Running Walker Foxhound

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. 

purpose Purpose
Hunting
history Date of Origin
1800s
ancestry Ancestry
Coonhounds and Foxhounds

Running Walker Foxhound Health

Average Size
Male Running Walker Foxhound size stats
Height: 20-27 inches Weight: 50-75 lbs
Female Running Walker Foxhound size stats
Height: 20-27 inches Weight: 50-75 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Deafness
  • Canine Hip Dysplasia
Minor Concerns
  • Ear Infections
  • Thrombocytopathy
  • Pelger - Huet Syndrome
  • Obesity
Occasional Diagnoses
  • Eye Problems
Occasional Tests
  • Ear Examination
  • Eye examination
  • BAER Testing
  • X-rays or other radiographic imaging

Running Walker Foxhound Breed History

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.  

Running Walker Foxhound Breed Appearance

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. 

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

Running Walker Foxhound Breed Maintenance

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

Running Walker Foxhound Temperament

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. 

Running Walker Foxhound Activity Requirements

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. 

Activity Level
low activity medium activity high activity
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
18 miles
walk mileage
Minutes of Activity Per Day
60 minutes
activity minutes

Running Walker Foxhound Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
3 cups
cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$1.50 - $1.90
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$39.00 - $52.00
food bag monthly cost

Running Walker Foxhound Height & Weight

6 Months
Male Running Walker Foxhound size stats at six months
Height: 20.0 inches Weight: 44.0 lbs
Female Running Walker Foxhound size stats at six months
Height: 20.0 inches Weight: 44.0 lbs
12 Months
Male Running Walker Foxhound size stats at 12 months
Height: 22.0 inches Weight: 56.5 lbs
Female Running Walker Foxhound size stats at 12 months
Height: 22.0 inches Weight: 56.5 lbs
18 Months
Male Running Walker Foxhound size stats at 18 months
Height: 23.5 inches Weight: 62.5 lbs
Female Running Walker Foxhound size stats at 18 months
Height: 23.5 inches Weight: 62.5 lbs

Running Walker Foxhound Owner Experiences

charlie
4 Months
8 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
running, throwing the ball, chase, training,
he’s still a puppy and he bites a lot. he’s a male and he’s very friendly when my friends come over that are female. but i had a male come over and he was growling, wouldn’t go near him, and would bark a lot at him. very playful and listens well. while walking Charlie, he will pull me a lot. once he saw another dog and broke his leash off, i called his name and he came running back to me
2 years, 10 months ago
Copper
12 Months
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
He’s a good dog, lovable, friendly, comes when called. We love him to absolute bits and he’s always ready to have some fun.
6 years ago
Bella
12 Weeks
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Playing just got her
5 years, 9 months ago
Daisy Dixie
4 Years
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Grand dad raised several to run fox, as many as a dozen at a time. grew up with them!
4 years, 8 months ago
Lady
4 Years
2 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Walking
Cuddles
Running
Adopted her a few months ago during an adoption event. Found out from a neighbor who helped me find her what she was.
4 years, 5 months ago
Zuzu / Gypsy
2 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
My girls were born ( both ) with nails that grew upside down ( curved up) and vet needed to remove multiple toes ( nails), multiple vets said they never saw this condition before. One is rambunctious, the other is more laid back. One gets car sick the other doesn’t. One is dog aggressive and the other can be ( can get very vicious with strange dogs, actually any animal their not accustomed to.) They have horrible separation anxiety. Unbelievable tracking skills, they will go after big prey and tree prey just like treeing walkers. They were adopted from the same litter and cannot be caged together for long due to occasional fighting. These dogs mean business when they get ahold of prey they’ll shred it. They are super guard dogs, if I let you in you never have to worry again, if I don’t or they sense any concern in my demeanor they get protective and will not let that person close. One gets conjunctivitis easily the other doesn’t. Look a little Great Dane’ish. Want to be curled up to me as close as they can get, follow me everywhere and are amazingly strong for their build and size. Very loving affectionate dogs, sometimes clumsy.
4 years, 2 months ago
George
2 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
He’s a Wonderful dog he’s definitely a lover he will come and sleep with you underneath the blanket he enjoys being around the cats he likes other dogs but he has a very loud bark to get their attention which doesn’t allow him to make friends easily but he’s extremely friendly even to the smallest of dogs his coat it’s OK I brush them frequently we also go on extremely long walks so he’s never chewed anything in my house or destroyed anything and he’s pretty vocal so if you want something he will sing to let you know that he wants it wouldn’t on another type of dog loves the hounds love love love hounds
4 years, 2 months ago
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