| Alternative Name
Foxhound
Basic Info
The English Fox Hound is the original of the two
foxhound breeds of dog. They are scent hounds, bred to
hunt by scent. The English Foxhound is about 21-25
inches tall to the withers, and weighs anywhere between
65-75 pounds, although some English Foxhounds bred for
the show ring can be considerably bigger, with some
males weighing over 100 pounds. The skull is wide, the
muzzle is long, and eyes carry a sweet expression. The
legs are muscular, straight-boned, and the paws are
rounded, almost cat-like.
Health
There are very few health factors in this breed.
Occasionally seen are chronic hip dysplasia, renal
disease, and epilepsy. The breed's lifespan is typically
10-13 years
Behavior
The English Foxhound was originally a pack hound,
therefore, it gets along well with other dogs and enjoys
human companionship. It gets along with horses,
children, and other pets, seeing as it is a gentle,
social, and tolerant breed. It is a very active breed
that enjoys the hunt. Though it is slower than the
American Foxhound it enjoys running and will run all day
with very few breaks in between.
Origin
Great Britain
History
The English Foxhound was created in the late 1500s,
as a result of the perception of the depletion of deer
in England. Nobles and Royalty had hunted deer for both
food and sport, using the Deerhound or Staghound for
this purpose. During the reign of Henry VIII, it was
perceived that a new prey was needed, and the fox was
selected. The English Foxhound was then created by a
careful mixing of the Greyhound, for speed, the Fox
Terrier, for hunting instinct, and the English Bulldog,
for tenacity in the hunt. Studbooks for this breed were
kept as early as the 1800s. The dogs were meant to trail
foxes and live around horses. They are still used for
those purposes.
|
