Foxhound

A foxhound is a type of large hunting hound, not a single breed. Foxhounds were bred for a strong hunting drive, a keen nose, a carrying voice, energy and speed. In fox hunting, the sport that gave them their name, a pack follows the scent of the quarry while the hunters ride behind, sometimes for several miles at a stretch. Foxhounds have also been used at times to guard sheep and houses.

Several breeds belong to the type, and each tends to be called simply the Foxhound in its own country: the American Foxhound, the English Foxhound, the Welsh Foxhound and the Dumfriesshire Black and Tan Foxhound, which is extinct. The Masters of Foxhounds Association in America recognizes American, Penn-Marydel, English and crossbred foxhounds.

History

George Washington bred foxhounds and enjoyed hunting with them. He called his pack the Virginia Hounds and tried to breed a faster, more intelligent dog; a female named Sweet Lips came out of that effort. The American Foxhound is now the state dog of Virginia.

In 1814 the Duke of Leeds gave two Irish foxhounds, Mountain and Muse, to a visitor named Bolton Jackson. The pair changed hands several times before reaching Charles Carroll’s Homewood estate, and their descendants still hunt in Maryland.

Fox hunting itself has changed over the years and differs from country to country. In some places the aim is now the chase and not the kill, and other animals, such as the coyote, are followed as well as the fox.

As show and pet dogs foxhounds are uncommon. In 2005 the American Kennel Club recorded 22 English Foxhounds and 44 American Foxhounds, making them its least and fourth-least registered breeds that year. An International Foxhound Association was set up in 2012 to promote the foxhound around the world.

Appearance

Foxhounds are medium-large dogs that look much like a big Beagle. Males typically stand 55 to 63 cm (22 to 25 in) and weigh 29 to 32 kg (65 to 70 lb); females stand 53 to 60 cm (21 to 24 in) and weigh 27 to 29 kg (60 to 65 lb). They have a short coat, long, strong legs and a deep chest that gives plenty of room for the lungs.

Temperament

Foxhounds are generally gentle and affectionate. They are sociable dogs that enjoy being part of a pack, as they were bred to hunt in one, and they have great stamina.

Care and health

These are highly active, energetic dogs that need plenty of exercise.

Among foxhound puppies, the most common causes of death are respiratory disease, anorexia and dehydration, skin disorders and gastrointestinal disease. In late 2016 and early 2017 a kennel of working English Foxhounds in the south of England had an outbreak of tuberculosis that affected 180 hounds. The hounds were fed raw meat, and investigators considered whether meat from areas with bovine tuberculosis was the source.

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