American Foxhound
Breed Group: Hound Group
Size Group: Medium Dog Breeds
Origin: United States
Height: 22”-25” (male) 21”-24” (female)
Weight: 65-70lbs (male) 60-65 (female)
Color: Black white & tan, White black & tan
Lifespan:Â 11-13 years
Temperament: Independent, calm, friendly
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Set Your Pup Up For Success
Overview
If you jumped in a time machine back to the birth of the United States, you would find the American Foxhound as a companion to some of the great men who championed independence. And just like America itself these pups started English. The American Foxhound can be differentiated from their older English Foxhound cousin, by their longer and slimmer legs.
These pups were bred to hunt in packs locating each other with their melodious baying. They can make good family dogs if their exercise requirements are met. Without a proper outlet for their energy these pups can becoming a destructive terror. These pups can thrive in homes with large fenced in backyards where they have room to roam and explore.
They have a strong prey drive and need to be contained at all times lest they spot a target and take off. These pups love their people and do not like to be left alone.
If you are a family that enjoys hunting and has lots of time to devote to exercise your pup, the American Foxhound might be for you.
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Celebrity Owners
George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison
Fun Facts
The American Foxhound is the state dog of Virginia
Health
American Foxhounds are typically very healthy dogs. Some health concerns include thrombocytopathy, ear infections, hip dysplasia and ear infections.
While you always hope your pet will live a long and healthy life, it is always a good idea to invest in pet health insurance.
Keeping your dog’s mouth clean and problem free goes a long way to your pup’s overall health. Dental hygiene can be the cause or can be the byproduct of other serious health issues.
Visual inspections can be performed to keep track of the signs of potentially waning oral health. These signs can be anything from bad breath to abnormal chewing to loss of appetite.
Keeping ahead of these warning signs can pay dividends. A preventative approach can delay and stop many of the common dental problems from arising.
Oral health can be tackled in five basic steps:
- Brushing your dog’s teeth to prevent an undesirable buildup of plaque
- Feed your dog a diet where the high quality dog food has dental benefits
- Regularly give your dog dental toys and treats
- Use mouthwash, to help where brushing misses
- At the sign of any abnormalities, consult a vet. You can even do it virtually, from the convenience of your home.
Dogs are just like humans in that they can experience anxiety. The degree to which they are susceptible to anxiety and how they deal with anxiety is breed specific. Left unchecked, initial signs of anxiety could give way to an anxiety disorder. The symptoms of anxiety disorders can lead to a myriad of behavior issues.
Knowing the signs and symptoms will best equip you to keep ahead of it and to nip it in the bud at the earliest signs. There are options available to help with anxiety.
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- Vigilant and loyal, these dogs will protect their own
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Grooming
Brush your American Foxhound with a bristle brush or rubber grooming mitt once a week. Bathe your pup only as needed, when he becomes particularly dirty or starts to have an odor. Clean your dog’s ears weekly of any debris or wax build up, which can lead to infection. Trim your pup’s nails regularly. Brush your pup’s teeth several times per week.
Cost
$500 – $1,000
Exercise
American Foxhounds were bred or speed. As such, they need lots of room to bound around. Having a large fenced in area to play games or full out run is ideal.
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They have a strong prey drive and need to be kept leashed or in a securely fenced in area at all times, lest they take off after a scent. These pups need at least an hour or two of exercise each day. They enjoy brisk walks, hiking, games with family, and can make an excellent jogging partner. If you do not meet your pup’s exercise needs adequately, he will find mischief or become destructive.
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If you do not have time to spend exercising your dog, this breed is not a good fit for you. As with all dogs be sure to avoid repetitive exercise like extended running until your pup has reached full size. Repetitive movements while your pup is growing can cause skeletal deformation which can lead to a lifetime of issues.
Nutrition
A full-sized American Foxhound will eat around 3 cups of food per day. The exact requirements of your dog will vary depending on age and activity level. Always supply your dog with clean fresh water.
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We’ve taken a look at some premium dog foods, high in nutrition here.
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Training
As with all dogs, early socialization with humans and other dogs is a must. American Foxhounds were bred to hunt in pack, so they often getting along very well with other dogs. American Foxhounds tend to be quite independent, which can make training tricky. It is best to start training around 8 weeks of age. Always approach sessions with patience. These pups respond best to positive reinforcement training. They are quite sensitive and do not respond well to harsh reprimands. Keep your sessions short and varied to keep your pup interested. As scent hounds, these pups are nose driven. Once they catch a scent, they will be off to the races. Be sure to work on a strong recall command early on.
Proper training is essential to ensuring the safety of your dog and those around you. Having your dog come when they should, and in general having them listen is something you want to address early in your pup’s life, as it will pay dividends down the line. There are many tried and true training programs to accomplish this training – faster and better than you might think!
Unless you’re living on a farm, or have the space, a yipping dog, or one that barks all day when you are gone could be an issue with the neighbors and/or landlord. Historically, dogs would bark to communicate with the rest of the pack when hunting and bark as a warning shot to predators eyeing up their flock. Barking is deep rooted in dogs and manifests itself in many ways and for a variety of reasons.
Just like any habit or instinct, there are effective ways you can train this issue away.
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Supplements
A solid Glucosamine Supplement for hips and joints will go a long way to helping your furry friend.
Other helpful supplements include full-spectrum hemp oil or CBD oil. Fish oil skin and coat supplement.
Ensuring a comprehensive preventative vitamin and mineral plan is essential to keeping your dog healthy. Truth is, there are vitamins and minerals that your dog needs, but doesn’t produce naturally. While many of these vitamins and minerals can be found in your dog’s current diet and dog food, the question becomes, are there enough vitamins to ensure they aren’t deficient.
Poor nutrition can lead to some of the most common health issues, such as weak joints, compromised immunity, increased allergies, and low energy.
Vitamins play a vital role in your pet’s health and overall life expectancy. Here are some multivitamin and joint relief options.
As regulations around marijuana have eased, the emergence of CBD oils for humans and dogs have sprung up.
Just to begin to dispel the negative stigma, CBD extract comes from Hemp, marijuana’s cousin. Unlike its cousin, there are no psychoactive qualities in CBD oil. An emerging number of clinical and institutional studies have shown the wide variety of healing qualities in CBD, including pain management, and the containment of seizures and epileptic episodes.
Explore this remedy further to see all the health benefits that have transformed the lives of so many dogs to date.
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- Energy and a willingness to get the job done, these dogs love outside
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The Good
Excellent with other dogs
Great family pet
Low maintenance grooming
The "Ruff"
Scent driven – must be leashed
Can be tricky to train
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