English Foxhound

In the middle of the 1700s, fox hunters wanted a dog that could track and chase a fox for long periods of time. To do this, they crossed a variety of hounds such as the Bloodhound, Deerhound, Greyhound, and Staghound with the Fox Terrier, Whippet, and Bulldog to create the English Foxhound. At that time, this was a sport for the wealthy men who became more interested in running with their English Foxhounds than hunting foxes. They started breeding them in certain color combinations and markings to create attractive packs that contained 50 hounds or more. This became a popular pastime and then a business as more and more people of royalty began to buy these dogs for packs. They were brought to the United States by colonists from Britain in the 17th century. After the English Foxhound came to the United States in the late 1700s, American breeders crossed them with other dogs to create an American Foxhound. The English Foxhound was officially listed by the American Kennel Club in 1909 but is still not popular as a pet or show dog. They are one of four Foxhound breeds, which include the American Foxhound, Dumfriesshire Foxhound, and the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound. They do make good house pets but are still happier being a part of a working or hunting pack and they get along well with other dogs. They are rare in the United States because the American Foxhound is much more popular. Some of the more famous owners of English Foxhounds include George Washington and Thomas Lord Fairfax from Virginia.