American Foxhound
George Washington's breed. Musical, pack-oriented, needs miles of running. America's rarest popular hound.
Coat
short
Size
large · 60-70 lbs
Life expectancy
11-13 yrs
Activity
very high
The breed
Where the American Foxhound comes from, and what living with one actually asks of you.
About the American Foxhound
The American Foxhound is one of the United States' older hound breeds, developed from foxhounds imported during the colonial period and refined for American terrain and hunting styles. It is lean, athletic, musical, and built to move for hours with a pack. The breed is historically important but uncommon as a casual companion.
Living with an American Foxhound requires honesty about voice and exercise. Many are sweet, easygoing, loyal, and dog-social, but they are also independent scent hounds. A bored Foxhound can bay, roam, dig, or follow scent instead of human plans. Secure fencing, leash use, and neighbor-aware management are important.
Health planning should include hips, ears, clotting disease, and bloat awareness. Local data flags hip dysplasia, ear infections, thrombocytopathy, and bloat. AKC notes that responsible breeders screen for hip dysplasia and thrombocytopathy, and veterinary sources also discuss ear infections in this breed. Because thrombocytopathy affects platelet function, unexplained bruising or bleeding deserves prompt veterinary attention.
Living with an American Foxhound
American Foxhounds are usually independent, easygoing, sweet, and loyal. They often enjoy other dogs because of pack-hunting history, but small pets and wildlife can trigger chase.
They can be good with children in active homes, though their voice and exercise needs are not for every household. Training should be patient and scent-aware, with rewards, leash manners, recall limits, and safe containment. They are not usually polished off-leash obedience dogs.
Daily care
Feeding, exercise, and coat — plus how the routine shifts from puppy to senior.
Feeding an American Foxhound
America's hound. Calorie needs vary with size, sex, and hunting workload. Bred to run for hours — needs serious exercise.
Key nutrients
- —high-quality protein
- —omega-3
Portion notes: Two meals daily; active hunting dogs need significantly more.
Exercise & enrichment
American Foxhounds need substantial daily movement and scent work. Companion dogs and hunting dogs may have very different workloads, so feed to body condition, age, sex, neuter status, and activity rather than a fixed calorie number.
Grooming routine
The short coat is easy to maintain, but ears need regular checks for odor, redness, moisture, debris, or head shaking. Brush weekly, trim nails, inspect feet after long runs, and brush teeth. Keep the dog lean to protect joints.
The American Foxhound through the years
Foxhound puppies need socialization, pack manners, recall games, leash foundations, crate skills, and early comfort with ear and foot handling.
Adult Foxhounds need exercise, secure containment, ear checks, measured meals, and monitoring for lameness, unusual bleeding, bruising, or abdominal distress.
Senior Foxhounds benefit from lower-impact walks, dental care, arthritis support, hearing-aware routines, and prompt evaluation of cough, appetite shifts, limping, or bleeding signs.
Health
What American Foxhounds are prone to, the signs worth catching early, and what supports them.
Health concerns to watch
Bred to hunt in packs for hours — needs MASSIVE daily exercise.
Musical bay carries for miles — not for neighbors who value quiet.
One of America's oldest breeds (George Washington bred them).
Generally very healthy.
Supplements for American Foxhounds
Matched to this breed's common health concerns. All NASC-sealed.
Cosequin (Nutramax)
The #1 vet-recommended joint supplement
- —#1 vet-recommended
- —NASC Quality Seal
- —Glucosamine + chondroitin
- —Clinically studied
Supplements support — they don't treat or cure disease. Talk to your vet for anything clinical.
Gear & services
Food, gear, training, and what the first year with an American Foxhound actually costs.
Fresh food picks for American Foxhounds
Our recommended fresh-food subscriptions for large dogs.
The Farmer's Dog
Fresh, human-grade food portioned for your dog
- —Human-grade fresh food
- —Portioned per dog
- —Vet-developed recipes
- —50% off first box
Ollie
Fresh food with both cooked and baked recipes
- —Fresh and baked recipes
- —Turkey, beef, lamb, chicken proteins
- —Custom portions
- —60% off first box
Nom Nom
Restaurant-quality fresh food with microbiome testing
- —Pre-portioned pouches
- —Vet-formulated
- —Microbiome testing available
- —50% off first order
Spot & Tango
Fresh or UnKibble — whole-food nutrition, your choice
- —Fresh or UnKibble options
- —Human-grade ingredients
- —Shelf-stable storage option
- —50% off first order
What to budget for an American Foxhound in year one.
A practical range for routine care and first-year setup. It assumes a dry or mixed diet and mostly at-home care; purchase and adoption fees are excluded.
Practical first-year range
$1,775-$4,750
A typical ongoing year runs $1,400-$3,075before optional services and unexpected medical care.
Food (year one)
Dry or mixed diet; fresh food can cost more
$750-$1,800
Gear & supplies (year one)
Crate, bed, harness, bowls, toys
$300-$650
Routine vet + preventatives
Wellness, vaccines, flea/tick and heartworm; no emergencies
$500-$850
Grooming
low needs; DIY to periodic professional help
$25-$150
Training
At-home work to group classes
$0-$600
Optional supplements
Not included in the headline totals
$0-$480
Other first-year
Microchip, license, spay/neuter if needed
$200-$700
Optional pet insurance
Not included above; premiums vary by age, ZIP and coverage.
$650-$1,500/yr
Also not included: fresh-food-only diets, boarding or day care, emergencies, and condition-specific treatment. Breed health risks are planning flags—not guaranteed annual bills.
Size-adjusted U.S. planning ranges, updated July 2026 and benchmarked against Rover's 2026 cost report and Synchrony's 2025 study. Actual costs vary by region and lifestyle.
Gear for American Foxhounds
Breed-size-appropriate picks. Links go to Amazon.
Training for American Foxhounds
Matched to American Foxhound temperament (independent, easy-going, sweet).
GoodPup
1-on-1 virtual dog training with certified trainers
- —1-on-1 live video sessions
- —Certified trainers
- —Custom per-dog plan
- —Weekly structure
BAXTER & Bella
Online puppy training program, lifetime access
- —Lifetime membership
- —Self-paced video lessons
- —Puppy + adult content
- —Behavior troubleshooting
Dogo
App-based training with daily structure
- —App-based daily plans
- —AI-guided feedback
- —Affordable monthly cost
- —Trick training library
GPS trackers for American Foxhounds
Size-appropriate picks for tracking, activity monitoring, and escape alerts.
Fi
Smart collar with GPS + activity tracking
- —Real-time GPS
- —Activity + sleep tracking
- —Escape alerts
- —3-month battery
Tractive
Affordable GPS tracker with unlimited range
- —Attaches to any collar
- —Worldwide GPS coverage
- —Activity monitoring
- —Budget-friendly
Curious about their DNA?
Confirm breed mix, check for genetic health risks, and get actionable insights.
Embark
The most comprehensive dog DNA test
- —350+ breeds identified
- —250+ health conditions screened
- —Cornell-partnered science
- —Relatives finder
Wisdom Panel
Breed identification + health screening
- —350+ breeds
- —Genetic health insights
- —Budget-friendly option
- —Fast results
More on the American Foxhound
Similar-size breeds
American Foxhound questions, answered.
Are American Foxhounds loud?+
Can American Foxhounds live off leash?+
What is thrombocytopathy?+
Are American Foxhounds good with dogs?+
What health testing should I ask about?+
How long do American Foxhounds live?+
How big do American Foxhounds get?+
How much exercise does an American Foxhound need?+
What health problems do American Foxhounds commonly have?+
Are American Foxhounds hard to groom?+
What should I feed an American Foxhound?+
Are American Foxhounds good for first-time owners?+
Ask Searchbreed about your American Foxhound
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