English Foxhound: temperament, size, care and health

About the English Foxhound

The English Foxhound is a big, sturdy hound with strong straight legs, a deep chest, a level back and a long, broad head. The coat is short, hard and dense, usually tricolor with a white base and black and tan patches, though many hound colors are accepted. Dogs stand twenty-one to twenty-five inches tall, and the bone is heavy for the height. It is built to run all day behind horses.

The breed was developed in England as a pack hound for fox hunting, and the key traits are stamina, a good nose, a voice that carries and an easy temperament in a group. Foxhounds are rare as pets in North America, and most are still hunted in organized packs. Retired hunt hounds are sometimes placed in homes, and when they are, they need a very active household.

Temperament and family life

An English Foxhound is friendly, mild and sociable, getting on well with other dogs. It was bred to live in a kennel with a pack, and many do best with canine company. It is usually gentle with children, though its size and bounce can be too much for small ones. It tends to greet strangers with cheer and is a poor guard dog.

The pack instinct also means that it follows a scent with great determination. Small animals can trigger a chase, although a hound raised with cats may accept them. A Foxhound left alone for long periods will bay, dig and escape. The breed is not quick to take direction, but it is not hostile or difficult, simply focused on its own work.

Exercise and training

This is a breed with enormous stamina, and it needs far more than a stroll. A suitable home provides long daily runs, hikes or rides beside a bicycle or a horse, and a tall, strong fence. Foxhounds are hard to contain, because they jump and dig and follow a scent for miles. They should not be allowed off leash in unfenced areas.

Training takes patience. The dog is intelligent but independent, and it has been bred to work in a pack under a huntsman, not to respond to individual cues. Start socialization and basic manners early, using food rewards and short sessions. Recall is limited, and the dog may not be reliable around distractions even after serious training. A crate helps in the house.

Grooming and shedding

The coat needs very little work. A weekly rub with a hound mitt or rubber brush takes out dead hair, and baths are needed only now and then. The coat sheds moderately all year.

Ears should be examined and cleaned regularly. Working hounds need their feet, legs and skin checked after outings for cuts, ticks and burrs. Nails wear down on hard ground but should be checked.

Health

The English Foxhound is a hardy breed with few breed-specific problems, owing to long selection for working ability. Hip dysplasia, kidney disease, epilepsy and ear infections are reported, and the deep chest creates a risk of bloat. Obesity is a danger for a dog that does not run enough. Because the population is small and mostly working, formal health testing is less established than in many breeds, though hip evaluation is encouraged. What is written here about the English Foxhound is general, and only a veterinarian can advise on an individual dog.

History

The breed developed in England over several centuries, with packs of hounds kept by landowners for hunting stag and later fox. The Masters of Foxhounds built careful pedigrees, and stud books for some packs go back to the eighteenth century. English hounds were taken to the American colonies, where they became the root stock for the American Foxhound and several coonhounds. The American Kennel Club recognized the English Foxhound in 1909.

Is the English Foxhound right for you?

A Foxhound suits an experienced owner with land, a secure fence and a very active routine, such as riding or distance running. It is a poor fit for suburban homes, for apartment dwellers or for anyone wanting a trainable house dog.

The American Foxhound is a slightly lighter, longer-legged relative. For a smaller, easier-to-manage hound, look at the Beagle or the Harrier.