Gone, but not forgotten

I would like to dedicate this page with respect to pharaoh hound breeders, who are no longer among us - the reason being, 
that they may be gone, but far from forgotten

If you have a favorite pharaoh hound person you would like to be on this site, please send me an email


March 2010
RIP Dr Jeane Druce, The Merymut ladies reunited again

Pauline Block, kennel Twinleys


Although some Pharaoh Hounds were brought to Britain in the 1930s, but no records were kept at that time, they attracted little attention and soon disappeared. It wasn't until the breed was reintroduced in the 1960s by Mrs. Pauline Block that these dogs began to stir interest. 
A specialty club was organized in England in 1968 by Anne Dewey, Pauline Block and Muriel Rhodes
The Pharaoh hound Club of GB held itīs first Championship show in 1979, with an entry og 50 dogs - judge Pauline Block
Lionel Hamilton Renwick


It is with great sadness that Pharaoh Hound owners will have heard of the death of Lionel Hamilton Renwick. The breed in 
this country and indeed all over the world owes him a great debt of gratitude. As a gifted animal artist he had a natural 
ability for assessing sound, graceful, animals and this surely must have attracted Lionel to the Pharaoh Hound. 

In 1968 when visiting the islands of Malta and Gozo he looked at over a hundred dogs. He once related :"as soon as I 
set eyes on (one dog) Tico standing on a stone wall silhouetted against the blue Mediterranean sky I knew my quest was over. 
This was the dog I had dreamed about"
 Lionel imported three other hounds at the same time and along with the late Mrs Pauline Block was responsible for establishing the breed in the British Isles. His bitch, Birling Zahara, had the distinction of being the first Pharaoh Hound to grace the, then, red carpet 
at Crufts in 1971. Subsequent offspring of his were exported throughout the world under the kennelname Birling

Lionel helped to establish the Pharaoh Hound Club and was its Chairman for seven years, and has been its President for the last twenty-five years. In 1976 following a heart attack he had to give up keeping bigger dogs and with much regret he parted with his Pharaoh Hounds. This did not mean losing his interest or enthusiasm for the breed, and as a championship judge he always held very strong views about the character, breeding, and presentation of the breed when showing. His interest in the Pharaoh Hound Club has never diminished and he will be greatly missed.

 Dr Brian Sproule
 Vice-President of the Pharaoh Hound Club - January 2003




23-03-2010