English Foxhound - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
Foxhunting with a pack of bawling hounds is a brittish tradition since the 1600s. For this purpose, the hunters needed an athletic, brave, pack oriented and smart breed with great senses and high prey drive. The perfect breed for this purpose is the English Foxhound, which was developed from strong stag-hunting dog, which gave the breed stamina and strength and from fast Greyhound-like hounds, which gave the dog agility and speed. The stud books published by Masters of Foxhound Association dates back before 1800s and it is possible to track down ancestry of a purebred English Foxhound to this date.
2) Utilization
The main utilization of this breed is of course hunting. What hunters value the most about this breed is its determination and passion for the hunt, great senses and excellent stamina. Just like majority of hunting dogs, even the English Foxhound is kind of independent and intelligent breed, which enjoys company of other dogs, but that can chase other household pets. But of course, this can be vastly influenced by early socialization.
3) Companion
Of course, this is not only hunter and many English Foxhounds today are typical family pets and companions. And the English Foxhound is a great companion for active people who like outdoors. The English Foxhound is known to create a very strong bond with its family and to be playful, gentle, affectionate and sociable. These dogs crave for our affection and they are quite loyal to its pack. The English Foxhound is also known to be gentle and playful partner for kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised.
4) American Foxhound
The English Foxhounds and American Foxhounds are close relatives. The original Foxhound is from England and it was use to create a new breed by crossing to several imported French Hounds which led to establishment of American Foxhound. The main difference is, that the American breed is little bit taller and slimmer than the English Foxhound. BTW, one of the person who is credited for developing the American Foxhound is George Washington.
5) Exercise
As you can probably expect from a hunting breed, this is a lively and energetic dog that needs plenty of exercise to stay healthy and happy. The English Foxhound is always ready for any outdoor adventure and you must také them on daily longer walks accompanied with some playtime or fun training session to keep their body and mind stimulated. Without enough exercise, the English Foxhound can develop some unwanted behaviour such as excessive barking or destruction.
6) Size
This is an athletic, healthy looking and strong dog breed with average height between 20-27 inch, which is 51-69 cm and weight is usually between 25-34 kg, which is 55-75 pounds. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.
7) Not for novices
Even though quite intelligent, the English Foxhound is not the best choice for novice or unexperienced dog owners. It is because, just like almost all the hunting breeds, they are quite independent and know how to be stubborn. Because of that, they need firm, but kind, consistent and patient trainer who will properly train them and socialize them. Their high energy, prey drive and strength also makes them somehow harder to manage for unexperienced owners.
8) Coat
The coat of English Foxhound is short, shiny, weatherproof, and dense in any color combination of hound colors. It is a very practical coat which enables the dog working and hunting even in rainy weather for long time. Most often, you will find these dogs in tricolor, tan, red or black with a white base.
9) Maintenance
Speaking of the coat, it is important to mention the maintenance and grooming. And a great fact is, that the grooming is very simple. Even without any grooming, they will keep the coat in good condition. Of course, regular brushing is beneficial, because it will remove dirt from the coat, dead hair, minimize the shedding and it will keep the coat in the best possible condition. No other grooming needs are necessary. Just like with any other breed, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.
10) Health
English Foxhounds are generally healthy dogs with average lifespan between 11-13 years. Of course, just like any other breed, they may suffer from some health issues, which may include hip dysplasia, epilepsy, kidney disease or some allergies.