The American Foxhound is a direct descendant of the English Foxhound, first brought to America in 1650 by Robert Brooke. They were immediately popular with the upper classes, which used them in the popular sport of fox hunting.
A century later an English Foxhound was bred with a French Hound, a gift to George Washington from Lafayette. The combination of the French and English Hounds resulted in the creation of the American Foxhound.
Today?s breed is considerably larger than those found historically and this is attributed to improved diet. American Foxhounds are a scent hound and were created purely for the purpose of hunting fox. The American Foxhound was one of the first breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club, achieving that status in 1886.
