Breed library

English Foxhound

Also known as Foxhound.

English Foxhound photograph.
English Foxhound portrait.jpg - Flickr user Thowra_uk. CC BY 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:English_Foxhound_portrait.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0. License: CC BY 2.0.

Breed overview

The English Foxhound is one of the four foxhound breeds of dog. It is a cousin of the American Foxhound. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt foxes by scent.

  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: EnglandBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • The English Foxhound has been bred for over two hundred years, with the stud books dating back before 1800.
  • During the British rule in India, English Foxhounds were exported to India for the purpose of jackal coursing, though due to the comparatively hotter weather, they were rarely long lived.
  • Studbooks for the English foxhound have been kept since the 18th century.
  • The English Foxhound is one of the four foxhound breeds of dog.
  • The breed standards' guidelines for showing English Foxhounds requires them to be 20 - 27 in tall at the withers.

Size and appearance

The breed standards' guidelines for showing English Foxhounds requires them to be 20 - 27 in tall at the withers. The skull is thick and the muzzle is long. The legs are muscular, straight-boned, and the paws are rounded, almost cat-like. The English Foxhound comes in any hound colour.

  • Height reference: 58.42 - 63.5 cmAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 23 - 25 in. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: 58 cm or moreBreed reference height. minimum.
  • Height reference: Up to 64 cmBreed reference height. maximum.
  • Height category: tall

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

Health and lifespan

Care planning: keep your dog's veterinary records, health-check dates and agreed care plan together. Add reminders for appointments and record changes you want to discuss at the next visit. Use the linked breed organizations and original references to explore their current health resources.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

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Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

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Breed history

The English Foxhound has been bred for over two hundred years, with the stud books dating back before 1800. During the British rule in India, English Foxhounds were exported to India for the purpose of jackal coursing, though due to the comparatively hotter weather, they were rarely long lived. Foxhounds were preferred for this purpose over greyhounds, as the former was not as fast, and could thus provide a longer, more sporting chase.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  2. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  3. English Foxhound - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, English Foxhound, revision 1336871086. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=English_Foxhound&action=history
  4. File:English Foxhound portrait.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 2.0. English Foxhound portrait.jpg - Flickr user Thowra_uk. CC BY 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:English_Foxhound_portrait.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0.
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
  6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.