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The
American Foxhound
By Michael Russell
The American Foxhound evolved from the dogs who were originally
brought into this country as English Foxhounds by early settlers
before the United States became independent from Great Britain.
The
American Foxhound - The Keen Sense of Smell
By Kelly Marshall
The American Foxhound came to America In 1650, when Robert
Brooke from Britain sailed to America with his pack of hunting
dogs. His pack of hunting dogs were the beginnings of several
strains of American Hounds. It is said that this breed is a
"cousin" to the English Foxhound, which is also a scent hound.
Adopting
Puppies - American Foxhound Appearance And Personality
By Connie Limon
The American Foxhound is a good choice for people who live in
rural areas or on large farms.
A
Guide to The American Foxhound
By Ashley Peach
As you can imagine there are many hounds that have been used for
fox hunting and other hunting over the years. In the UK most are
familiar with the foxhounds. The American foxhound is really
just another breed of the UK foxhound that has been adapted. If
you are looking for a lovable dog that will want to play,
exercise, and have a generally good time in your back yard you
may be interested in the American foxhound.
American
Foxhound - Dog Breeds
By John M Williams
The American Foxhound is a very large breed, also very similar
to the Beagle, only standing higher and being larger. It's
tamely energetic and requires lots of exercise to stay healthy.
It's loyal and loving and fits nicely as a companion, and would
also be useful as a guard/watch dog due its large size if it
wasn't for it's tame response to strangers. This is due to many
many years of breeding. Any hound that would dare to growl or
bare its teeth to its owner or master would be put down or
refusal of breeding would be ordered. It is however not an easy
breed to train and therefore not a good choice for newcomers to
dog owning. They don't either fit very well in apartments, or in
larger cities.
English Foxhound Puppy And Dog Information
By Mitch Endick
The English Foxhound is a very active dog that was used to hunt
in packs. She does well with other dogs due to her heritage. She
is not considered a family pet because she really needs other
dogs and she also must be exercised extensively. She is a very
healthy breed and easy as far as grooming is concerned. She is
good with children. As a reminder, never leave a child
unsupervised with a puppy or dog.
Is An American Foxhound Puppy The Right Choice For Me And My
Family?
By Mitch Endick
The American Foxhound is loving, sweet and kind. They can be
good with children and other dogs but they are hunters so do not
trust them with other pets. They do not do well in apartments
but can make a good family pet, they can adapt if started at an
early age.
foxhound wallpaper image
A foxhound is a large
hunting hound. Foxhounds hunt in packs and, like all scent
hounds, have a strong sense of smell. They are used in hunts for
foxes, hence the name. When out hunting they are followed
usually on horseback and will travel several miles to catch
their target. These dogs have strong natural instincts to hunt
and are energetic and active.
There are two breeds of foxhound, each often called simply
Foxhound in their native countries:
* American Foxhound
* English Foxhound
American Foxhound
The American Foxhound is a breed of dog that is cousin to the
English Foxhound. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt by scent.
Description
Appearance
While standards call for the American foxhound to be about 21-25
inches (530-640 mm) tall to the withers, and weigh anywhere
between 65-75 pounds (29-34 kg), many of them are larger in
structure (especially the show strains), with males standing
26-29 inches (660-740 mm) and females 25-28 inches (640-710 mm)
and smaller in weight, typically between 40-65 pounds (20-29
kg). Some breeders have theorized that this is due to the
considerably improved diet the dogs receive. For years it was
traditional to feed Foxhounds on a diet of "dog bread", a
variation on cornbread. The legs of a Foxhound are very long and
straight-boned. The foxhound’s chest is rather narrow. It has a
long muzzle, and a large, domed skull. The ears are wide and
low-set. The eyes are hazel or brown, and are large and
wide-set. The coat is short and harsh. Overall, they are very
similar to the Beagle, only standing higher and being larger.
Temperament
The American Foxhound is sweet, kind, loyal, and very loving at
a home. As with all hounds they need careful training, constant
socialization, and owners who are willing to give them ample
exercise: a bored foxhound will find ways to keep themselves
entertained and can be very destructive, some examples of
destruction include everything from scratching at doors to
tearing apart objects and, being rather long, they have the
ability to take things from counter-tops. If routine walks are
not an option, access to a secure yard is a good alternative;
however the best option would be constant access via a dog door
and a secure yard.
Intelligent creatures as they are, many foxhounds quickly learn
to open gates or scale small fences to go wandering. While on
the hunt the foxhound is a warrior, once a scent is picked up he
or she will follow it neglecting any commands. Because their
hunting instinct is strong they should never be trusted
off-lead. Foxhounds are rarely street savvy and will follow a
scent trail into the street where they could get hit by a car.
Foxhounds are easy to live with and thrive as members of a
family; however, they are not ideal apartment dogs and shouldn't
be left alone indoors for extended periods of time. They do
however, get along very well with children, especially small
children; although one must always keep an eye when children and
animals are interacting as it is not beyond any animal to bite
or claw when they feel they are threatened.
Foxhounds do not make good watchdogs; while more skittish hounds
may howl when they see a newcomer, more often than not they will
greet the newcomer affectionately hoping for treats or scratches
behind the ears. This is due to centuries of breeding; any hound
that growled or bared its teeth at its master would not be bred
or in some cases put down.
Most scent hounds are bred to give "voice". Foxhounds are not
nuisance barkers but they do have loud, deep voices that carry a
great distance. Although most people love the sound, many urban
or suburban neighbors do not appreciate the deep barks or
melodious howling of a foxhound.
They cannot be expected to act like retrievers because, though
affectionate, they are independent by nature. Although a few
foxhounds have been trained in obedience, most will not follow
commands unless it suits them. Training a foxhound can be a
trying experience, training a retired foxhound that grew up in a
Fox Hunt can be even worse, they can be stubborn and don’t
respond to negative reinforcement well.
Health
This breed is not generally a breed that carries genetic
disorders. Overfeeding these dogs can easily cause them to gain
weight. A minor health risk in American Foxhounds is
thrombocytopathy, or platelet disease. While dysplasia was
largely unknown in Foxhounds, it is beginning to crop up
occasionally, along with some eye issues. It is not typical or
customary for Foxhound breeders to screen for any hereditary
disorders at this time.
The breed's lifespan is generally 10-13 years.
The American Foxhound is an energetic breed. It needs plenty of
exercise, for example, a fairly long walk followed by a game of
fetch.
History
In 1650, Robert Brooke sailed to Crown Colony in America with
his pack of hunting dogs, which were the root of several strains
of American Hounds. These dogs remained in the Brooke family for
nearly 300 years.
George Washington received French Foxhounds, Grand Bleu de
Gascogne, (which look much like an American Bluetick hound) as a
gift from the Marquis de Lafayette. Many of the dogs Washington
kept were descended from Brooke’s, and when crossed with the
French hounds, helped to create the present day American
Foxhound.
Though there has long been a rumor that the new breed was
originally used for hunting Indigenous peoples of the Americas,
this is not true. The breed was developed by landed gentry
purely for the sport of hunting foxes. With the importation (or
migration) of the red fox, Irish Foxhounds were added to the
lines, to increase speed and stamina in the dog, qualities still
prevalent in today's dogs.
Today there are several different strains of American Foxhound,
including Walker, Goodman, Trigg, July and Penn-Marydel. Though
the different strains look quite different, they are all
recognized as members of the same breed. Most show hounds are
Walkers, many of the pack hounds (used with hunting foxes on
horseback) are Penn-Marydel and hunters use a variety of strains
to suit their hunting style and quarry.
English Foxhound
The English Foxhound is the original of the
two foxhound breeds of dog. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt
by scent.
Description
Appearance
The English Foxhound is about 21-25 inches tall to the withers,
and weighs anywhere between 65-75 pounds, although some English
Foxhounds bred for the show ring can be considerably bigger,
with some males weighing over 100 pounds. The skull is wide, the
muzzle is long, and eyes carry a sweet expression. The legs are
muscular, straight-boned, and the paws are rounded, almost
cat-like.
Temperament
The English Foxhound was originally a pack hound, therefore, it
gets along well with other dogs and enjoys human companionship.
It gets along with horses, children, and other pets, as it is a
gentle, social, and tolerant breed.
It is a very active breed that enjoys the hunt. Though it is
slower than the American Foxhound it enjoys running and will run
all day with very few breaks in between.
Health and lifespan
There are very few health factors in this breed. Occasionally
seen are chronic hip dysplasia, renal disease, and epilepsy. The
breed's lifespan is typically 10-13 years, although British
hunts would routinely put working hounds down after 6-7 years
hunting.
History
The English Foxhound was created in the late 1500s, as a result
of the perception of the depletion of deer in England. Nobles
and Royalty had hunted deer for both food and sport, using the
Deerhound or Staghound for this purpose. During the reign of
Henry VIII, it was perceived that a new prey was needed, and the
fox was selected. The English Foxhound was then created by a
careful mixing of the Greyhound, for speed, the Fox Terrier, for
hunting instinct, and the Bulldog, for tenacity in the hunt.
Studbooks for this breed were kept as early as the 1800s.
The dogs were meant to trail foxes and live around horses. They
are still used for those purposes.
Exercise
The English Foxhound is a very energetic breed. It needs plenty
of exercise. This breed needs area to run. If confined to a
small area, the foxhound may become destructive. The apartment
life is not one for the English Foxhound, but the breed can
thrive in a suburban setting, given the proper exercise and
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