American 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.

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Appearance

The American foxhound is about 21-25 inches tall to the withers, and weighs anywhere between 65-75 pounds. Its legs 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 rough.

Temperament

The American Foxhound is sweet, kind, loyal, and loving at home. On the hunt, however, the foxhound is a warrior. Once a scent is picked up, the foxhound will follow it, neglectful of commands. If you live in the country, the very vigorous foxhound can be a charming pet. If you live in the suburbs, look for the show strain as the hunting strain may need too much exercise. Apartment dwellers should not consider owning a foxhound, unless they have access to a spacious dog run, and are prepared to exercise the dog every day.

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.

The breed's lifespan is generally 10-13 years.

The American Foxhound is a very 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 as a gift from Lafayette. He bred his dogs with Brooke’s, creating the present day American Foxhound.

The new breed was originally used for hunting Indians.citation needed] Later, they became great hunters of wild animals, and that is how most are used still today.

Miscellaneous

• The American Foxhound is Virginia's state animal.
• Although few are registered in the American Kennel Club, the American Foxhound is a very common dog in the Southern United States. Most breeders do not register with the kennel clubs because they are mainly interested in producing working hunters and not show dogs. Instead their dogs are registered in stud books published by the Foxhound publications Chase and the Hunter's Horn.
• The most famous strain of American Foxhound is the Walker (not to be confused with the Treeing Walker Coonhound).
• The novel The Hunter's Horn by Harriette Simpson Arnow features a pair of all white Walker Foxhounds.