A descendent of the English Fox Hound, the American Fox Hound is a scent hound, developed to hunt foxes. Originally brought to America from England, the variation is definitely distinguishable from its cousins. It is lighter and taller, has a better sense of smell and is a faster runner. There are also the influences of the French Fox Hound in the breed, which was given to George Washington as a gift who then crossbred both kinds of dogs. There are many mentions of Fox Hounds to be found in the journals of George Washington.

Appearance

Fox Hounds are large dogs, standing anywhere between 21 and 29 inches. While the breed standard does call for them to be between 21 and 25 inches, many dogs are larger. They will usually weigh between 20 and 29 kilograms. The dog has long, slender legs, a narrow chest and a long body. The snout is long and the forehead domed. They have wide ears. The coat is short and coarse to the touch. American Fox Hounds come in four variations of colour, red, black and tan, tri colour and blue.

Temperament

By nature Fox hounds are quite loving and affectionate. They enjoy to be in the company of their master, their family and other dogs. They get along well with children if exposed to them from an early age.

Intelligent and active dogs, Fox Hounds will need to have both their minds and bodies kept active. If left idle in a backyard for too long they will become destructive. Long walks which include plenty of socialisation with other dogs are a must. Throughout their lives, it is important that socialisation continues, otherwise behavioural problems may start to emerge.

While at work on a hunt, Fox Hounds are known to be courageous, never hesitating at a challenge and never giving in before theirs masters call. They have plenty of stamina, and will never seem to run out of energy, whether on a hunt, a walk or just playing in the backyard.

Working and Tasks

The Fox Hound is a natural hunter, and has been used for this purpose for many years and still is to this day.

Fox Hounds are not good guard dogs. Their friendly nature will see them excitedly greeting visitors, whether they are friends or strangers. They have a loud bark, which was purposely developed to call the attention of their master while on a hunt.

While they are apt at hunting they do not excel at obedience. They are trainable and with some work and patience they will follow commands, but obedience is definitely not their forte.

Health

Fox Hounds are generally healthy and will live to around 13 years of age. They are for the most part free of any genetic disorders that many purebred dogs suffer from, but there are rare instances of eye disease and hip problems. They do have a tendency to put weight on very quickly if they are overfed. Their short coat is easy to care for and only requires a small amount of grooming. They tend to shed an average amount of hair.