Read a lot of the books already mentioned. All of Dahl's books, Danny being my favourite. Jesus Boots, Under Goliath were school reading staples. Plummer, Harcombe, Drabble.
Read a fiction book once about an old terrierman on the Fells who'd fallen out with the local hunt. One of their hounds followed a fox to ground in a drain type thing and they had to come and ask the old man to bring his dog to help get it out. His old dog succeeded but died after. Anyone know it & what it's called?