50-75 lbs
20-27"
United States
The Running Walker Foxhound is one of several strains of foxhound
that were developed under the heading of American Foxhound in the mid to late
1800s. They have a strong drive to hunt animals like fox, rabbit, and coyote,
but don’t have the treeing instinct that their cousins the coonhounds do.
They tend to have short attention spans, making them moderately difficult to train despite their fairly high intelligence. Running Walkers also have a great deal of energy; these dogs are friendly and even-tempered in most cases, but when their physical and mental stimulation is neglected they can become noisy, depressed, and even destructive.
The Running Walker Foxhound breed was developed in Kentucky the
mid to late 1800s in order to track and hunt the red fox which had recently
migrated west from the Virginia area. A breeder by the name of George
Washington Maupin found that although his foxhounds were considered to be some
of the best in the region at hunting the grey foxes that were native to the
area, they had a tendency to lose track of the larger and farther ranging red
foxes.
Maupin tried using both hounds from Virginia as well as English Foxhounds to develop a dog with the proper temperament and skill to hunt the red foxes, but his hounds were still unable to bring the fox to ground. In 1952, Maupin found the keystone to his new hound dogs in a rat-tailed black and tan hound of indeterminate parentage.
The hound, dubbed Tennessee Lead, was acquired from a man named
Tom Harris, who history tells us found the dog during a deer hunt near the
Kentucky border and carried him home prior to selling him to Maupin. Tennessee
Lead was a talented hunting dog in general, and
he was exceptionally adept at hunting the red foxes that had been giving the
other types of hound so much trouble.
Tennessee Lead was used extensively as a
stud dog, crossed with both Virginia and English Foxhounds as well as other
breeds of hound dogs. This mix led to or contributed to the development of
several different dog breeds, including Black and Tan Coonhounds, Treeing
Walker Coonhounds, the Trigg hound, and, of course, Running Walker Foxhounds.
While the Running Walker is similar in appearance to the other hound dogs out of Tennessee Lead, their hunting style is different from many of the others. While many other hounds specialize in tracking an cornering prey that climbs trees for safety, the Running Walker Foxhound prefers to follow trails that stay on the ground and has the tenacity to follow their prey for longer distances.
This strain of American Foxhound is a solidly built dog with
a body that is slightly longer than it is tall, and while they are not heavy,
they do have a well-muscled back and neck. Their legs are strong and straight
and their hindquarters are also well-muscled allowing them to keep up with the
long-legged red fox with a moderately long tail that can be straight, saber-shaped,
or slightly curved.
They have moderately-sized heads with skulls that can be either flat or slightly arched and strong, straight muzzles that are both broad and deep with no wrinkles and tightly fitted lips. Their eyes can come in nearly any color or shape, but the rims are always close fitting and darkly pigmented and their rounded, pendulous ears are generally low-set and hang down close to the sides of the head.
They have short, hard coats that lay tight to the body and can come in many colors, including orange and white, lemon and white, brown and white, black and tan, and tricolored.
The coat of the Running Walker Foxhound is naturally weather resistant and should only be bathed on an as needed basis as bathing that is too frequent can strip the coat of their naturally protective oils. A weekly brushing with a slicker brush, firm bristle brush, or a grooming glove will help to remove dirt and debris, control shedding, and keep the coat healthy and shiny. Dogs with hanging ears like most Fox and Coonhounds are more prone to ear infections than other dogs so it is important to check them on a regular basis to ensure that they are clean, dry, and free from odor.
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The Running Walker Foxhound is a tenacious canine who has a
high instinctual drive to hunt and track and they are particularly adept at
tracking foxes and coyotes. They are driven and athletic in the field and can
be a little too active and determined for some families but they do tend to be friendly,
eager, and even-tempered.
They are generally people oriented and eager-to-please,
but they are difficult to housetrain and have short attention spans, so short
varied training sessions are most effective. Interesting smells are often irresistible to foxhounds which may also hinder
training efforts in some cases.
While they are generally agreeable with other dogs, their exceptionally high prey drive may make them inappropriate for multiple animal households unless early socialization takes place. If not given enough physical and mental activity these dogs are prone to depression and may develop nuisance or destructive behaviors such as obsessive howling or chewing up your belongings.
These high-energy trailing hounds need a great deal of
exercise in order to maintain good physical condition and remain mentally
stable. Hounds, particularly active, working hound breeds, are prone to destructive
bouts of depression when they haven’t been offered enough exercise and mental
stimulation.
Long walks and runs are always appreciated and along with hunting fox and coyotes, the Running Walker Foxhound is also quite skilled at scenting competitions. This is not a dog that will be comfortable or convenient in an apartment setting as their high activity levels and distinctive howl may be disturbing for other apartment dwellers.
Written by a Irish Setter lover Penny Sebring
Published: 06/22/2018, edited: 12/16/2021
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