Foxhound Background

Foxhound Background

Foxhounds are scent hounds, bred to hunt foxes by scent.

There are two main breeds of foxhounds:
- English Foxhound
- American Foxhound

The original foxhound, the English foxhound, was created in the late 1500s. The need for this breed arose because of the depletion of deer in England. Deer had been hunted for both for food and sport, using the Deerhound or Staghound known for their hunting capabilities. For sporting purposes a new prey was needed, and the fox was selected. This lead to the need for a breed with great hunting capabilities and so foxhound was created. The original English foxhound was made up of a careful mixing of the Greyhound, for speed, the Fox Terrier, for hunting instinct, and the Bulldog, for tenacity in the hunt.

A foxhound is a large hunting hound. Foxhounds hunt in packs and, like all scent hounds, have a strong sense of smell.

Intelligent creatures as they are, many foxhounds speedily learn to open gates or climb over 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 and all commands. Foxhounds are rarely street smart and will often follow a scent trail into the street ignoring all dangers.

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 substantially 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.

It is a very active breed that enjoys the hunt. Though it is slower than its cousin the American foxhound it enjoys running and will run all day with very few breaks in between.

There are very few health factors in the English foxhound. Occasionally they are reported to suffer from chronic hip dysplasia, renal disease, and epilepsy. The English foxhound’s lifespan is typically 10-13 years, although British hunts would routinely put working hounds down after 6-7 years hunting.

Studbooks for English foxhounds date back to the early 1800s.

The English foxhound is a very energetic breed. 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 attention.

The English foxhound is one of the rarest breed of dog in the United States according to AKC registration.


The American foxhound is a breed of dog that is a cousin to the English foxhound. In 1650, Robert Brooke sailed to America with his pack of hunting dogs, these are recorded as being the root of several strains of American Hounds. These dogs remained in the Brooke family for nearly 300 years

Standards for the American foxhound call for it 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 American foxhounds 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 believe that this is because of improved diet that these dogs receive. For years it was traditional to feed Foxhounds on a diet of "dog bread", this is a variation on cornbread. The legs of a American 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 in appearance to the Beagle, only standing higher and being larger.

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.

Foxhounds are easy to live with and thrive as members of a family; however, they 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.

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.

This American foxhound 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 American foxhound lifespan is generally 10-13 years.