Field Spaniel vs American Foxhound - Breed Comparison

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.

The Field Spaniel was developed to retrieve game, being developed in 19th century England as a hunting companion. Today they are still used as hunting dogs but he is essentially a family companion and show dog.

He was developed to be a medium-sized, all-black dog. Until 1901, spaniels were divided by weight, with the Field Spaniel being the bigger dog.With developing the breed, the Basset Hound was introduced and then English Springer Spaniels were also brought into the mix.

Today the Field Spaniel is still a rare breed even in the UK. To promote the breed, the dog has been registered as a Vulnerable Native Breed by the Kennel Club.

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 Field Spaniel is a medium sized dog, standing at 43–46cm in height and weighing between 18–25kg. The single coat of the Field Spaniel is fairly long with the traditional feathering at the legs, belly, chest and tail.

The coat comes in solid colours of black, liver or roan. You might also find some ticked markings of white. The tail of the Field Spaniel is traditionally docked with the ears being long and floppy.

Temperament:

Happy, busy and active, the Field Spaniel makes an excellent family pet. They get on well with children and with other pets in the home. It is the kind of dog, that while friendly with all members of his human family, he forms a strong bond with one member whom he regards as special.

Bright and intelligent, he is also a dog that does well when socialized and trained, being more docile and less excitable than Cocker spaniels. The Field Spaniel is a dog who thrives on being busy and won’t relish lying around with nothing to do. He loves water and where there is a dam or pond, he’ll be there and want you to join him.

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.

Once people have owned any of the Spaniel breeds, they discover what a wonderful friend the dog is. He is loyal, loving, protective, brave, confident, fun-loving and smart. He isn’t aggressive but he may not like a stranger to reach out and pat him.

The Field Spaniel is a wonderful dog and he will adapt to life in the city or in the countryside, just so long as he has his beloved human family close by.

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.

The Field Spaniel is a robust dog breed and can live to be 12 – 14 years of age. Apart from watching for ear infections with his long ears, there are some common dog illnesses that are worth knowing about -

Cataracts:

Most older dogs have hardening of the lens and this is when the lens turns a whitish or greyish colour. However if your dog has cloudy eyes, it doesn’t simply mean he can’t see well as he often can. Once a lens has a cataract, some people try nutritional support of the lens which can work to lessen the severity of developing cataracts.

Surgery can help but a veterinary ophthalmologist can determine if cataract surgery is needed as most times it isn’t. If you can’t afford surgery, it is still important to have your dog evaluated by a veterinary ophthalmologist so that you avoid further complications with your pet’s eyes.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy is another eye disease, a degenerative disease that affects the photo-receptor cells where they deteriorate over time and can eventually lead to blindness in the affected dog.

Feeding

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.

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.

Grooming:

The Field Spaniel has medium-length to long hair and to avoid matting of the hair, the coat will need to be brushed a least twice a week. Many Spaniel owners take their pets to professional groomers to get the coat and ears trimmed.

Check your Spaniels ears inside and out regularly, because loving water the way he does, the ears inside can remain damp and become a breeding spot for infection.

Remember to also check your Field Spaniel’s teeth as dental disease can be the root cause of many diseases.

Diet:

Your Field Spaniel is an active breed and you want to be sure to feed him a high-quality commercially manufactured dog food which has been formulated for his activity level. Every now and again mix in some cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken and also add in a bit of raw meat from time to time. Ensure cool, fresh water is always available.