American Foxhound
American Foxhound
Country of origin
United States
Common nicknames
Foxhound
Classification and breed standards
FCI:	Group 6 Section 1 #303	Stds
AKC:	Hounds	Stds
CKC:	Group 2 - Hounds	Stds
UKC:	Scenthounds	Stds

The American Foxhound is a breed of dog that is cousin to the English Foxhound. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt by scent. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1932 × 2576 pixel, file size: 1. ... Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) (English, World Canine Organization), is an international Kennel Club based in Thuin, Belgium. ... The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ... The Canadian Kennel Club (or C.K.C.) is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. ... The United Kennel Club (or UKC) is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. ... This Chihuahua mix and Great Dane show the wide range of dog breed sizes. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog Canis lupus is a type of canine, a mammal in the order Carnivora. ... The English Foxhound is the original of the two foxhound breeds of dog. ... Like most scent hounds, the Basset Hound has long ears, large nasal passages, and a sturdy body for endurance. ...

Appearance

While every standard calls for the American foxhound is about 21-25 inches (530-640 mm) tall to the withers, and weighs anywhere between 65-75 pounds (29-34 kg), many of them (especially the show strains) are larger, with males standing 26-29 inches (660-740 mm) and females 25-28 inches (640-710 mm). Some breeders have theorized that this is due to the considerably improved diet the dogs receive. For years it was traditional to feed Foxhounds on a diet of "dog bread," a variation on cornbread. The legs of a Foxhound 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 harsh. The withers is the highest point on an animals back, on the ridge between its shoulder blades. ...

An American Foxhound.

Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 536 pixel Image in higher resolution (3872 × 2592 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 536 pixel Image in higher resolution (3872 × 2592 pixel, file size: 3. ...

Temperament

The American Foxhound is sweet, kind, loyal, and very loving at a home. As with all hounds they need careful training, constant socialization, and owners who are willing to give them ample exercise: a bored foxhound will find ways to keep themselves entertained and can be very destructive, some examples of destruction include everything from scratching at doors to tearing apart objects and, being rather long, they have the ability to take things from counter-tops. If routine walks are not an option, access to a secure yard is a good alternative; however the best option would be constant access via a dog door and a secure yard. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A cat using a cat flap. ... A yard (abbreviation: yd) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ...

Intelligent creatures as they are, many foxhounds quickly learn to open gates or scale small fences to go wandering. While on the hunt the foxhound is a warrior, once a scent is picked up he or she will follow it neglecting any commands. Because their hunting instinct is strong they should never be trusted off-lead. Foxhounds are rarely street savvy and will follow a scent trail into the street where they can be hit by cars. Olfaction, the sense of smell, is the detection of chemicals dissolved in air (or, by animals that breathe water, in water). ...

Foxhounds are easy to live with and thrive as members of a family; however, they are not ideal apartment dogs and shouldn't be left alone indoors for extended periods of time. They do however, get along very well with children, especially small children; although one must always keep an eye when children and animals are interacting as it is not beyond any animal to bite or claw when they feel they are threatened. An apartment estate in Singapore; such blocks make up the majority of public housing in Singapore. ...

Foxhounds do not make good watch dogs; while more skittish hounds may howl when they see a newcomer, more often then not they will greet the newcomer affectionately hoping for treats or scratches behind the ears. This is due to centuries of breeding; any hound that growled or bore teeth at its master would not be bred or in some cases put down.

Most scent hounds are bred to give "voice". Foxhounds are not nuisance barkers but they do have loud, deep voices that carry a great distance. Although most people love the sound, many urban or suburban neighbors do not appreciate the deep barks or melodious howling of a foxhound; if an owner lives in such a situation it is advisable to train them with a Shock Collar for their first few months in residence. Look up urban in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Illustration of the backyards of a surburban neighbourhood Suburbs are inhabited districts located either on the outer rim of a city or outside the official limits of a city (the term varies from country to country), or the outer elements of a conurbation. ...

They cannot be expected to act like retrievers because, though affectionate, they are independent by nature. Although a few foxhounds have been trained in obedience, most will not follow commands unless it suits them. Training a foxhound can be a trying experience, training a retired foxhound that grew up in a Fox Hunt can be even worse, they can be stubborn and don’t respond to negative reinforcement well. Look up Obedience in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In operant conditioning, reinforcement is any change in an organisms surroundings that: occurs regularly when the organism behaves in a given way (that is, is contingent on a specific response), and is associated with an increase in the probability that the response will be made or in another measure...

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. While dysplasia was largely unknown in Foxhounds, it is beginning to crop up occasionally, along with some eye issues. It is not typical or customary for Foxhound breeders to screen for any hereditary disorders at this time. A genetic disorder, or genetic disease is a disease caused, at least in part, by the genes of the person with the disease. ...

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

The American Foxhound is an energetic breed. It needs plenty of exercise, for example, a fairly long walk followed by a game of fetch. Look up fetch, fetching in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

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. Year 1650 (MDCL) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Categories: Dog stubs | Dog types ...

George Washington received French Foxhounds, Grande Bleu de Gascogne, (which look much like an American Bluetick hound) as a gift from the Marquis deLafayette. Many of the dogs Washington kept were descended from Brooke’s, and when crossed with the French hounds, helped to create the present day American Foxhound. George Washington (February 22, 1732–December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and was later elected the first President of the United States. ... Lafayette, LaFayette, or La Fayette may refer to: // Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (Marquis de Lafayette), French hero of the American Revolution (sometimes referred to as the Marquis de la Fayette) Marie-Madeleine Pioche de la Vergne, comtesse de la Fayette (Madame de Lafayette), French author. ...

Though there has long been a rumour that the new breed was originally used for hunting Indigenous peoples of the Americas, this is not true. The breed was developed by landed gentry purely for the sport of hunting foxes. With the importation (or migration) of the red fox, Irish Foxhounds were added to the lines, to increase speed and stamina in the dog, qualities still prevalent in today's dogs.

Today there are several different strains of American Foxhound, including Walker, Goodman, Trigg, July and Penn-Marydel. Though the different strains look quite different, they are all recognized as members of the same breed. Most show hounds are Walkers, many of the pack hounds (used with hunting foxes on horseback) are Penn-Marydel and hunters use a variety of strains to suit their hunting style and quarry.

Miscellaneous

• The American Foxhound is Virginia's state animal.
• Although few are registered in the American Kennel Club, the American Foxhound is a very popular 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 its distant cousin, the Treeing Walker Coonhound).
• The novel The Hunter's Horn by Harriette Simpson Arnow features a pair of all white Walker Foxhounds.