colonel Haiden Trigg.
, in the 1860s, when fox hunting
enthusiast Colonel Haiden C. Trigg wanted to develop a faster hound than those available in his area. He used dogs from the Birdsong, Maupin, and Walker lines to develop his strain.
According to W. L. Porter in an article in The Chase, local fox hunters who saw the dogs purchased from Birdsong found them unattractive, but their performance was surprisingly good. Porter stated that the dogs were "racy built, crop ears, rough coated, bushy tails and chop mouthed and looked unlike any fox hound any of us had ever seen". Eventually, Trigg's breeding program became successful on a local and national level.
In 1910, well-known big-game hunter Paul J. Rainey
purchased 25 hounds from Trigg and took them on a hunting trip in Africa, later buying more from Trigg, his son Alanson, and others. After Trigg's death, some fanciers began to lose interest and the strain declined in popularity, despite a small core of active breeders. After Rainey returned from his trips, however, he announced that the Triggs were the "best and most courageous hounds in the world," causing their popularity to rise again amongst hunters.
and weigh 45 to 55 lb (20.4 to 24.9 kg), while females stand 20 to 22 in (50.8 to 55.9 cm) and weigh 35 to 45 lb (15.9 to 20.4 kg). The variety has a long snout, hanging ears, and a short, smooth coat, and though it may come in any color, the Continental Kennel Club allows only tricolor and bicolor dogs.
American Foxhound
The American Foxhound is a breed of dog that is cousin to the English Foxhound. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt foxes by scent.-History:...
, developed in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
by Colonel Haiden Trigg.
History
The Trigg Hound originated in Barren County, KentuckyBarren County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 38,033 people, 15,346 households, and 10,941 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 17,095 housing units at an average density of...
, in the 1860s, when fox hunting
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
enthusiast Colonel Haiden C. Trigg wanted to develop a faster hound than those available in his area. He used dogs from the Birdsong, Maupin, and Walker lines to develop his strain.
According to W. L. Porter in an article in The Chase, local fox hunters who saw the dogs purchased from Birdsong found them unattractive, but their performance was surprisingly good. Porter stated that the dogs were "racy built, crop ears, rough coated, bushy tails and chop mouthed and looked unlike any fox hound any of us had ever seen". Eventually, Trigg's breeding program became successful on a local and national level.
In 1910, well-known big-game hunter Paul J. Rainey
Paul J. Rainey
Paul James Rainey was an American businessman, philanthropist, hunter, and photographer-Biography:He was born on September 18, 1877 to Eleanor and William J. Rainey....
purchased 25 hounds from Trigg and took them on a hunting trip in Africa, later buying more from Trigg, his son Alanson, and others. After Trigg's death, some fanciers began to lose interest and the strain declined in popularity, despite a small core of active breeders. After Rainey returned from his trips, however, he announced that the Triggs were the "best and most courageous hounds in the world," causing their popularity to rise again amongst hunters.
Appearance
Male Trigg Hounds stand 23 to 24 in (58.4 to 61 cm) at the withersWithers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
and weigh 45 to 55 lb (20.4 to 24.9 kg), while females stand 20 to 22 in (50.8 to 55.9 cm) and weigh 35 to 45 lb (15.9 to 20.4 kg). The variety has a long snout, hanging ears, and a short, smooth coat, and though it may come in any color, the Continental Kennel Club allows only tricolor and bicolor dogs.