English Foxhound

Description: The English Foxhound is a solid, well-built animal with lots of stamina, an essential ingredient in its development. They are stouter and slower than their cousin, the American Foxhound. English Foxhounds are almost entirely used for hunting as they can work for several hours without a break on a variety of terrain. They were bred for speed, enthusiasm, and a good voice for calling to their masters. Thusly, their bark is recognizable from far away. English Foxhounds have excellent endurance, able to run for an incredibly long amount of time. They are friendly and kind towards humans, and are especially good around kids. They are not easily trainable, however, and should begin at an early age. They are very enthusiastic about hunting, and will not be called off if they follow a "hot" scent. They have a strong prey drive, and will attempt to hunt anything the size and likeness of a fox. They get along well with other dogs, as they are raised in packs that work together to find prey. They have a solid voice and good attention span. English Foxhounds are lively, strong and noisy. Their pack skills allow them to adapt easily to following a "pack leader", or owner. They enjoy the company of humans, and with training and exercise, can become an excellent family pet.

Other Names: Foxhound

Type: Scenthound

Height: Females: 21 - 24 inches; Males: 22 - 27 inches.
Weight: 55 - 75 lbs.

Colors: Tricolor, black, white and tan or bicolor with a white background. They come in any hound color. They also have varied pied colors, white mixed with badger (which is a mix of white, grey, brown and black), yellow or tan.
Coat: Short, glossy and hard.

Temperament: English Foxhounds are active, friendly, strong and lively. They require more training for obedience, as they are difficult to train. The English Foxhound has great endurance, and needs adequate exercise to keep in shape. They are good with children and other dogs, but are prone to chase and hunt animals the size of foxes. They readily recognize their masters as "leader of the pack". They are eager for the hunt, gentle, and enjoy being with their pack leader.
With Children: Yes, but young dogs may be too exuberant for smaller children.
With Pets: Yes, with dogs. Other animals that may resemble a fox should be avoided, as this breed is meant for hunting them.
Special Skills: Fox hunting.

Watch-dog: High. They have a loud bark, and they like to use it.
Guard-dog: Low.

Care and Exercise: English Foxhounds need minimal coat care. Occasional rub down the coat with a rough cloth is sufficient. Exercise of English Foxhounds should be frequent and hard, as they should not be allowed to get fat. English Foxhounds are bred to have great endurance, so long exercise is a must.
Training: Firm, no nonsense leadership is required. Obedience training should begin early. The "come" command is the hardest to teach because of scent distraction. English Foxhounds are more difficult to train than other breeds.
Learning Rate: Low. Obedience - Medium. Problem Solving - Medium.

Activity: High. English Foxhounds are very energetic and enthusiastic.
Special Needs: Fenced yard, leash and exercise.
Living Environment: Not suited for urban living, the English Foxhound does best as a hunting dog or part of large pack kennel. An owner of a English Foxhound should really know about the breed, as they are not typically used a house pet. The best owner for this breed would be a kennel owner who is active and lives in a rural environment.

Health Issues: No serious genetic faults. The English Foxhound is a rather healthy breed.

Life Span: 10 + years.
Litter Size: 5 - 7 puppies, on average.

Country of Origin: Great Britain
History: The English Foxhound dates back to the thirteenth century where they were bred to hunt as part of a pack. Hunting foxes was all the rage back then, and they needed a hound that was quick, agile and hardy enough to chase small animals for long periods of time. Through using the St. Hubert Hound as the main stock, and possibly the Bloodhound and Talbot (now extinct), they bred French imports with native dogs to create this breed. The Saint Hubert hound attained its name from the Bishop of Liège, who later became Saint Hubert, who was the benefactor saint of hunters. It is also thought that the Greyhound contributed to the speed of the English Foxhound. The breed that resulted was quick, lean, had a good voice to alert hunters, was enthusiastic about hunting and had great endurance. English Foxhounds were expected to walk possibly 10 or 15 miles from the kennel, then be on the chase for up to 50 miles! The main function of this breed was to hunt foxes and other animals that size for the English, and they have a strong drive to do so. At first, English Foxhounds varied in size and shape according to where they lived in packs. Hounds from Yorkshire were particularly fast, while Staffordshire foxhounds were larger and had more bellowing voices. Later, by 1800, larger packs of the same type began to form, and owners scrupulously maintained pedigrees with their packs. As a result, most English Foxhounds today can trace their exact lineage back 150 years or more. In 1738, the first English Foxhound made its way to America. The dog's popularity grew, and even George Washington owned a pack. The highest number of puppies ever produced in the English Foxhound breed was by a mother named Lena, who whelped a record 23 pups in one litter--all surviving! Eventually, the American Foxhound developed from the English Foxhound. Today, the breed is still rarely ever kept as pets, and most are still used for hunts or shows.