The English Foxhound is a dog breed whose origins date back somewhere before the 1800s and are to be found in Great Britain. It has been developed by means of crossing the Bulldog, the Greyhound and the Fox Terrier with a variety of hounds. It was bred to become a pack hunting-dog, one that would chase foxes while led by hunters on horseback. There are two types of Foxhounds, those that are trained for hunting, the field lines, and those that are meant to attend conformation shows, the bench lines.
This dogs build is powerful and its bones are large and heavy. Its body-cast favors stamina over speed. It has a wide skull and its muzzle is long. The nose has wide open nostrils, and its large brown eyes are endowed with certain sweetness. Its hanging ears are sometimes surgically adjusted to become round. The tail is long and set high. Its short and hard coat can be tri-colored (white, black and tan) or bi-colored, with a white background.
The English Foxhound has great stamina, being able to run for hours, but it is a little slower than its American cousin. This English dog is a talented hunter, with a well developed sense of smell, it is good at tracking and has wonderful agility. It was originally accustomed to be a pack hound and, as a house dog, it appreciates the companionship of humans or other pets. It is great with people and friendly with children; however, it will always prefer the company of other dogs. Although it can be a good family dog, it is not one that will adjust easily to city life, and living in an apartment is not recommended for this breed. It is a very active dog and it enjoys running for long periods of time without many breaks. Actually, it can run as long as five or six hours without the need to stop. Leadership is something that English Foxhounds react well to, but patience is needed while training them, as they can be obedient, but less responsive than other dog breeds. They need calm owners who can display firm authority at the same time. It is best that they are given rules to follow, but they also appreciate affection.
Where taking care of this dog is concerned, it is very important that it is provided with good opportunities to exercise. Both the working lines and the show ones are very active. They can become destructive if they dont exercise enough, so it is best that their owners are good joggers or enthusiastic bikers. This way, they can consume energy together. Also it should be said that these dogs best be taught to walk or run behind their owners or by their side, so that they properly understand who has the role of the leader. They are generally healthy, so health issues should not be a worry in their case. Their coat should be brushed and shampooed only when necessary.
The English Foxhound is a very active dog, one that will fit best next to an owner who is also very energetic and willing to exercise a lot.
