Dog Breeds 101: American Foxhound

Photo – Wikipedia – lic. under CC 2.0

The Foxhound is considered to be one of the oldest American breeds but ironically, it is also one of the least known. Today, they are usually found on the Atlantic Seaboard or Southern United States as a member of a pack owned by a foxhunting club. [1]

The origin of the breed is all thanks to the European settlers who brought their hounds with them when they moved to America. They aimed to develop a dog that would be lighter, taller and faster than its English cousin. It also needs a keener sense of smell to suit the game and terrain of the new country. They bred together Irish, English and French hounds and the American Foxhound was born. Today, the American Foxhounds are classified into four categories: field trial hounds which are known for their speed; slow-trailing hounds which are used for hunting foxes on foot; drag hounds which are raced or hunted using an artificial lure instead of a real prey and pack hounds, used by hunters on horseback. [2]

The gentle and easygoing American Foxhound gets along very well with children. It is known for its docile and sweet nature but can also be reserved towards unfamiliar people. This is an active breed which requires a lot of exercise. The ideal home for the American Foxhound is anywhere where there is plenty of room to run. Due to its independence and natural instinct to follow a scent, it needs obedience training to make it an ideal pet. A Foxhound who picks up a scent will follow it no matter what and will ignore commands. Training this breed needs patience because of the dog’s stubbornness. [3]

The American Foxhound is described to have a bell-like voice that can be heard for miles. This makes them great watchdogs but their barking and baying might irritate neighbors who doesn’t want to be disturbed. [2]