The American foxhound has its roots in England, where in 1650, Robert Brooks brought English foxhounds to colonial America. However, adapting to the different terrain and obstacles of the new frontier required the breed to have longer legs to cover ground and keep up during hunts. To achieve this, breeders crossed the English foxhound with various European hounds, creating a new hunting partner known as the American foxhound.
George Washington is widely known as the most prominent breeder of the American foxhound, and he played a crucial role in its development. In line with popular history, Washington is believed to have crossbred English foxhounds with French hounds he got from Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat and American military commander in 1785. Eventually, the breed was enhanced by crossing the dogs with Irish hounds to make the animal faster and better at keeping up with American foxes. Washington maintained precise records regarding the pedigree and breeding of his pack, which significantly contributed to the expansion and establishment of the breed.
The AKC recognized the American foxhound in 1886, after it was first bred in Virginia and Maryland. Virginia honored the breed’s local history by making it the official state dog in 1966. While not typically kept as a household pet, the American foxhound is treasured for its athleticism and exceptional endurance, the qualities that have made it a favorite for sporting events such as foxhunting. The breed’s lasting popularity is largely attributed to its use in the sport, which was a favorite among the American elite before the Civil War and remains popular today in equestrian circles, where pack hounds, many of which are American foxhounds, play essential roles.
American Foxhound Care
In order to have a content life with the American foxhound, it is crucial to comprehend their character. This breed is laid-back yet lively, and therefore requires ample daily exercise to meet their needs. Their inclination to tenaciously pursue their own preferences (a quality favored in hunting) is also a well-known behavior. Taking care of their coat is a breeze thanks to its short length.
Exercise
To avoid undesirable behavior in American foxhounds, owners must be aware of their boundless energy that requires a daily outlet. These dogs were bred for speed and stamina, resulting in significant daily exercise needs and seemingly limitless energy. Plan to spend up to two hours exercising your foxhound every day, ideally in a secure, fenced area. These dogs enjoy being active and may become destructive if left alone in the house with no entertainment.
Similar to other dogs with a strong sense of smell, the American foxhound has an acute sense of smell and a singular focus when pursuing prey. Consequently, it is not recommended to allow your foxhound to walk without a leash, particularly in metropolitan areas where there is a greater likelihood of getting lost or struck by a vehicle. This breed of dog was specifically bred to trail scents and disregard any external stimuli. Consequently, your foxhound is improbable to respond to recall instructions if it decides to chase after birds, cars, humans, or other creatures.
Grooming
Grooming is an aspect where the foxhound is remarkably hassle-free. Its coat is short and sleek, fitting snugly on its physique. Although the hair is rough, it doesn’t get tangled easily, however, it tends to shed in the house. To maintain a healthy coat and minimize shedding, it’s recommended to brush this breed once weekly. A bath is necessary only when the fur gets quite unclean.
Foxhounds, just like other dog breeds, require regular dental care, nail trimming, and ear cleaning. Paying extra attention to the ears of a foxhound is crucial, as their droopy ears tend to hold in moisture, making them more vulnerable to ear infections. Checking their ears every week for any debris and cleaning them monthly is recommended. If you observe signs such as redness, swelling, itchiness, or excessive pawing or shaking of the head, it is necessary to take them to the vet straight away to start treatment as ear infections can worsen quickly and be very uncomfortable. If your dog has had multiple ear infections, you should inquire with a veterinarian about the proper frequency of ear cleaning.
Training
The American foxhound’s inclination towards independence makes it a top performer in the field, but can pose challenges at home. To avoid potential issues with house training and recall commands, it is crucial for foxhound owners to prioritize obedience training early on, starting when puppies are around eight weeks old. Neglecting this could result in a hard-headed pet that is resistant to learning essential behaviors.
For this breed, positive reinforcement techniques are successful. To maintain the dog’s attention, training should be frequent and brief, as they may lose interest in tedious training. Using punishment in training is not advisable, as it can have an adverse impact. Foxhounds are highly perceptive creatures and may become scared of their owners if shouting is involved, making them less responsive to their commands.
Diet and Nutrition
The American foxhound, like other canine breeds, does well when given top-notch dog food – whether store-bought or made at home with the guidance of your veterinarian. It’s important to note that due to their lively nature, protein-heavy diets should be provided, while diets with unnecessary additives should be avoided. As these dogs are eager eaters, it’s wise to limit the number of healthy treats offered.
Provide your American foxhound with two regulated meals daily. If you’re uncertain about the appropriate amount of food to give your dog, seek guidance from your vet for establishing a well-balanced meal plan and serving size, taking into account your dog’s individual age, weight, and level of physical activity.
BONUS: How to Choose the Best Dog Food
If the world were perfect, every type of dog food would be identical. However, pet owners are faced with a vast selection of dog food options, each proclaiming to be the finest on the market. Sorting through this variety to discover a dog food brand that is salubrious, reasonably priced, and attractive to your dog can be an exasperating task. Our team has gathered professional tips to assist you in reducing your alternatives.
What Makes a Dog Food “Good”?
Dry kibble or canned wet food are the typical choices for feeding dogs. While they may not be appetizing to humans, these processed options provide all the essential nutrients for maintaining a dog’s health. Commercial dog foods of good quality undergo strict regulation and extensive examination by veterinary professionals. The ingredients present in such dog foods are, therefore, worth discussing.
Contrary to cats, dogs are not exclusive meat-eaters. Even though the majority of their diet consists of meat, domestic dogs can still obtain important nutrients from grains, fruits, and vegetables. These non-meat foods should not be considered as mere fillers, as they can supply necessary vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A proper dog food should have a mix of meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits, with a focus on high-quality ingredients that are suitable for your dog’s digestive system.
Dog Food Nutrition
To ensure your dog’s proper nourishment, it’s important to choose the right dog food that caters to his specific nutritional requirements. Even though most commercial dog food brands are designed to meet the minimum dietary needs of dogs, it’s crucial to bear in mind that not all dogs have identical nutritional demands.
Throughout their lives, dogs need various nutrients in varying quantities. Since the nutritional needs of a puppy differ from those of an adult dog, it is best to provide young dogs with puppy formula or “all life stages” food. If you are uncertain about the dissimilarities in the nutritional needs of puppies and adult dogs, you can consult the Merck Veterinary Manual, which suggests the appropriate nutrients for dogs along with the recommended quantity based on weight and age. Nutritional requirements for puppies and small breed dogs vary from those of large breed dogs and puppies.
Dog Food Myths and Misinformation
Numerous misconceptions and inaccurate information regarding dog nutrition can be found on the Internet. In order to distinguish fact from fiction, it is advisable to adhere to one basic principle- verifying your sources. Despite their genuine intentions, numerous individuals provide unsubstantiated declarations when it comes to dog nutrition. During your exploration, ensure the validity of the information by verifying the source’s legitimacy, such as consulting a veterinarian, canine nutritionist, or scientific research. Being skeptical is always beneficial. If a claim appears excessively appealing, it is most likely fallacious.
There are frequently questions regarding the suitability of grain-inclusive or grain-free dog food, pea-free dog food, and dog food that contains animal byproducts. If your dog is suffering from a food allergy related to grains, your vet may recommend a grain-free diet. However, for most dogs, grains offer a wholesome source of nutrients, and certain animal byproducts, such as organ meats and entrails, can provide additional nutrition. It is important to note that regulated byproducts do not include unsuitable ingredients such as hooves, hair, floor sweepings, intestinal contents, or manure. As with any pet-related concern, it is recommended that you seek advice from your veterinarian about your dog’s food.
How to Read a Dog Food Label
Deciphering between good and bad dog food can be achieved by reading the label, although this can be difficult due to small print and maneuvering large bags while at the store. Additionally, labels can sometimes be misleading, as the Merck Veterinary Manual cautions. To comply with the regulations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), dog food labels must provide eight primary pieces of information, and there may be additional labeling requirements imposed by individual states.
- Product name
- Net weight of the product
- Name and address of the manufacturer
- Guaranteed analysis
- List of ingredients
- Intended animal species (i.e. dog or cat)
- Statement of nutritional adequacy
- Feeding guidelines
Product Name
Just from the product name, one can determine its contents. If the term “beef” is used, it must constitute a minimum of 70 percent of the product. However, if terms like “beef dinner,” “beef entrée,” or “beef platter” are used, the beef content only needs to be a minimum of 10 percent. Similarly, “with beef” necessitates only 3 percent beef, while “beef flavor” implies that the beef content is enough to give flavor (less than 3 percent). The same applies to other named ingredients such as “chicken.”
Ingredients
The quality and origin of ingredients in dog food cannot be determined solely from the ingredient list on the label, and some manufacturers use various forms of the same ingredient to make it appear as if quantities are more equally distributed. For example, corn may be listed separately as flaked, ground, or kibbled corn, leading to a lower placement on the list, despite a high actual corn content in the food. Meat can also be problematic, as whole meats have a notable water weight, decreasing the apparent percentage of meat after processing. Meat meal, though less appealing in name, actually contains more meat than whole meats, due to the absence of water weight in the calculation.
Although the quality of ingredients cannot be determined from the ingredient list, it still provides information about the food’s contents. This is particularly beneficial for dogs that require a specific diet due to allergies or other medical conditions, as well as pet owners who want to provide their pets with precise sources of fiber, protein, and carbohydrates.
Choosing the Best Dog Food
The best dog food for your dog is ultimately up to you to decide. As an owner, you are the one who sees your dog on a regular basis. If your dog produces firm, healthy stool, is active and fit, and has a healthy appetite, then your dog food is probably working just fine.
During this process, your veterinarian can be a valuable asset. They possess superior knowledge of pet nutrition compared to the typical owner and have access to research and resources that owners do not. Your vet can assist you in streamlining your options and gladly assist in answering any inquiries you may have regarding your dog’s food.
