Hällefors Elkhound
Descended from the Finnish Spitz and the Ostyak Laika, this breed originated in the Swedish village of Fredriksberg. A dense-coated hunter of deer, elk, boar and bear, other names for the Hällefors Elkhound include Hälleforshund, Hällefors dog and Hälleforsinkoira.
Halden Hound
Named in honor of a Norwegian town, this scent hound made its debut in the early 1900s.
Also known as the Haldenstover, the breed was developed to hunt hare as a solitary stalker alongside their human hunting companion. The Halden Hound is a rare sight outside of its native country.
Hamiltonstövare
The founder of the Swedish Kennel Club paired the English Foxhound with the Harrier as well as the Curlandish Hound, the Heiderbracke and the Holsteiner Hound (breeds which are sadly no longer with us) to create a diligent hunting hound capable of traversing rugged landscapes in Sweden.
Also known as the Hamilton Hound and the Swedish Foxhound, this breed is a favorite among Swedish dog enthusiasts.
Hanover Hound
Also known as the Havoverian Scentound, this German hunting dog is a descendant of the Liam Hound, a breed used to hunt big game in the Middle Ages.
Developed in the 1800s in Hanover City, the dogs are still used today to track down injured prey.
Harrier
The Harrier dog breed is a member of the scenthound family. Originating in Great Britain, the term “Harrier” was once used to refer to all hounds, and dog historians theorize that this breed may in fact be one of the oldest of scent hounds still in existence today.
References to the Harrier dog breed date back to the 13th century in England. The Harrier’s keen ability to track hare with its strong sense of scent and at a pace slow enough that enabled hunters to keep up with them on foot.
The Harrier is playful and outgoing, more sociable than its counterpart, the Foxhound, but not quite as extroverted as the Beagle. Harrier dogs are excellent with children, amiable, and make outstanding watchdogs.
Havanese
Originating in ancient times in the Mediterranean, the Havanese dog comes from a family of small dogs known as the Barbichon (now called Bichon) family. They showed up in large quantities throughout Cuba when Spanish traders brought them as gifts to give to the Cuban women.
Many of today’s Havanese trace their bloodlines back to three families that left Cuba for the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Dog enthusiasts took notice of the Havanese and in 1996 it was entered into its first AKC dog show.
Himalayan Sheepdog
A breed with a multitude of monikers, among them the Bhotia, the Bhotiya, the Gaddi dog, the Himalayan Guard Dog and the Himalayan Mastiff Guard dog, this dog is rarely seen outside of India and Nepal.
Related to the Tibetan Mastiff, this protector of property and livestock is currently facing extinction.
Hierran Wolfdog
Also known as the Lobito Herreño, the Lobo Herreño and the Perro de Pastor Herreño, this pastoral dog from the Canary Islands shares similarities with the wolf, hence its name.
Although today most Hierran Wolfdogs are treasured family members, in the past the dogs tended flocks of sheep.
Hokkaido
The name of Japan’s second largest island was chosen by an English zoologist as the name for this breed, which is also known as the Hokkaido Inu, the Hokkaido Ken and the Ainu Ken (in reference to the Aino people, with whom they lived).
Considered a Living National Monument by Japan, the breed is seldom spotted outside of the country of its birth.
Hovawart
To anyone who knows Middle High German the name of this breed gives away its initial purpose, with hova meaning “farm” and “wart” translated as watchman.
In spite of its usefulness guarding livestock, the hovawart came close to extinction by the start of the twentieth century, then almost faced its fate again during the second world war.
Huntaway
A breed that has herded sheep on the pastoral terrain of New Zealand since the latter half of the 19th century, these working dogs (which are also referred to as the New Zealand Huntaway and the New Zealand Sheepdog) are known for their sonorous bark.
Proudly proclaiming itself Huntaway Capital of the World, in the New Zealand town of Hunterville a bronze statue of a Huntaway dog has stood since 1999 as a tribute to the four-legged best friends of farmers in the area. The close-knit community also celebrates their bond with working dogs each year during the Hunterville Huntaway Festival.
Hygen Hound
A mixture of Basset Hound, Bloodhound, English Pointer, Holsteiner Hound and Scandinavian Hounds, this scent hound was named in honor of the Norwegian breeder who created the Hygen Hound in the 19th century.
A breed that’s rarely seen outside of its native country, the Hygen Hound is not only used for hunting small game, it has also become a treasured member of many Norwegian families.
Explore More Dog Breeds Starting with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | V-Z
Photo Credits: Canva.com unless otherwise credited