A Dog on the Battlefield and the Character of George Washington Kate Kelly
G eorge Washington was said to have been a man who loved dogs and
The Marquis de Lafayette was known to have sent seven staghounds to George owned many. He was an avid hunter, Washington in a sign of friendship. A and most of his dogs would have been photo of this breed shows a likeness to used for hunting. what we know today as greyhounds. In colonial times, these dogs were great hunters, but they were bred to hunt via speed and sight; scent was not key to their hunting ability. Sweet Lips, Scentwell, and Vulcan were the names of three of Washington’s staghounds. Washington also owned Black and Tan Coonhounds. These dogs were scent hounds, and those whose names are known were called Drunkard, Taster, Tippler, and Tipsy (It would be nice to know more about this choice of names!). One source says that Washington bred the Black and Tan Coonhounds with the Staghounds, which may have resulted in Americas first fox hounds. But a story about a dog found on a 46 4 Legs & a Tail
Winter 2022
