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10 English Foxhound Temperament Traits, and Other Interesting Breed Info

Like the American Foxhound, the English Foxhound temperament is typical of that of pack hounds. This means that he enjoys being part of a pack, whether it's with other dogs or humans.

The English Foxhound is the American Foxhound's cousin. They are both scent hound dogs, meaning they hunt foxes by scent.

English Foxhound Temperament and Personality

When you’re interested in a particular breed of dog, perhaps the most important thing to know about is its temperament.

A breed’s temperament will tell you whether it’s an aggressive or calm breed.

You can also determine whether it’s lazy or active, and whether it is more of a family dog or a lone wolf.

The English Foxhound temperament, for instance, makes him quite the lovable dog. But there are aspects to his temperament that can put you off of the breed, too.

Here are the 10 must-know traits of the English Foxhound temperament.

1. He’s Sociable

Passing someone on a walk? The English Foxhound is a social butterfly who has no trouble saying hi.

He gets along with people and other dogs with no problem.

He’s Companionable

He is open to the idea of making friends. After all, they can be members of his pack!

This goes for cats, too, though he does better with them if you raise them together. Else, he may consider cats to be prey and give chase.

Like any other dog, though, he requires early socialization to help him reach his full friendliness potential.

To socialize him, walk him to stores that allow dogs, like Petco. Walks around the neighborhood can help him meet his neighbors. Having frequent visitors over to the house helps, too.

2. He’s Gentle

Because he is so gentle, the English Foxhound makes a perfect family dog.

To have an English Foxhound for a pet, though, you’re better off going with a show dog. They tend to have calmer demeanors.

Just be sure to give him a good amount of exercise. Even the show dog version of the English Foxhound has extra energy he needs to get out.

3. He’s Tolerant

He can tolerate everything from long walks to the roughness that sometimes comes from playing with younger children.

This breed’s stamina is truly awe-inspiring. They can hunt for six hours without a break and still have energy after the hunt for other things!

4. He’s Active

Don't be shy about exercising him – the more activity, the better.

If you live in an apartment, this may not be the right dog for you. This is because he likes big backyards where he can run free.

5. He’s Independent

Like other hound dogs, the English Foxhound enjoys marching to the beat of his own drum.

You must therefore be persistent with him or you will have incredible difficulty training him.

Once that stubbornness kicks in, so too will your immense frustration. You can get ahead of the curve by enrolling him in obedience classes if you feel training isn’t going well.

6. He’s Chatty

The English Foxhound enjoys the sound of his own bark, which may make him sound like a great watchdog. This is because his bay is loud.

However, he isn’t much of a guard dog, as he isn’t all that protective by nature.

7. He’s Good with Kids

You need to supervise younger children to make sure they aren’t being overly rough with him.

While the English Foxhound does love kids, his pack mentality actually makes him more interested in being around other dogs.

Therefore, if you already have a dog, and you’re looking for a companion for him, then the English Foxhound is the perfect choice.

And if you already have more than one dog, even better. He’ll fit right in with the pack!

8. He’s a Hunter by Nature

You must always keep this dog on a leash.

Remember, he is a scent hound, so if he picks up a scent that he wants to follow, he will. And he can follow that scent for miles, becoming fixated on it for hours.

Warning: if you do not use him as a hunting dog, he will find a way to channel that interest elsewhere.

9. He Has Impressive Stamina

The English Foxhound’s passion for the hunt can keep him going for hours. You may find that you tire out from a walk long before he does!

In fact, he has no problem being out all day, hunting, then playing for a few hours with the kids at home.

A Pack of English Foxhounds Ready for Hunt

The English Foxhound Appearance

The English Foxhound is a medium-sized dog. The average height for a male is between 22 and 25 inches. For a female, it is between 21 and 24 inches.

The average healthy weight for an English Foxhound, full-grown, is between 64 and 75 lbs.

Colors this breed comes in include white, lemon and white, and tricolor.

A Brief History of the English Foxhound Dog Breed

The English Foxhound's history is both odd and interesting.

The English created the breed during the 16th century in response to a perceived deer shortage.

Under Henry VIII's reign, the nobility hunted deer for both sport and food.

Convinced that the deer had run out and they needed a new target, they chose the fox. And for a new target, they needed a new hunter.

Breeders then mixed together the Greyhound, the Fox Terrier, and the Bulldog to create the English Foxhound.

They chose the Greyhound for its speed, the Fox Terrier for its hunting instinct, and the Bulldog for its persistence.

How Do You Train an English Foxhound?

Due to their independent streak, English Foxhounds can be as stubborn as their hound cousins during training.

You should train an English Foxhound puppy as early as possible.

Training should be consistent, and you must establish the pack order early on.

Once he understands that you're his pack leader, he will be obedient.

In order to convince him of that fact, you must be calm and loving, but also firm when necessary.

Helpful Dog Training Resource:

For help with training your dog, you should take a look at The Online Dog Trainer by Doggy Dan. Doggy Dan is an expert Dog Trainer based in New Zealand. His online resource contains Hundreds of Excellent Dog Training Videos that will take you step-by-step through the process of developing a healthy, happy well-behaved dog.

How Do You Groom an English Foxhound?

You’ll be pleased to know that it is super easy to groom English Foxhounds. This is because their coats are short and coarse, so you only need to perform minimal maintenance.

You should only brush them once a week to keep him looking healthy.

Even baths can be occasional – usually only when he starts to get that stinky, wet dog-like odor.

Also, just like all dogs with droopy ears, make sure you check and clean his ears regularly.

If his ears develop a build-up, it can lead to an ear infection, and neither of you wants that.

These dogs are not hypoallergenic. Therefore, if you have an allergic reaction around dogs, then this is not the right breed for you.

Exercise

The English Foxhound temperament calls for a decent amount of exercise. A lapdog, he is not.

If he does not get enough exercise, he can become anxious or distant, or assert his dominance.

An English Foxhound who receives proper exercise will be obedient, sociable, and good-natured.

He can run for miles, which makes him a great running or hiking companion.

Multiple brisk walks each day should help keep his energy level down. If you’re not very active, this is not the right dog for you.

Bonus points for this breed if you like to hunt, for this dog will be your right-hand man.

Health of an English Foxhound

As with all breeds, however, there are certain health problems that can affect the English Foxhound. These conditions include:

  • Hip dysplasia– A very common health condition wherein the dog is born with a malformed hip socket. This can lead to arthritis in the dog’s later years.
  • Epilepsy– Dogs who suffer from epilepsy develop seizures of unknown cause. It can sometimes be a product of another condition, such as kidney failure or liver disease.
  • Congenital deafness
  • Kidney disease
  • Ear infections

The English Foxhound is pretty lucky, though, as most of these conditions are rare.

All told, the English Foxhound is a healthier breed of dog than some of the other breeds out there.

Helpful Dog Health Resource:

Note: Our Health is #1 Priority. It should be no different for your dog. But you need to help him. The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health is the answer. This handy guide will help you recognize the symptoms of the health problems above. Get the knowledge to stay ahead of these terrible issues that can rob your lovely dog from vigor and life. Help your friend make it to 14 yrs+ without pain and suffering.

English Foxhound Life Expectancy

The average lifespan of a healthy English Foxhound is between 10 and 13 years.

Finding English Foxhound Puppies for Sale

You may be wondering, how much is an English Foxhound? The average English Foxhound price lies in the range of $800 to $1,200.

This cost is reasonable when compared to the price tags of other breeds, especially since the English Foxhound is the rarest of the Foxhound breeds.

English Foxhound Rescue and Adoption

Foxhound Rescue is incredibly helpful if you’re interested in adopting a rescue dog. They have a map right on their front page with the number of adoptable English Foxhounds available in each state!

Clicking on your state brings you to the information for each dog, including their pictures and exact locations.

Adopting a dog is often cheaper than buying one from a breeder.

It’s also a good idea to adopt a dog if you’re in the market for an English Foxhound mix. Shelters and rescue organizations tend to have mostly mixed breeds.

Because this is a breed that does so well with other dogs, you may want to adopt two at once.

Not only is it cheaper to adopt two, rather than buy them, but this ensures that you won’t have one lonely dog without his pack.

English Foxhound Breeders

English Foxhound pups are available from a multitude of breeders.

If you’re interested in purchasing an English Foxhound puppy, research breeders in your local area before you buy.

This is to ensure that you’re not paying top-dollar for a dog that may have health issues.

If you'd like to see English Foxhound puppies and adults in action, you can attend one of the events hosted by the English Foxhound Club of America.

Checkout our Complete Guide to Breeders:

We wrote the definitive guide on finding, selecting, and dealing with dog breeders. This will give you the smarts and confidence to save you money, time and heartache. Read On…

English Foxhound vs American Foxhound

It is very easy to confuse the English Foxhound and the American Foxhound, not least of all because of their names.

They are, in fact, related, with only minor differences in both their appearances and temperaments.

Both Foxhound breeds make for top-of-the-line hunters with impressive stamina.

They have so much hunting energy, in fact, that if you expect them to act like calm family dogs, you could feel sorely disappointed.

They may choose to channel their extra energy into more destructive behavior just to satisfy their hunger.

In fact, if hunting isn’t your thing, you may not be able to keep either of these breeds happy, no matter what you do.

Even moderate levels of exercise and play may not be enough to tire them out.

Aside from this characteristic, English Foxhounds are loving and friendly to both dogs and humans.

On the other hand, you can actually scare off an American Foxhound if you “glomp” him with too much love.

If he sees people giving each other too much love, this may alarm him, too. He may feel you need protection from the person who is “invading” your personal space.

When it comes to grooming, both breeds are relatively low maintenance.

English Foxhound vs Beagle

English Foxhounds and Beagles look so much alike, you may not be able to tell them apart!

However, Foxhounds are actually significantly larger than the Beagle.

When it comes to temperaments, you may find the Beagle makes the better house pet.

This is because the Beagle can adjust well to family life provided you give him moderate exercise.

Just like the Foxhound, though, the Beagle is a hunting dog. You should never let him go off-leash while on walks.

You should also keep him away from smaller animals he may see as prey.

A Final Word about the English Foxhound

The English Foxhound temperament makes him a joy to be around.

He is sociable and friendly, great with kids, and loves to exercise.

He does much better in a spacious backyard than confinement within a small apartment.

The English Fox Hound is also one of the healthier breeds out there, as the conditions that can affect this breed are rare.

This breed is quite the pack animal. He does not do well when left alone for hours at a time.

If you can, it’s better to adopt more than one of these dogs at once. A lone dog may feel melancholy without a canine companion.