How to Care for a American Foxhound

The American Foxhound has boundless energy and an up-for-anything attitude, making them the perfect canine companion for active pet parents. An afternoon run through the park? Time to get the leash. Want to participate in scent tracking competitions? See you in the winner’s circle. Ready to take an afternoon nap? Who are you kidding? You’ll be in the backyard engaging in a lively game of fetch with your perky pooch. Smart and tons of fun, this breed won’t stop ’til they’re ready to flop.

American Foxhound Temperament

It’s hard not to fall in love with an American Foxhound dog. At the dog park, running errands or waiting on the vet, this outgoing breed knows how to turn strangers into friends. Their personality is best described as easygoing, mild-mannered and up for adventure.
American Foxhounds are charming and shameless in their quest for attention: Pet them once, and they’ll return for affection (and return the affection) over and over. While the breed doesn’t quite achieve Velcro-dog status, American Foxhounds love spending time with their people.
Foxhounds will thrive as members of active families who want a four-legged companion for games of tag, long walks around the neighborhood, trips to the park, swimming and camping. And, after all the outdoor activities, these floppy-eared hounds will happily flop down on the couch for family movie night.
While your four-legged bestie would happily spend all their time enjoying long walks in the park and cuddling on the couch and are great with kids, it can’t be all play and no work; raising a Foxhound requires regular and consistent training. These dogs were bred to hunt and need a job to do. Providing physical and mental stimulation—think food puzzles, training games or competitive dog sports—can help promote good behavior.
Like other scent hounds, Foxhound dogs are pack hounds and tend to enjoy the company of other dogs and appreciate having a four-legged playmate to help burn off some of their excess energy. But be cautious about introducing an American Foxhound to other pets, including cats; the breed is not aggressive and exhibits minimal biting tendencies, but they may chase (and scare) smaller animals.

How to Care for a American Foxhound

Exercise is the primary love language for American Foxhounds. Be prepared to provide lots of high-octane activities to keep this active breed on their best behavior. While they are known for being easygoing, American Foxhounds can also be strong-willed and require regular training (plus grooming and well-balanced diets) to be happy, healthy members of the family.

While you could take your American Foxhound to the groomer for a pro bath and blow out, these are low-maintenance dogs, so don’t be afraid to DIY
Thanks to their short coats, American Foxhound grooming is simple. These dogs shed less than other breeds and have “wash-and-go” coats that require minimal care. Brush them once a week with a bristle brush or grooming mitt to remove excess hair and lather them up in the bath a few times a year to remove dirt and oil from their coats (or more often if they spend a lot of time hiking in the woods, swimming or rolling in pungent places). While you’re giving your pup the once-over with a brush, be sure to check their ears for signs of infection (redness, swelling) and alert your vet if you notice anything unusual. Your vet my recommend you clean their ears as needed.
Trim their nails about once a month. You’ll know it’s time for a trim when you hear them clacking on hard surfaces.
Dental care is also important. American Foxhounds, like all breeds, benefit from an at-home routine that includes dental chews and rinses and brushing their teeth daily. The earlier you start, the easier it’ll be to make oral health a habit. And don’t forget to schedule an annual professional dental cleaning with your vet.

Although American Foxhounds have great qualities, including sweet temperaments, a strong-willed streak is one of their well-known traits. Like other scent hounds, American Foxhounds have high levels of intelligence but like to follow their noses and can be easily distracted by their environment.

To succeed in training, break down skills into smaller steps and offer rewards like treats, toys or praise for accomplishing each step. American Foxhounds have high energy levels, and keeping training fast-paced can keep them from becoming bored.

Signing up for obedience training and practicing recall (come when called) is also important. Obedience training teaches your American Foxhound puppy important skills like sit, stay and come and how to walk nicely on a leash. Keeping them on a leash or in fenced areas prevents them from following a scent and not coming back. It’s important to realize that, even if you teach them to come when called, they may not come back if they catch an interesting scent and are off-leash. (These dogs were born to hunt by scent and are known for their speed.)
And don’t forget socialization! Even though this pup is very friendly, you want to make sure they have lots of positive experiences with people and other dogs while they’re puppies. (It’ll help bring out the best of their bubbly personalities as they get older.) Enroll them in puppy preschool, where they’ll learn to play nicely with other pups and get to meet other pup parents all in one location.

Like all breeds, American Foxhounds benefit from being fed well-balanced commercial dog food designed for their life stage (puppy, adult, senior). Ask your vet for information about choosing a formula for active breeds to ensure your high-energy dog gets the calories they need for optimal health.

Foxhounds are enthusiastic eaters and may eat too much (and gain weight) if they are allowed to graze all day; measure out their kibble and feed them one to two meals every day to keep their weight in check. Your veterinarian can create a feeding chart to help you determine how much to feed your American Foxhound.

Even though these pups are very active, obesity can still be a concern if they eat too much. Remember to limit treats to no more than 10 percent of their daily calories to prevent weight gain. (Those calories count, too!) If you notice your pup’s getting a little portly, chat with your vet. They can help you balance mealtimes, snacks and exercise to help your pup shed the weight and get the nutrition they need.