Petzlover
American Foxhound is originated from United States but Queensland Heeler is originated from Australia. American Foxhound may grow 13 cm / 6 inches higher than Queensland Heeler. American Foxhound may weigh 10 kg / 23 pounds more than Queensland Heeler. American Foxhound may live 3 years less than Queensland Heeler. American Foxhound may have more litter size than Queensland Heeler. Both American Foxhound and Queensland Heeler requires Low Maintenance.
As 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.
Another name for Queensland Heeler is Australian Cattle Dog or Blue Heeler.
These dogs have always been known for herding cattle. The term ‘Heeler’ comes from the dog’s working style – nipping and biting at the cattle’s hooves.
He was was an Australian cattle dog for Australian settlers in the 1800s. It is believed that Thomas Hall created one of the foundations of the Australian Cattle Dog breed by crossing crossing sheepdogs with Dingos.
The Blue-colored dogs have been the most popular, being known as the Blue Heeler.
Given 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.
The Queensland Heeler is a medium sized dog that stands between 43 and 51cm in height, both male and female. The dog weighs in the region of 15 to 22kg.
He has a short double coat with colors being blue, mottled blue and also red speckled. You’ll also find black and tan coloring on this active dog.
He is strong, lean and muscular with medium sized ears that are erect. The eyes are dark and alert, the legs straight and strong. The tail can be docked or left long.
The Australian Cattle Dog is a high-energy working dog that you won’t easily find lying around. The alert eyes are consistently looking around for action and he can’t be bored otherwise he could resort to digging or other destructive behavior.
He is loving to his entire human family, but being particularly attached to just one family member. He is also protective, taking his guarding role of his family seriously.
He gets on well with children and other pets but you’ve just got to keep your eyes on him around children as when excited he can give a nip or two.
Training and socialization will be important for this dog, particularly because he can be strong-headed, willful and stubborn.
With 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.
Active, intelligent, feisty, brave, playful, loving – these are just some of the wonderful characteristics you get when you bring a Queensland Heeler into your home.
True, he is independent, self-willed and stubborn, but training and socialization can take away all the rough edges.
He forms a strong bond with his human owner, and once you’ve had one of these amazing dogs in your life, you’ll be convinced that dogs are truly man’s best friend.
The 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.
Australian Cattle Dogs are healthy. Every dog, even the most healthiest breeds, can succumb to some of the common dog illnesses there are.
This is an inherited condition, so if you’re looking for a puppy, be careful about the breeder you buy from.
This is another inherited condition where the thighbone of the dog doesn't fit properly into the hip joint. Your dog is usually so active but with this problem he may well be in pain and actually be lame. Your pet can even develop arthritis . The idea is to get your pet to the vet because it can be unbearable to see him in pain and unable to get around.
This eye disease can mean deterioration of the retina. You'll recognize the signs when you see your dog unable to navigate around your home during the night. He is night blind but later on he can’t see during the day either.
Whether 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.
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.
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.
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.
To cope with his life on the Australian Outback, the Queensland Heeler is known to be a low maintenance dog.
The thick coat does shed and it can get dusty so a good brush twice a week is all that is basically required for this dog. If his nails don’t wear down naturally, you will need to have them trimmed. As with every dog, you will need to give attention to his ears and teeth.
This is an extremely active dog. He is going to be needing both mental and physical stimulation to avoid boredom, after all he is used to an active lifestyle herding cattle. Hikes, swimming, running – you name it – he’ll join you with all your activities.
Your Queensland Heeler is such a vibrant dog, full of the joys of living, and you want to ensure he has good food to eat to ensure he stays like that.
For convenience you get some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods. Your Blue Heeler is such a wonderful companion dog that you want to spoil him a bit and give him some delicious home-made food too. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet – plain and simple just like dogs love it. Chop it up and add it into the high quality dry kibble a couple of times a week.
Some raw meat added in from time to time will help his skin and coat remain healthy. Never leave him without a constant source of fresh, cool water.