American Foxhound puppies

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. They are 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.

What this hound needs most is exercise: 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 they will need a job to do long before they need 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 they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their 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

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.

Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 31.8 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other large breeds

More on the American Foxhound

Previous: American Eskimo Dog · Next: American Hairless Terrier

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from American Foxhound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-foxhound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Canarian, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.