Plate 098 · The Americas
American Foxhound
美国猎狐犬
“George Washington's hound.”
- Origin
- United States
- Virginia and Maryland
- Region of origin
- Developed in Virginia and Maryland; the marker is Virginia's reference point. It is Virginia's state dog.
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- Colonial era; shaped in the 18th century
- Today
- Hunting dog · Pack hound
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Virginia and Maryland
A tall, rangy pack hound bred in colonial Virginia and Maryland to chase fox over rough country.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Hunting fox in packs, with riders following on horseback.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
According to Wikipedia, Robert Brooke brought a pack of hunting hounds from England to Maryland in 1650. George Washington bred hounds at Mount Vernon and added French hounds sent by Lafayette. Several strains (Walker, Trigg, July, Penn-Marydel and others) are all the same breed.
04 · Today
Hunting dog · Pack hound
Hunting, including mounted pack hunting, the show ring, and companionship when raised in the home.
Personality
- Independent
- Easy-going
- Sweet-tempered
- Vocal
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- Bred to run for hours: needs at least an hour or two of exercise a day.
- Grooming
- Easy: a weekly brush or hound glove.
- Training
- Amiable but independent; a scent hound is rarely safe off lead.
Living with one
- Size
- Large
- Lifespan
- 11–13 years
- Coat
- Close, hard coat of medium length, in any colour
Field note
Its baying voice carries for miles, and it is the state dog of Virginia.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Hound Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (Group 6, standard 303), United Kennel Club
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Hound Group, recognized 1886.
AKC registrations: ranked 188 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- American Foxhound — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-foxhound/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- American Foxhound — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Foxhound
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Robert Brooke's 1650 pack, Washington's breeding and Lafayette's hounds, Maryland and Virginia origin, the strains, AKC 1886.
- American Foxhound — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/AMERICAN-FOXHOUND-303.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin United States; Group 6, section "Scent hounds"; accepted 1979.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: Developed in Virginia and Maryland; the marker is Virginia's reference point. It is Virginia's state dog.
