Post by DogGoneGood on Mar 10, 2009 0:52:06 GMT -5
Group: II - Hounds
Origin: England
Date of Origin: 1400s
Purpose: Trailing Fox
A good voice, a keen nose, a rugged constitution, and an ability to get along with other dogs are all hallmarks of the English Foxhound. At one time the shape and size of individuals varied across Great Britain. Hounds from Yorkshire were the fastest, while those from Staffordshire were larger and slower, with deeper voices. Thoday, most English Foxhounds share a similar shape and personality. Although rarely kept as a domestic pet, the breed does make an excellent companion, and its solid voice and attentive nature make it a good guard dog. It is gentle and even tempered, although it can be rather difficult to obedience train. It also has a strong instinct to chase and kill animals the size of a fox.
Breed Standards
General Appearance:
The symmetry of the Foxhound is of the greatest importance, and what is known as “quality” is highly regarded by all good judges.
Coat and Colour:
Are not regarded as very important, so long as the latter is a good “hound colour” and the former is short, dense, hard, and glossy. Hound colours are black, tan and white or any combination of these three, also the various “pies” compounded of white and the colour of the hare and badger, or yellow, or tan.
Head:
Should be of full size, but by no means heavy. Brow pronounced, but not high or sharp. There should be a good length and breadth, sufficient to give in a dog hound a girth in front of the ears of fully 16 inches (41 cm). The nose should be long, 4-1/2 inches (11 cm) and wide, with open nostrils. The teeth must meet squarely. Ears set on low and lying close to the cheeks. Most English hounds are “rounded” which means that about 1-1/2 inches (4 cm) is taken off the end of the ear.
Neck:
Must be long and clean, without the slightest throatiness, not less than 10 inches (25 cm) from cranium to shoulder. It should taper nicely from shoulders to head, and the upper outline should be slightly convex.
Forequarters:
Shoulders should be long and well clothed with muscle, without being heavy, especially at the points. They must be well sloped, and the true arm between the front and the elbow must be long and muscular, but free from fat or lumber. Elbows set quite straight, and neither turned in nor out are essentially required. They must be well let down by means of the long true arm above mentioned. Every Master of Foxhounds insists on legs as straight as a post, and as strong; size of bone at the ankle being especially regarded as all important. The desire for straightness had a tendency to produce knuckling-over, which at one time was countenanced, but in recent years this defect has been eradicated by careful breeding and intelligent adjudication, and one sees very little of this trouble in the best modern Foxhounds. The bone cannot be too large, and the feet, in all cases, should be round and cat-like, with well developed knuckles and strong horn, which last is of the greatest importance.
Hindquarters:
Hindquarters or propellers are required to be very strong, and as
endurance is of even greater consequence than speed, straight stifles are preferred to those much bent as in a Greyhound.
Body:
The topline of the back should be absolutely level. The chest should girth over 31 inches (79 cm) in a 24 inches (61 cm) hound, and the back ribs must be very deep. Back and loin must both be very muscular, running into each other without any contraction between them. The couples must be wide, even to raggedness.
Tail:
The stern should be well set on and carried gaily but not in any case curved over the back like a squirrel’s tail. The end should taper to a point and there should be a fringe of hair below.
Disqualification:
Pig-mouth (overshot) or undershot.
Size:
CKC Standard for size not available...
AKC Standard for size:
Weight: 55 - 75 lbs (25 - 34 kg)
Height: 23 - 27 in (58 - 69 cm)
Temperment:
The English Foxhound was originally a pack hound, therefore, it gets along well with other dogs and enjoys human companionship. It gets along with horses, children, and other pets, as it is a gentle, social, and tolerant breed.
It is a very active breed that enjoys the hunt. Though it is slower than the American Foxhound, it enjoys running and will run all day with very few breaks in between.
Health:
There are very few health factors in this breed. Occasionally seen are chronic hip dysplasia, renal disease, and epilepsy.
Life Expectancy:
11 Years
History:
In the 14th-century Great Britain, fox hunting became popular, creating a demand for speedy dogs. From imported French hounds and native stock, fast, lean hounds were eventually bred.
Sources:
Canadian Kennel Club Official Breed Standards - English Foxhound
The New Encyclopedia Of the DOG by Bruce Fogle DVM Page 170
Wikipedia - English Foxhound
Origin: England
Date of Origin: 1400s
Purpose: Trailing Fox
A good voice, a keen nose, a rugged constitution, and an ability to get along with other dogs are all hallmarks of the English Foxhound. At one time the shape and size of individuals varied across Great Britain. Hounds from Yorkshire were the fastest, while those from Staffordshire were larger and slower, with deeper voices. Thoday, most English Foxhounds share a similar shape and personality. Although rarely kept as a domestic pet, the breed does make an excellent companion, and its solid voice and attentive nature make it a good guard dog. It is gentle and even tempered, although it can be rather difficult to obedience train. It also has a strong instinct to chase and kill animals the size of a fox.
Breed Standards
General Appearance:
The symmetry of the Foxhound is of the greatest importance, and what is known as “quality” is highly regarded by all good judges.
Coat and Colour:
Are not regarded as very important, so long as the latter is a good “hound colour” and the former is short, dense, hard, and glossy. Hound colours are black, tan and white or any combination of these three, also the various “pies” compounded of white and the colour of the hare and badger, or yellow, or tan.
Head:
Should be of full size, but by no means heavy. Brow pronounced, but not high or sharp. There should be a good length and breadth, sufficient to give in a dog hound a girth in front of the ears of fully 16 inches (41 cm). The nose should be long, 4-1/2 inches (11 cm) and wide, with open nostrils. The teeth must meet squarely. Ears set on low and lying close to the cheeks. Most English hounds are “rounded” which means that about 1-1/2 inches (4 cm) is taken off the end of the ear.
Neck:
Must be long and clean, without the slightest throatiness, not less than 10 inches (25 cm) from cranium to shoulder. It should taper nicely from shoulders to head, and the upper outline should be slightly convex.
Forequarters:
Shoulders should be long and well clothed with muscle, without being heavy, especially at the points. They must be well sloped, and the true arm between the front and the elbow must be long and muscular, but free from fat or lumber. Elbows set quite straight, and neither turned in nor out are essentially required. They must be well let down by means of the long true arm above mentioned. Every Master of Foxhounds insists on legs as straight as a post, and as strong; size of bone at the ankle being especially regarded as all important. The desire for straightness had a tendency to produce knuckling-over, which at one time was countenanced, but in recent years this defect has been eradicated by careful breeding and intelligent adjudication, and one sees very little of this trouble in the best modern Foxhounds. The bone cannot be too large, and the feet, in all cases, should be round and cat-like, with well developed knuckles and strong horn, which last is of the greatest importance.
Hindquarters:
Hindquarters or propellers are required to be very strong, and as
endurance is of even greater consequence than speed, straight stifles are preferred to those much bent as in a Greyhound.
Body:
The topline of the back should be absolutely level. The chest should girth over 31 inches (79 cm) in a 24 inches (61 cm) hound, and the back ribs must be very deep. Back and loin must both be very muscular, running into each other without any contraction between them. The couples must be wide, even to raggedness.
Tail:
The stern should be well set on and carried gaily but not in any case curved over the back like a squirrel’s tail. The end should taper to a point and there should be a fringe of hair below.
Disqualification:
Pig-mouth (overshot) or undershot.
Size:
CKC Standard for size not available...
AKC Standard for size:
Weight: 55 - 75 lbs (25 - 34 kg)
Height: 23 - 27 in (58 - 69 cm)
Temperment:
The English Foxhound was originally a pack hound, therefore, it gets along well with other dogs and enjoys human companionship. It gets along with horses, children, and other pets, as it is a gentle, social, and tolerant breed.
It is a very active breed that enjoys the hunt. Though it is slower than the American Foxhound, it enjoys running and will run all day with very few breaks in between.
Health:
There are very few health factors in this breed. Occasionally seen are chronic hip dysplasia, renal disease, and epilepsy.
Life Expectancy:
11 Years
History:
In the 14th-century Great Britain, fox hunting became popular, creating a demand for speedy dogs. From imported French hounds and native stock, fast, lean hounds were eventually bred.
Sources:
Canadian Kennel Club Official Breed Standards - English Foxhound
The New Encyclopedia Of the DOG by Bruce Fogle DVM Page 170
Wikipedia - English Foxhound
