English foxhound Breed description: Character & Co

Facts & Origin

The hunting dog from Great Britain: English Foxhound

The English Foxhound has a long tradition as a hunting dog. Today it has also arrived as a family dog. Since the Middle Ages, this agile pack dog has been used mainly for fox hunting. It is a running dog that has been specifically and more uniformly bred since about the 19th century. The British breed is recognized by the FCI in FCI Group 6, Section 1.1, Standard No. 159.

Besides its country of origin, Great Britain, it is also bred today in Germany and other countries.

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Alternate Name	Foxhound, Fox Hound
Origin	UK
Life expectancy	10 - 13 years
Care requirements	low-maintenance

Activity level	high
FCI group	Scent hounds
AKC group	Hound Group
KC group	Hound Group

Attitude, character and temperament of the breed

For experienced dog connoisseurs

The English Foxhound is still very popular for drag hunts. For this purpose, it is often kept in pack kennels. These dogs are then highly socialized and work in harmony with their conspecifics. However, they are not suitable as family dogs. If you are interested in the breed, a young animal should be integrated into the family routine at an early stage and thus be imprinted on the people. One must be able to deal with the high hunting instinct. Thus, the English Foxhound is good for experienced dog owners. They are dogs that can ideally live in a fenced yard or in a quieter location. They tend to be uncomfortable in a hectic city or in a small apartment. Despite this, they usually have a very friendly nature towards older children, strangers and other dogs.

High energy level - The hunting instinct of the English Foxhound

The English Foxhound has a high hunting drive and can be exercised by hunting or other activities. Associations such as the German Riders and Drivers Association are one way to train your dog for drag hunting. There are many associations of interest that are at the same time subject to many guidelines and a code of honor. The respectful treatment of nature, animals and the environment are specified therein.

The English Foxhound as a companion

The English Foxhound is therefore a good choice for these activities:

As a working dog for drag hunting in a pack, its abilities come into their own.
As a sporting dog for runners or for daily endurance training, he is in good condition, but should be kept on a leash.
In a fenced yard or garden it can still be well exercised, in the apartment it can quickly become bored.

Character

active
friendly
companionable
meek
tolerant
affable

Usage

Hunting Dog
Family Dog

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Health and breeding information

Breeding

If you are interested in the Foxhound, you can get valuable information about keeping as well as breeders from established and experienced hunting and working dog associations. In a more casual way it is also suitable as a companion for passionate runners, for example, because of its endurance and condition. However, your English Foxhound should be fully exercised every day.

Generally it is to be distinguished whether the Foxhound comes from a pack and was bred for the hunt. If you are looking for more of a companion, there are breeders who breed for shows. It is worthwhile to inform yourself beforehand and to make sure where the dog can be trained. The very active dog is not suitable for households with small children. Therefore it should be considered that it is a pack dog. It is a rather rare breed, which at the same time does not have many special diseases. However, they have a predisposition to hound ataxia, similar to the beagle.

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What does the Foxhound look like?

It is categorized as a large running dog and has an average height at the withers of about 58-64 cm. Weighing up to 35 kg, it has a rather slender build, which makes him very nimble. Its dense and smooth coat is well suited for working in the woods and is easily brushed when needed. The following colors are recognized in the standard:

White is the lightest variety and usually has even smaller markings.
White and black is also possible, whereby mostly back and ears are darker.
White and orange with brown-red markings is probably the best known color, which can occur in many combinations with larger or smaller color spots.

Fur length	short
Fur
Ear shape	Floppy Ear
Tail	lang
Anatomy	slim, sporty

Size ♀	53 - 61 cm
Weight ♀	35 - 32 kg
Size ♂	56 - 63 cm
Weight ♂	27 - 34 kg
Suitable For

Colors

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Known Diseases

Ataxia

Ataxia (from Greek ἀταξία ataxia 'disorder' 'irregularity') is a generic term in medicine for various disorders of movement coordination. Ataxia can occur even when there is no paralysis (paresis), that is, when there is normal muscle strength.