American Foxhound

40-65 lbs
21-24"
United States
Foxhound

Like their English cousin, the American Foxhound is an excellent hunting companion developed for club hunting in packs.  However, this avid tracker is lighter on their feet and taller than their European relations, and faster in the chase.  A sweet and affectionate breed, they are calm while indoors but love to run outdoors.  This breed has a short, smooth coat and is considered an average shedder that requires little grooming, though brushing their coat with a firm-bristle brush is recommended.  This athlete is also known for their musical bay and tones that have enchanted owners for years.  Owners are said to be able to distinguish their Foxhound’s individual voice in large packs.

purpose Purpose
Hunting
history Date of Origin
1600s
ancestry Ancestry
English Foxhound

American Foxhound Health

Average Size
Male American Foxhound size stats
Height: 22-25 inches Weight: 40-65 lbs
Female American Foxhound size stats
Height: 21-24 inches Weight: 40-65 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Usually A Very Healthy Breed
Minor Concerns
  • Ear Infections
  • Thrombocytopathy
Occasional Diagnoses
  • Hip Dysplasia
Occasional Tests
  • X-Rays
  • Ear Examination
  • Blood Analysis
  • Complete Physical Examination

American Foxhound Breed History

The American Foxhound is one of the first and few breeds to originate in the United States.  Their name is borrowed from the English Foxhound who was known as a fox hunting pack dog throughout western Europe.  The first American Foxhounds were brought to the Americas in the mid-1600s and were established as a black-and-tan variety.  The working pack of Robert Brooke was the ancestral group for all current-day American hounds, including the Foxhound's cousins, the Coonhounds. In the 1700s, French hound imports, which were slightly larger than this tracker, were brought in to increase the Foxhound's size.  Most notable for record-keeping on breed selection is first President of the United States, George Washington, who bred and hunted with Foxhounds throughout his life.  Once established as a larger breed, Irish-descended hounds were later imported in the 1830s to increase the speed of this dog.  Today's American Foxhound is an all-American, having been crossed with English, French, and Irish hounds. This agile canine was originally bred as a pack hunting dog, particularly for fox club hunting.  Today, the dog remains a pack hunter and favorite among American hunters for their speed and scenting abilities.  The American Kennel Club officially recognized the American Foxhound in 1886, but registration numbers remain extremely low for this breed.  However, they are one of the most popular of the "less popular" dogs because many owners do not register their pedigree. These dogs serve their owner as a member of large hunting packs and are often registered with the International Foxhunter's Studbook, published by The Chase.

American Foxhound Breed Appearance

The American Foxhound standard is tri-colored, either black, white, and tan or white, black, and tan, though a Foxhound can be born with any color combination, including red and blue.  The tail of the Foxhound is set high and ends with a slight brush but does not curl over the back.  The coat is medium length, close to the skin, and hard in order to protect them while running through rough terrain.  Their head is long and with floppy ears set moderately low.  When drawn out, the ears nearly touch the tip of the nose, but not quite.  They have a deep chest to accommodate a great lung capacity for running.  With a back that is straight, long, and muscular, their forelegs are straight from the elbows to the paws with foxlike feet and thick, hard pads.  This breed's hips and thighs are heavily muscled leading into straight thin legs, which demonstrate the Foxhound's great fleet ability and powerful propulsion. 

Eye Color Possibilities
hazel American Foxhound eyes
Hazel
brown American Foxhound eyes
Brown
Nose Color Possibilities
black American Foxhound nose
Black
brown American Foxhound nose
Brown
Coat Color Possibilities
black American Foxhound coat
Black
brown American Foxhound coat
Brown
red American Foxhound coat
Red
cream American Foxhound coat
Cream
blue American Foxhound coat
Blue
white American Foxhound coat
White
pied American Foxhound coat
Pied
Coat Length
coat
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
coat density
pin
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
coat texture
American Foxhound straight coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

American Foxhound Breed Maintenance

Maintaining your American Foxhound is relatively easy if you lead an active lifestyle.  Give them attention and exercise and take care of their hygiene needs to have a fine addition to the family. The Foxhound’s coat is hard and straight, and they shed moderately so you don’t have to groom and brush them as often as other breeds. However, brushing your Foxhound can help you bond and will also reduce the frequency of required baths. Brushing your dog will also help cut down on the dog odor smell so often characteristic of hounds.  A dog’s skin is far more sensitive than people’s, and the Foxhound should only be bathed when necessary; like after running through the mud. Brush their teeth twice a week at minimum to stay ahead of dental issues. This active dog may wear down their nails, but check them weekly for tears and grind or clip them as necessary.

Brushes for American Foxhound
Slicker Brush
Slicker Brush
Deshedder
Deshedder
Nail Clipper
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
fur daily fur weekly fur monthly
American Foxhound requires weekly brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

American Foxhound Temperament

Like other hounds, the American Foxhound can be stubborn and prey-minded, especially once they pick up the scent. With proper training, your Foxhound can be very affectionate with people.  They are also very tolerant of strangers, so they do not make good guard dogs but they are great with children and other medium to large dogs. If you keep other dogs, you must be sure to socialize your Foxhound with people often and from a young age.  Human socialization will prevent a strong pack bond over the family bond.  You want your Foxhound to respond to you as the pack leader, not another dog. Unlike some other hound breeds, your Foxhound can live in harmony with smaller pets, such as cats, rabbits, or bird. However, you must introduce the small pet to your Foxhound at an early age and even so, it’s not advised to leave a small pet alone with a Foxhound since they are bred for the chase. Overall, the Foxhound is a sweet dog with a lot of patience, but bred for activity.  They are not a great choice for novice dog owners, especially those living in urban areas.  This is an intelligent, active breed that will find some way to occupy themselves, and in a potentially destructive manner, if they don't have space or time for running.

American Foxhound Activity Requirements

Though often reserved around strangers, this friendly dog does like people and will contentedly take part in family activities. Exercise is a must, a yard large enough for running at top speed even better. Interact with your special companion, taking advantage of time spent together to bond and also allow your dog to expend energy. Brisk daily walks, hikes on occasion, and runs while on leash may be favorite activities. The hunting instinct is ancestral, so be prepared for the occasion that your American Foxhound may take off on a scent. Leashed exercise is best unless you are in a safe area without traffic or danger. Obedience classes will be useful as once your dog is on the chase, convincing them to return may be a challenge. Made for speed, this pup needs a lot of space to run.  Without proper exercise, your Foxhound may develop depression and is susceptible to weight gain.  Foxhounds, like all other hounds, like to eat so you should measure their food properly and feed them twice daily rather than leave food out for them, to prevent overeating. Apartment living is not ideal for the American Foxhound because they need to run. Though the Foxhound is utilized mostly as a pack hunter, they can be very content as a running or cycling companion, but city living is not for this canine.  The Foxhound can tolerate any climate, though they do better in cooler climates.  Due to their fleet abilities and love of running, your Foxhound can become overheated in warmer climates.  Make sure you always have fresh water and shade available to prevent dehydration and overheating.
Activity Level
low activity medium activity high activity
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
14 miles
walk mileage
Minutes of Activity Per Day
90 minutes
activity minutes

American Foxhound Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
3 cups
cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$2.00 - $2.25
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$60.00 - $67.50
food bag monthly cost

American Foxhound Height & Weight

6 Months
Male American Foxhound size stats at six months
Height: 19.0 inches Weight: 30.0 lbs
Female American Foxhound size stats at six months
Height: 18.0 inches Weight: 30.0 lbs
12 Months
Male American Foxhound size stats at 12 months
Height: 21.0 inches Weight: 40.0 lbs
Female American Foxhound size stats at 12 months
Height: 19.5 inches Weight: 40.0 lbs
18 Months
Male American Foxhound size stats at 18 months
Height: 23.5 inches Weight: 52.5 lbs
Female American Foxhound size stats at 18 months
Height: 22.5 inches Weight: 52.5 lbs

American Foxhound Owner Experiences

ZARA
18 Months
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
She also loves long walks an to play in water
8 months, 3 weeks ago
Roger
7 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Play
Walking
Roger is a sweet, affectionate dog. He likes to lounge on the couch and hates to be out in the rain. He can be stubborn, per usual for the breed. He loves to walk, but doesn't interact with other dogs much at the dog park. I wonder if he needs a companion?
1 year, 12 months ago
Nirav
1 Year
5 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
she my loving dog that i gen from a purebred breeder
3 years, 2 months ago
10 Years
People
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Tracking
Scenting
Shy towards strangers, but friendly. Mild-mannered and well-behaved, they walk next to you while they track - and they do a lot of tracking. In my experience, trying to move away from their scent trail leads them to be stubborn and dig in their heels.
6 years, 11 months ago
Luna
3 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Obedience classes
Mind training
Walks
Rewarding and great companion
5 years, 10 months ago
Penny
2 Years
2 People
Condo
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Walking
runnning
Sniffing
Independent dogs that have a tendency to be stubborn. They need lots of activity and socialization.
5 years, 4 months ago
Dixie
4 Years
1 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
My first American foxhound. Prior to getting Dixie I had a plot hound so I was familiar with the scent drive hounds have. The fox hound is very scent driven and she is difficult to get to come to me in backyard when she has a scent. Otherwise she is very smart, learned to sit quickly and is very friendly and mild mannered.
5 years ago
Harlow
11 Months
3 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Harlow lives to run and is great running on a leash
Harlow is a great dog. She is very friendly with children and has been a great companion to my two daughters. She loves running on her leash with me, or with my daughters on their bikes. She is very smart. She figured out how to open doors and our trash can. She has been difficult to house train.
3 years, 9 months ago
Book me a walkiee?
Pweeeze!
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