American Foxhound
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 Description:
The American Foxhound is a large, handsome hound
which was bred to be lighter and taller than its
English cousin. The coat is of medium length,
and the texture is harsh. Legs are strong and
straight-boned, the chest is narrow, muzzle is
long and the eyes - which are either brown or
hazel - are large and set well apart. Ears are
moderately low and long. The American Foxhound
is very similar to the Beagle, just taller and
larger.
The American Foxhound does very well as a member
of the family. They do not like being left alone
for long periods and they require a lot of activity
- long walks and playing fetch. The breed is very
intelligent, their scent capability is superb
and their hunting instinct strong. The American
Foxhound has a loud, deep, prolonged howl which
can travel a great distance.
The root of several strains of American Hounds
is tied to Robert Brooke. In 1650, he sailed for
the Crown Colony in America bringing with him
a pack of hunting dogs. This family of dogs stayed
within the Brooke family for 300 years. In 1770,
George Washington received French Foxhounds as
a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette - many of
which were descended from Brooke’s hounds.
They were carefully bred with French hounds to
help create the present day American Foxhound.
Height:
The height for an American Foxhound is between
22 to 25 inches for dogs and 21 to 24 inches for
bitches.
Weight:
The height of an American Foxhound is between
65 to 70 pounds for dogs and 60 to 65 for bitches.
Coat Type:
The coat of the American Foxhound is smooth and
hard. Medium length.
Color:
The color of the American Foxhound's coat can
be of any color . Color combinations include black,
white and tan, white, black and tan, black, brown
and white, brown, white and tan and white and
red.
Temperament:
The American Foxhund is affectionate, gentle and
loving. His reaction to strangers can either be
very friendly or protective. This breed enjoys
company; it is not best to leave alone for extended
periods of time. The American Foxhound is excellent
with children and they generally do well with
other dogs, however, not with non-canine pets.
This energetic breed does well on farms, rural
areas or in homes with acreage.
Health Problems:
The American Foxhound is a fairly healthy breed.
It is free of many genetic diseases which are
common in large breeds such as hip and bone ailments.
They have a tendency to overeat if fed too much
resulting in weight gain. Thrombocytopathy, or
platelet disease is a minor health concern. Both
dysplasia (which is very rare in Foxhounds) and
eye issues have occasionally been noted. The life
expectancy of an American Foxhound is between
10-13 years.
Special Interest:
• George Washington's journals list more
than 30 hounds - several of the names noted include
"Drunkard," "Tipsy" and "Tipler".
• In 1852, a black and tan hound was stolen
out of Tennessee and taken to Madison County,
Kentucky. • The name of the hound - "Tennessee
Lead". It was this hound that became the
foundation sire of all Walker, Trigg and Goodman
foxhounds and it is these three strains which
make up the major portion of what is called American
Foxhounds by the AKC today.
• The American Foxhound serves four purposes:
field trial hounds, fox hunting hound, "trail"
hounds, and pack hounds.
Classifications:
AKC: Hound Group
CKC: Hounds - Group 2
FCI: Group 6 Section 1 Scenthounds
UKC: Scenthounds
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