The English Foxhound is a substantial galloping pack scenthound bred in England over centuries to hunt fox in organized mounted hunts. It stands about 23-25 inches and weighs roughly 60-75 lbs, with straight, sturdy 'gatepost' legs, a level back, and a very deep chest girthing as much as 31 inches for lung capacity — every line of the dog engineered for stamina at a hard gallop across country all day. It is consistently among the rarest breeds in the AKC registry, and that is not an accident: this is a working pack hound that is rarely, and not easily, kept as a house pet. Temperament is affectionate, gentle, and sociable — pleasant with people and superb with other dogs. But the honest profile is everything that flows from being a hard-wired pack hunter. The English Foxhound's drive for pursuit can be so dominant that little else, including training, registers when a scent is found. Off-lead recall in open country is unreliable for life. It is even more pack-dependent and less individually biddable than the lighter American Foxhound, and it does poorly living alone as a solitary pet. It bays loudly and far. It needs serious daily exercise; an under-exercised English Foxhound is destructive and unhappy. Who the English Foxhound is right for: realistically, hunts and experienced hound people who kennel multiple dogs and provide running exercise, or a very experienced active owner with rural land, a tall secure fence, canine company, and full acceptance of an independent, vocal, non-obedience dog. Who it is wrong for: almost every typical pet home — apartments, single-dog households, novices, close neighbors, anyone wanting biddability. This is a low-grooming, high-management hound; respect what it was built for before you take one on.
Life Span
10–13 years
Weight
20.4–36.3 kg
Height
53.3–68.6 cm
moderate
Exercise
moderate
Grooming
moderate
Shedding
Yes
Good with Kids
Yes
Good with Pets
Friendly
Apartment
The English Foxhound was developed in England from the late 17th century onward, bred systematically by hunts to pursue fox in organized mounted hunting after deer populations declined and fox hunting rose as the dominant field sport. It is one of the most carefully and continuously recorded breeds in existence: English hunts kept detailed studbooks for centuries, breeding for nose, voice, stamina, soundness, and the ability to work as a tightly …
English Foxhound dog breed portrait
The English Foxhound belongs to the Hound Group.
The average lifespan of a English Foxhound is 10 to 13 years.
English Foxhound dogs are valued for their affectionate, gentle, sociable nature.
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English Foxhound care is minimal on grooming and demanding on exercise, containment, and company. Coat: the short, dense, hard hound coat needs only a weekly rubber-mitt or brush and an occasional bath; shedding is moderate. The grooming task that actually matters is the long drop ears — they trap moisture and air poorly, so check, clean, and dry them weekly to head off chronic infection. Exercise: 1-2 hours of real daily activity is the baseline for this stamina breed — long runs, jogging or cycling alongside an adult dog, hiking. Walks alone do not satisfy it. A securely fenced, tall, dig-proof yard is essential; the scent-and-pursuit drive permanently defeats off-lead recall, so on-lead is the rule everywhere unfenced. An under-exercised English Foxhound becomes destructive, vocal, and difficult. Company: this is one of the most pack-dependent domestic breeds. It does badly as a sole dog with long isolation; canine company or a kennel-pack setting prevents most separation problems and is effectively a requirement, not a nicety. Weight: keep the dog lean — excess weight accelerates hip and elbow arthritis on a working frame. Two measured meals, ribs easily felt, monthly weigh-ins. Decision rule: a head shake, ear odor, or one-sided ear scratching is a within-the-week vet visit before otitis deepens; unexplained or prolonged bleeding from a small wound, plus increased thirst and urination or weight loss in an older dog, is a same-week veterinary work-up because the breed carries inherited von Willebrand bleeding and renal-disease risks.
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English Foxhound Care Guide
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