American Foxhound

American Foxhound History

The Foxhound is descended from the ancient Norman Bloodhound, as a result of skillful breeding; crossed with the Greyhound for speed, the Bulldog for strength, and finally the Fox Terrier to equip them for a specialized form of hunting. At the beginning of the nineteenth century the Foxhound was the acme of hunting-dog breeding, used by the English aristocracy for fox hunting. There are lots of illustrations of men on horses dressed in blue and red outfits, rushing through the English countryside surrounded by enthusiastic packs of Foxhounds.

In 1770, George Washington bred the American Foxhound by crossing English Foxhounds with a variety of Greyhound called the Staghound, given to him by Lafayette.

American Foxhound Description

The American Foxhound is lighter than his cousin, the English Foxhound, but have similar characteristics. They were used during the American Colonial Period for hunting down Indians. American Foxhounds are faster and have a more acute sense of smell than their European counterparts. An interesting note is that since horses were unable to keep up with the American Foxhounds, they often became separated early on in the hunt. Fortunately, the dogs bark very loudly; allowing the hunters to follow their voices that can carry for long distances.

Until recently, foxhounds ears used to be cropped to prevent them from being torn by thorns or foxes' teeth during the hunt. They have regained their original appearance, with wide ears flopping against their cheeks. They have a shiny, often tri-colored coat of black, white, and red, or bi-colored with patches of either black or red over a white background.