Although the English foxhound was created in the 1500s, they weren't entered into the studbooks until the 1800s. The English foxhound was recognized and approved for the American Kennel Club (AKC) in the 1900s, but they are considered very rare as there are only 17 registered. The very first English foxhound to be registered in the AKC was in 1909 and was named Auditor. The AKC has certain specifications of what the English foxhound should be from the top of their head right to their tail.
The head of the English foxhound should not be heavy, but it should be full in size with sufficient length and breadth to give them a girth of 16 inches in front of the ears. It sets on a long neck, which is at least 10 inches from the shoulder to the cranium. The wide nose is long and has open nostrils. The ears lie close to the cheeks and are set low on the head. Many English foxhounds have rounded ears with an inch or two taken off the ends of the ears. The bite must be perfect, as an overshot or undershot will get them disqualified.
The shoulder of the English foxhound is muscular and long with a full slope and must not be fatty. Their chest will girth over 31 inches with very deep ribs in the back. The loin and back are both very muscular as they join each other with the top of the back being perfectly level. The stern will be carried well without being curved over the back. The hindquarters must be very powerful with straight stifles. This is to give the foxhound endurance, which is of utmost importance. The elbows will be part of a long arm and will be straight.
The legs of the English foxhound are very straight and strong with the bones being sturdy but not too big. The feet are round resembling those of a cat with perfectly developed knuckles and a strong horn, a factor that is very important. In the past, knuckling over was a real problem with the hound, but has been almost eliminated with the English foxhound of today.
Unlike many dogs in the AKC, the color of the coat is not of utmost importance as long as it is similar to what a hound should look like. Some of the English foxhound colors are black, white and tan as well as these three colors combined. Another color often seen on the English foxhound is the "pie", which is a combination of white and yellow or tan. The coat is short, dense and very glossy. One of the most important qualities of the English foxhound is the symmetry they possess. This is how the judges measure the quality of the English foxhound.
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