Breeds / Large
American Foxhound puppies
Easy going, sweet natured and built for distance, the American Foxhound is a tall pack hound with a famously loud voice. It is gentle with people and other dogs but needs hours of exercise a day and follows its nose over any recall.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin United States
- Adult weight 27.2 to 31.8 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 60 to 70 lb
- Adult height 53 to 64 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short smooth
- Typical lifespan 11 to 13 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
Where these come from:
About the American Foxhound
The American Foxhound was bred from English and French hounds by colonial fox hunters who wanted something lighter and faster for open American country. It is tall and rangy, 53 to 64 centimetres, with long legs, a short hard coat and a bell like voice that carries a long way. Foxhounds are pack animals to the core, gentle and unfussed with people, rated five out of five with children and other dogs, and largely indifferent to being told what to do.
The exercise requirement is the whole story: a solid hour or two of activity every day, or the dog turns bored and destructive. Grooming is a weekly session with a hound glove or bristle brush and very little else. The voice rates five out of five, which rules out most terraced housing. Walks stay on lead and gardens need secure fencing, because a scent overrides recall completely. New owners expect a beagle sized commitment and get a hound that needs a hunting pack worth of exercise.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a American Foxhound puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and it will need a job to do long before it needs long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hip dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation of breeding stock
- Thrombocytopathy, an inherited platelet disorder that impairs clotting, confirmed by blood testing
- Ear infections under the long drop ears, found on regular ear checks
- Weight gain in a lightly exercised hound, which loads the joints and is managed by measuring meals
From American Foxhound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-foxhound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your American Foxhound puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a American Foxhound.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 27.2 to 31.8 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other large breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.