Within the hound group, you'll find dogs such as Afghan hounds, Basenjis, Basset Hounds, Beagles, Bloodhounds, Dachshunds, Greyhounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Salukis and Whippets. As a group, the hounds are hunters. They have worked with human being for thousands of years hunting small animals such as rabbits and mice, as well as large animals such as fox and deer. Despite hounds' instinct to hunt, they can make outstanding family pets.

From this group of dogs, you may want to pay particular attention to the greyhounds. As many of you know, these dogs are often raced - as they can approximately 40 miles per hour. Greyhounds have warm personalities, they're very easy-going and often find themselves without homes once their racing days are over. Consider giving one of these great dogs a home!

If the greyhound isn't right for you, because you want a more active dog, or one that is smaller, you may want to consider a dachshund or a whippet. The Dachshund is a great family pet, but some might not appreciate how vocal they can become. Historically, they've had some back issues, but this genetic issue has become less of a problem as quality breeders work to mitigate this. Whippets are sweet, small and fast. They are athletic, low maintenance and quite handsome. This breed is becoming very popular in the US.