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Hound Handbook
Insurance guide
Breed profile

American Foxhound

George Washington's hound: rangier and lighter than the English Foxhound. Gentle with people, built to run all day.

A white American Foxhound with a single dark patch and light ear markings stands side-on, head raised
Lean and long-legged, built for covering ground at speed.Photo: Canarian / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Weight
25–34 kg55–75 lb
Height
53–64 cm21–25 in
Lifespan
10–13 yrs
Group
Hound
Origin
United States
Popularity
#188 USNot ranked in UK · 2025

Known for: Running partnersGood with other dogsLow grooming

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Gentle, Easygoing, Independent, Vocal.

Health problems to know about

  • Hip dysplasia
  • Thrombocytopathy (platelet disorder)
  • Deafness
  • Obesity

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

Long daily runs or hikes, on lead or in a large secure area. Minimal grooming. Pack-bred, so they dislike long hours alone; a second dog often helps.

A good fit for

Very active families, rural homes, people with other dogs.

Probably not ideal for

Flats, close neighbours (they bay), owners wanting obedience or off-lead walks.

Sources

  1. VCA Animal Hospitals: American Foxhound
  2. Wikipedia: American Foxhound

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

Similar breeds

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Treeing Walker Coonhound

A fast, tricolour American coonhound descended from foxhounds. Friendly and mellow at home, tireless on a scent, with a ringing bay.

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Rhodesian Ridgeback

Athletic African hound with a ridge of backward-growing hair along the spine. Dignified, loyal and quietly protective, with a will of its own.

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Saluki

Ancient desert sighthound: graceful, gentle and reserved, with a chase instinct that overrides everything.

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Black and Tan Coonhound

A big, mellow American scent hound bred to tree raccoons at night. Easygoing indoors, single-minded on a trail, and loud when it finds one.

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