At a glance the quick version
Coat and looks how to spot one
short, dense, weatherproof
A powerful, well-muscled galloping hound with long, straight legs, a level back and a very deep chest built for endurance. The coat is short and thick and stands up well to wind and rain.135
Personality what they are like
Good-natured and easygoing with people and other dogs, shaped by centuries of living and working in packs. It is tireless and single-minded once it picks up a scent, but calm and dignified in the house when well exercised.134
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Very high: The Royal Kennel Club suggests more than two hours of exercise a day, ideally in open country.4
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
The short coat needs a weekly brush; it sheds regularly.4
Home where they are happiest
Best suited to a rural home with a large, securely fenced garden and an experienced owner who understands pack hounds.4
Company who they like around
Bred to live and hunt in a pack, so it enjoys canine company and does not like being left alone for long.41
The story where it all began
The English Foxhound was shaped in Britain to follow foxes by scent ahead of mounted hunters, with each hunt refining its own type of pack hound. Masters of Foxhounds have kept careful studbooks since the 18th century, making it one of the best-documented breeds.1234
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
More than 250 foxhound packs have been established in Great Britain.1
- 2
Its studbooks go back to the 1700s, so many hounds can trace their pedigree for centuries.2
- 3
The breed standard describes a hound 24 inches at the shoulder with a chest girth of up to 31 inches.5
- 4
In British India it was preferred over faster sighthounds for jackal hunting because its steadier pace gave a longer chase.2
- 5
The UKC recognised the breed back in 1905.3
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Standard no. 159, Group 6 (Scenthounds and related breeds), Section 1.1 Large-sized Hounds, with working trial; standard dated 26.03.2009; FCI recognition 1964.1
- The Royal Kennel Club
- Hound group ('Foxhound'); Breed Watch category 1; not on the vulnerable native breeds list.4
- UKC
- Scenthound Group, recognised 1905.3
- AKC
- Hound Group; ranked 187th of 202 breeds in 2025.6
Popularity Ranked 187th of 202 AKC-registered breeds in 2025 (up from 201st).6
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a English Foxhound. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
- Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 7every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FCI Standard No. 159 English Foxhound fci.beused for classification, history, size, coat, colours, temperament
- English Foxhound - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for history, fun facts
- UKC English Foxhound breed standard ukcdogs.comused for recognition, history, size, coat, temperament
- The Royal Kennel Club: Foxhound royalkennelclub.comused for lifespan, exercise, grooming, habitat, temperament
- AKC English Foxhound akc.orgused for body description, chest girth fact
- AKC Most Popular Dog Breeds of 2025 akc.orgused for popularity
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.