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English Foxhound

sociable / affectionate / gentle
Hound Group >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

24 inches

Weight

60-75 pounds

Life Expectancy

10-13 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    100% 100%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    20% 20%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    40% 40%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    80% 80%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    80% 80%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    80% 80%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    80% 80%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    80% 80%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    100% 100%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    80% 80%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    100% 100%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    20% 20%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    40% 40%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    80% 80%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    80% 80%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    80% 80%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    80% 80%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    80% 80%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    100% 100%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    80% 80%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

The English Foxhound is a large, powerful, galloping dog. His long legs are as solid and straight as a gatepost. The back is level in every way. Additionally, the chest is unusually deep, “girthing” up to 31 inches on a hound measuring 24 inches at the shoulder, guaranteeing that there is enough lung capacity for a strenuous day of hunting. Although gentle and social, these pack-oriented, scent-driven hounds are rarely kept as indoor pets. They may be so consumed by a primal urge to pursue something that they may not give any thought to training. The finest people to own these wonderful animals are huntsmen who keep packs of hounds or people who have experience overcoming unique problems with swift, powerful hounds that are hardwired for the job.

The English Foxhound embodies the qualities of beauty, balance, and usefulness that serious dog breeders want to achieve. The long legs are as solid and straight as a gatepost. The back is level in every way. Additionally, the chest is unusually deep, “girthing” up to 31 inches on a hound measuring 24 inches at the shoulder, guaranteeing that there is enough lung capacity for a strenuous day of hunting. A poet once said, “There are few such combinations of grace and strength as in a fine Foxhound, next to an old Greek statue.”

 

What To Expect When Caring For a English Foxhound

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

In general, English Foxhounds have good health. There are a number of health issues that owners should be aware of. For example, huge and deep-chested breeds are prone to bloat, a sudden, potentially fatal gastrointestinal disease. English Foxhound owners should become familiar with the warning signals and remedies for them. The Foxhound's low-hanging ears should be periodically examined because they are susceptible to infection. Use toothpaste made for dogs to brush their teeth frequently. To ensure the dog has a long and healthy life, regular trips to the vet for checks and parasite management are recommended.

Grooming

The short, dense, glossy, and durable coat of the English Foxhound requires little upkeep. An occasional bath (with gentle shampoo) can help prevent the dog from having a dog odor. Weekly brushing with a soft-bristle brush or a hound glove can help to remove dirt and loose hair and keep the dog looking his best. Regularly check the ears and clean them if necessary using soft gauze and an ear-cleaning solution; the dog's breeder or the vet can suggest a good brand. If the nails don't naturally wear down, they should be regularly cut because excessively long nails can make a dog uncomfortable and make it difficult for it to run and walk.

Exercise

Although the English Foxhound is a laid-back dog, it does require a lot of regular outdoor activity and exercise. The breed is suitable for an active family with a large amount of land. English Foxhounds shouldn't live in cities or apartments since their space will be too constrained. Although they are energetic dogs, given the right amount of exercise, they can be friendly, gregarious, and laid back inside. They can be great jogging and hiking buddies because they are designed to run for kilometers. For this breed, daily long, brisk walks are essential. Keep the dog on a leash unless in a secure contained location because scent hounds may want to rush off and investigate an intriguing scent. The breed can participate in obedience, tracking, agility, coursing ability tests, rally, and other canine sports and activities.

Training

Like many other hounds, English Foxhounds generally have an independent nature and can be stubborn. Training takes consistency, patience, and an understanding of scent hound temperament. They respond well to calm, loving, but firm leadership and are willing and able to be obedient once the pack order is established. As pack hounds, they love the companionship of other dogs and people, so they do well in families with other dogs and children. Early socialization and puppy training classes are recommended and help to ensure that the English Foxhound grows into a well-adjusted, well-mannered companion.

Nutrition

English Foxhounds should be fed premium dog food that is suitable for their age (puppy, adult, or senior) and degree of activity. Discover which foods fit the bill for canine consumption and which don't. If you have any queries or worries regarding your dog's weight or diet, speak to your veterinarian or the breeder. Fresh, clean water must always be accessible.

History

In the enormous woodlands that had taken over Britain during the Dark Ages that followed the fall of the Roman Empire, lords and their hounds would hunt stag in ancient England. Foxes, those cunning henhouse thieves, were regarded as merely a task for humble farmers and groundskeepers. With the end of the Middle Ages, this altered. The forests shrank and the number of deer decreased as the number of people increased. The British gentry gradually phased out stag hunting in favor of a new kind of prey: the red fox, in order to maintain their ritualized horses-and-hounds pastime. The 1600s saw the beginning of the typical British foxhunt, which featured packs of howling hounds and mounted hunters dashing over rolling acres of lawn and hedge. “Masters of hounds” bred large stag-hunting hounds (for nose and endurance) with lanky Greyhound-type hounds (for speed and agility) to create a dog for this lordly hobby. The outcome was the English Foxhound, whose appearance and temperament have astonishingly not changed over time. Foxhunts had become extremely popular among the English upper class by the 1700s. By conducting English-style foxhunts on their plantations, colonial American sportsmen—including George Washington and his affluent neighbors in Virginia—recreated a little of their native land. Washington played a significant role in the development of the American Foxhound, a taller, leaner hound created by mating English Foxhounds to imported French hounds from the Marquis de Lafayette’s kennels. It is likely also that English Foxhound blood courses through the veins of coonhound breeds developed by American frontiersmen.