Hounds have been used for hunting since ancient times, as suggested by this statue of the goddess Diana hunting.

A hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. Compare with gun dogs, which assist hunters by identifying the location of prey or retrieving it rather than by chasing it.

There are two types of hound, with several breeds belonging to each type:

Type	Example
Sight hounds, which follow prey by keeping it in sight.		Whippet
Scent hounds and other hounds, which follow prey by tracking its scent.		Basset Hound