Lurcher vs American Foxhound - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Lurcher vs American Foxhound - Breed ComparisonAmerican Foxhound is originated from United States but Lurcher is originated from United Kingdom. American Foxhound may grow 11 cm / 4 inches shorter than Lurcher. Both American Foxhound and Lurcher are of same weight. American Foxhound may live 3 years less than Lurcher. American Foxhound may have more litter size than Lurcher. Both American Foxhound and Lurcher requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Working dog
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United States
United Kingdom
Height Male:
53 - 64 cm
20 - 26 inches
50 - 75 cm
19 - 30 inches
Height Female:
49 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
50 - 75 cm
19 - 30 inches
Weight Male:
25 - 32 kg
55 - 71 pounds
25 - 32 kg
55 - 71 pounds
Weight Female:
21 - 30 kg
46 - 67 pounds
25 - 32 kg
55 - 71 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
1 - 12
3 - 8
Size:
Large
Large
Other Names:
Foxhound
None
Colors Available:
red, tricolor, black and tan, blue
white, grey, cream, black, tan, All colors - fawn, silver or grey and bi-colored
Coat:
short, hard
Short- or long haired
Shedding:
Seasonal
Moderate
Temperament:
Alert, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loyal, Outgoing, Sweet
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Hard
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

History

american foxhoundAs a cousin of the English Foxhound, the American Foxhound is a scent hound and bred for hunting. Robert Brooke brought the first hunting dogs to the colonies in 1650. These dogs were the starting point for several American hound breeds including the American Foxhound.

For almost 300 years the Brooke family owned and bred dogs from this bloodline.

At the same time that Brooke was hunting with and breeding his hounds, George Washington was given French Foxhounds. These were crossed with the Brooke’s dogs to create the American Foxhound. This breed is said to have been originally bred in Virginia and Maryland.

They are the state dog of Virginia. After Red Foxes were imported or migrated, Irish Foxhounds were brought to American and added into the line, increasing the stamina and speed that today’s dog’s still display.

The American Foxhound was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1886. Today’s American Foxhound presents in many different lines but are all considered the same breed even though some ay look very different. These strains include the Trigg, Walker, Penn-Marydel, Goodman, July and Calhoun.

lurcherThe Lurcher is a crossbreed dog that doesn’t seem to have too much certainty around it. There are stories that Lurchers may have been bred to produce a sighthound with more intelligence for hunting.

Hunters discovered that breeding certain breeds with sight-hounds produced a dog better suited for hunting and working purpose.

A Lurcher is a sighthound, a classic working crossbreed and some of the dogs used to bring about this breed were Greyhounds, Deerhounds, Whippets, Border Collies, Bedlington Terriers and Irish Wofhounds among others. This means that the Lurcher has many different looks as well. In the UK, Lurchers have their own shows, but no registry recognizes the dog.

Description

american foxhound puppy - descriptionGiven the variety of bloodlines and strains mentioned above, there can be many differences in the American Foxhounds. Because of this most American Foxhounds bred to show are Walkers as they most closely fit the AKC Breed Standard.

In general, the American Foxhound has long, straight legs and is taller than the English Foxhound. They have a narrow chest and domed skull with a long muzzle.

They have low, wide set eyes that should be dark – brown or hazel, never blue. They have feet like a fox and laid-back shoulders with a curved tail. Athletic and muscled, the American Foxhound is bred to run. They are one of the rarest breeds in the United States.

lurcher puppy - descriptionIt is difficult to put a size and weight to the Lurcher, This is because of the many dogs used in his development, so that they vary in size and coat type. Generally though, he is a deep chested dog that stands roughly between 50 – 75cm and weighs 25 – 32kg.

However, because Whippet was a dog used in his development, he could be as small as a Whippet, the size of a Greyhound or Deerhound.

Generally he has a shortish coat. Colours of the coat vary greatly so you can find fawn, cream, white, grey, black, tan, silver or grey and bi-colored. The ears are usually small and can be floppy or held erect or back and the tail is usually long.

Temperament:

The Lurcher’s temperament is much like that of the sighthound – loving and calm. It is a good idea to have the Lurcher trained and socialized to help prevent both timidity or aggression.

He is an independent and intelligent dog and can be easily trained. He is a gentle dog and will get on well with children and pets in the home as he is a fairly relaxed breed with a quiet temperament, loving to spend time with his human family. Another advantage is that he is low maintenance and makes a great pet when shown love and care.

Characteristics

american foxhound dog - characteristicsWith a reputation as a docile, sweet dog, the American Foxhound is great with kids and animals. They are gentle and often very shy with strangers. They are strong willed and stubborn especially when training them, so they are not a good first dog. They need an owner who has handled dogs before and knows how to be the pack leader without being angry or mean.

The American Foxhound is a scent hound and once he is on the scent it is close to impossible to distract him from it. They have a tendency to ignore commands when they are in this state. A strong owner/leader is needed for this reason. Don’t let him off leash in an unfenced area.

lurcher dog - characteristicsThe Lurcher is a working- and hunting dog that won’t do well in the city, as he requires large spaces to run.

He is a dog that will need you to provide him with games and other activities as well as a walk every day to keep him fit and lithe. He will therefore require an owner who loves to be active and who is consistent, firm, fair, patient and kind.

With the right human family, the Lurcher is a loving, devoted dog who will make an excellent family pet.

Health Problems

american foxhound puppies - health problemsThe American Foxhound, like most hunting dogs does not carry a lot of genetic disorders. But they can easily become overweight and this can cause major problems. Dysplasia of any type had been mostly unknown in this breed, but due to obesity it is cropping up on occasion. Breeders have not, and do not usually screed for any genetic diseases.

The most devastating health issue the American Foxhound faces is thrombocytopathy. We will go into more detail on this in the Care for Pet section. This is a disease of the blood system, namely the platelets.

lurcher puppies - health problemsEvery dog has the potential to develop genetic health problems, but the way you feed a dog and look after it will play a huge role in his wellbeing.

Lurchers are looked upon as being a pretty healthy dog breed and they can be with you for between 10 and 15 years.

Some of the main health concerns with this dog would be bloat, ear- and eye infections or heatstroke.

Remember that if you’re getting a new puppy, you can prevent some of the major life-threatening diseases by having your puppy vaccinated.

Heat Stroke:

Dogs pant heavily when they’re hot. When the panting isn’t enough, the dog’s body temperature rises and this can be fatal for your pet.

The signs of heatstroke in dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, dullness and loss of consciousness. Being locked in a hot car, being over-exercised or left in a yard without shade and water can bring on heatstroke.

It is imperative to remove the dog from the hot place immediately and cool him down by spraying cold water gently over him while making sure no water enters the mouth or nose. Get him to the vet if you can because of shock and the fact that other problems could have developed.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

american foxhound dogs - caringWhether feeding a pup, or an adult American Foxhound, you need to be sure the food is high quality and that you don’t overfeed. The Foxhound is happy to eat as much as you give him. They like to eat. Make sure you measure and don’t free feed. Control what they are eating.

For a puppy feed twice, a day – 2 to 3 cups of high quality puppy food. When he becomes an adult feed him once a day with 2 cups of adult food.

Health issues

As mentioned previously, the American English Foxhound, like most of the hound breeds is a very healthy dog. They do not have many genetic health issues. They do have a risk for thrombocytopathy. This risk is slight, but all owners of American English Foxhounds should be aware of it.

Thrombocytopathy

This disease is a circulatory system disease with poorly or non-functioning platelets. Platelets are designed to assist in the control of bleeding and without functioning ones the dog can bleed excessively from just a minor cut or bleed internally from a minor injury. The disease can be treated but you have to notice it first. Depending on how severe the disease is, the treatment will vary. Some dogs will have to be given platelets.

Exercise and games

This is a high energy breed that is very active and needs a lot of exercise. They are not good for the first-time owner as they are stubborn and hard to train. They need room to run and get frustrated and out of sorts if they don’t have it. They can live in the suburbs but only with a large fenced yard, an even larger dog park and regular walks. This dog needs a lot of exercise. The simplest thing to do is take him hunting.

lurcher dogs - caringBrush your pet’s coat at least twice a week.

The Lurcher just loves to run and be free, so this is a dog that will want a long walk every day.

Check his eyes and inside his ears for ear infection. Find out how to clean inside the ears and make sure they are kept dry.

Keep his nails clipped, as long nails can hook and cause painful injury to the paw area. Check his teeth too and brush them because dental disease is the root cause of many other diseases.

Make sure your dog has a comfy, dry, warm place to sleep.

Encourage health and longevity by giving your pet high quality food full of vitamins and minerals. If you’re going be giving him commercially manufactured food, make sure its one of the better ones. Try and add in homemade food such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables and add this to his kibble as a tasty treat. Some raw meat added in when you can afford it will also be to his advantage.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. American Foxhound vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. American Foxhound vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. American Foxhound vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. American Foxhound vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. American Foxhound vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. American Foxhound vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. American Foxhound vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. American Foxhound vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. American Foxhound vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. American Foxhound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. American Foxhound vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. American Foxhound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. American Foxhound vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. American Foxhound vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. American Foxhound vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. American Foxhound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. American Foxhound vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. American Foxhound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. American Foxhound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. American Foxhound vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. American Foxhound vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. American Foxhound vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. American Foxhound vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. American Foxhound vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. American Foxhound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Lurcher vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Lurcher vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Lurcher vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Lurcher vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Lurcher vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Lurcher vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Lurcher vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Lurcher vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Lurcher vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Lurcher vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Lurcher vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Lurcher vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Lurcher vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Lurcher vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Lurcher vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Lurcher vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Lurcher vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Lurcher vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Lurcher vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Lurcher vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Lurcher vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Lurcher vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Lurcher vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Lurcher vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Lurcher vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison