Gun Dog Breeders: 3 Diet Tips to Keep American Foxhounds in Shape for Hunting Season

American foxhounds are bred by gun dog breeders to run after a scent and keep running – often for hours at a time. To that end, these powerful and willful dogs need a carefully controlled diet to get them in shape for hunting season and keep them at peak energy.

Protein and fat are key as long as the animal is kept exercised. Foxhounds have a higher tendency than many gun dog breeds to put on unhealthy pounds if overfed and underexercised, so balance is crucial:

1. What to Feed

A pack dog, American foxhounds on the hunt are usually fed a mixture of horsemeat and oatmeal mash – but are never fed in the day leading up to a hunt, according to author and dog expert Edie MacKenzie.

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However, she recommended a foxhound kept as a pet be fed about one and a half cans of high-quality meaty dog food along with a biscuit — or five cups of dry dog food with sufficient vitamins and minerals.

PetGuide.com recommended dry food with “high-quality meat ingredients,” along with high protein levels and fat content. Stay away from dog foods that list soy or corn products as one of the first five ingredients. Although those are safe for dogs, active breeds such as the foxhound need a diet geared toward energy.

2. Don’t Overfeed

Foxhounds like to eat, and they need their exercise— lots of it. Too much of the former and not enough of the latter and they can put on the pounds quickly. Though that’s true of any dog, and multiple sources say the foxhound is particularly susceptible.

DogTime recommended measuring your foxhound’s food before serving and feed it twice a day, rather than leaving food out.

3. An eyeball and hands-on check is recommended

You should be able to see a waist when you look at your dog from above, and you should be able to feel ribs under muscle when you run your hands along your dog’s side. If you can’t, get out the dog’s leash and your running shoes.

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