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American Foxhound History
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The American Foxhound is cousin to the English Foxhound, and is very similar in appearance and purpose. First imported to the United States in 1650 by Robert Brooke, these dogs were an immediate smash with the upper classes, who used them in the popular sport of fox hunting. Proponents of the sport began to dedicate extensive resources to promoting the breed’s development. American sportsmen wanted a dog that could bring down a fox alone as well as chase deer, and for this a quicker and sleeker foxhound was in order. To achieve this end, foxhounds from Ireland and France were added to the common English stock, and by the 19th century the American Foxhound was beginning to become recognizable as a distinct breed.
The American Foxhound was one of the first breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club, achieving that status in 1886. Though few American Foxhounds are registered with the AKC each year, there are many that are listed in the stud books of sporting and hunting clubs. Particularly popular in the South, the American Foxhound is still used as a hunter today, and is among the few breeds that has stuck so steadfastly to its original purpose. Today, there are several different strains of American Foxhound including Trigg, July, Calhoun, Hudspeth, Goodman and Walker. All of these variations are considered part of the AKC-recognized breed standard.
