The adage that it’s best to start training your dog early is especially true for hunting dogs like the American foxhound. This breed’s instinctive pack behavior and natural predilection for following a specific scent means its owner must start early and work hard to adapt that to human company.
Once you get your puppy from a gun dog breeder, here are some tips to get him or her started on the road to being a sociable dog.
1. Show Dog or Hunting Dog?
Though foxhounds are still used by hunt clubs for chasing foxes, many breeding lines are bred for dog shows. These dogs tend to be larger, but of less excitable temperament and may be more suitable for someone looking for a family dog.
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2. You’re the Leader of the Pack
The Dog Breed Info Center website warns against letting a dog see itself as leader of a pack – including humans – or letting it become protective. That can mean growling while it is eating, or not being willing to let other members of the pack eat until it is done eating.
Among the things the Info Center recommends:
- Train the dog to never go through a door before a human.
- Don’t let the dog sleep in the same bed as a human, or if you must, train the dog to sleep at the foot of the bed – and never get up on the bed unless a human tells it to do so.
- Never tolerate growling. If the dog growls after its food is set down, say “no,” and take the food away.
- Never allow the dog to growl at children. Establish the children are the children of the pack leader – you.
For a pack animal, American Foxhounds are independent by nature and,
according to StreetDirectory.com, may resist anything resembling a command if they are on the track of a scent.
3. Don’t Overfeed
Hounds, being active dogs, love to eat. However, they have to be kept active and they shouldn’t be overfed. An American Foxhound will gain weight quickly.
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4. Watch Around Other Pets
The American Foxhound Club’s frequently asked questions page said foxhounds get along well with other dogs and can get along with cats. However, the club recommends not leaving the dog alone with other pets until the owner is sure they will get along.
DogTime.com recommended exposing the puppy or young dog early on to different people, sights, sounds, smells, and experiences. If the dog is raised with other pets, DogTime said foxhounds can get along, but echoes the Foxhound Club’s caution about leaving them together unsupervised.
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