BLANKNEY HOUNDS
BREEDING
The Blankney hounds were originally bred along the lines and traditions of “old English” foxhounds, however over the decades they gradually became what is now known as “modern English” foxhounds. Modern English is largely the old English bloodlines with the addition of Welsh foxhound breeding; our hounds also have within their breeding some bloodlines from Fell, American, Harrier and even a tiny bit of the old Dumfriesshire pack. The diversity in the hounds breeding helps to ensure they have a strong and healthy genetic makeup.
We base our breeding program around two tail female lines - a tail female line is an unbroken record of the mothers mothers mothers mother etc..
A hound called Lady (born in 1800) and another called Cautious (born in 1799) are the foremothers to our current pack. We have a full record of their breeding going back 46 & 54 generations respectively.
KENNEL LIFE
The Blankney kennels are divided into 4 varyingly sized yards, each with their own Lodge (indoor sleeping area). The bitches which are in-season are kept separate from the main pack; the rest of the hounds are split between Dogs and Bitches in the evenings but are mixed together through the day for exercising and feeding. Usually the hounds are exercised twice a day, the length of exercise depends on the time of year but we aim for them to be out of the kennels for a minimum of an hour a day. The exercise time is generally as much about playtime and mental stimulation as it is about the actual “exercise”. Only in the build up to the hunting season does the focus shift more to physical exercise when hounds venture out for several hours to build up fitness, at this time the hunt staff will use bicycles and horse power to accompany the hounds.
Hounds are fed once a day on a variety of meats, biscuit and food byproducts. They sleep on a bed of oat straw or shavings.
WELFARE
The hounds have a comprehensive program of vaccinations and worming to keep them in peak health and we have an appointed vet who sees them on a regular basis to maintain a familiarity with them and can be of assistance should there ever be any need.
The older hounds who’s hunting days are over remain with the pack in their retirement, they are very beneficial to the pack as they set a good example of behaviour to the young hounds.
