Top Activities For English Foxhounds

Introduction

As one of the main hunting breeds of dogs around, the English Foxhound certainly has a strong personality which loves (of course) to hunt! These dogs were originally used to hunt foxes which makes them very aptly named! These days, the English foxhound is typically a household pet rather than part of a dog pack chasing wild foxes. This doesn't mean that your English Foxhound will be happy just to sit around at home though - they want activities to keep them busy! Here are a few that are perfect.

Tracking Games

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Cheap

Normal

30 min

Items needed

Food Bowl

Toys

Towel

Treats

Activity description

An English Foxhound is a scent dog which means that their sense of smell is amazing. They can track animals, treats and other scents from miles away! This is actually why they were used to hunt foxes for so many years. Tracking is still ingrained in your dog's nature which means that they will love any game involving using their nose which will lead them to a reward. While you may not have foxes hidden in your yard that you'd like your dog to chase, there are plenty of things that they can sniff and track that you probably already have in your home!

Step

1

Treat trail

Grab a bunch of your English Foxhound's favorite treats and have them sit and stay in one room. Make a trail of treats that leads to a larger pile (the treasure!). Your dog will easily track the trail and, after a few tries, make the trail less and less and then leave no trail, just the treasure. Your dog will still be able to find it as they can just use their nose instead of treats to lead the way!

Step

2

Towel pet

Take a small towel and rub it on one of your friend's dogs or cats that your English Foxhound may not know. Then, hide the towel in your house and see if your English Foxhound can find the new "pet" in the house. The scent will be strong enough for your sensitive pup and they are likely to find it right away!

Step

3

Dinner search

Hide your dog's dinner bowl, full of food, inside a box and close it up. Then, ask your English Foxhound where their dinner is. They will first look where they typically find their bowl and then begin to sniff frantically, looking for their food! Don't worry, they will be able to track it for sure!

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Over, Under, Through

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Free

Normal

1 hr

Items needed

Furniture

Blankets

Pillows

Cushions

Treats

Activity description

English Foxhounds love exercise and need to get out and go a few times a day. When not properly exercised, this breed can go stir crazy which can lead to unwanted behaviors - you don't want that! What can you do with your dog to give them a good amount of exercise despite being stuck inside due to bad weather? This game, called over, under, through is the perfect solution to indoor exercise. It is also a game that you can switch up, keeping it exciting, fresh and new. A little bit of creativity and you and your English Foxhound will be having a ton of fun!

Step

1

Under

Begin your obstacle course set up by finding something that your dog can go under easily. Your dog can crawl under a chair or maybe under a bed. Coax your dog under the obstacle by using treats and calling them excitedly. Practice a few times until they master the under crawl.

Step

2

Over

Next, find an obstacle that your dog can jump over. A pillow, blanket pile or book stack is perfect for beginners but try something like a chair or bench for an English Foxhound who is really ready to go! Show your dog how to jump over the object as the second obstacle in the course.

Step

3

Through

The easiest thing to go through is a blanket tunnel that you can make yourself. Hang a blanket over the side of the couch and draped across a chair or on the backs of two chairs. Show your dog how to crawl through the tunnel and then, you are ready for the full course! Over, under, through then do it again! How fast can your English Foxhound go through the course? Such great exercise!

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Search and Rescue

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Moderate

Hard

1 - 2 hrs

Items needed

Training Guides

Treats

Activity description

Your English Foxhound is lucky enough to have a fantastic sense of smell and also be extremely smart. Due to this, they would make a perfect search and rescue dog. Search and rescue dogs are used whenever there is a tragedy that requires a pup's help to find a missing person or person in distress. While there are many dogs who do search and rescue as their full time job, you can also train your dog to be a part time worker, helping only when more dogs are needed than available to rescue crews. The training is also a fun way to engage your dog's sense of smell and love of tracking.

Step

1

Groups and classes

Find a dog search and rescue group near you and find out about classes that you and your dog can enroll in. If there is not a local center near you, look online to see if you can learn how to train your dog independently. Many sites offer course guidelines which you can do on your own with your dog.

Step

2

Training

Begin training your dog in the art of search and rescue. Many of these training sessions will involve smelling an item and then finding it hidden in a hard to find place. Your dog will also need to be trained in friendliness, agility and endurance so keep these traits in mind when training as well.

Step

3

Certification

Get your dog certified as a search and rescue dog which will require that they take a test. National certification is required for any dog to participate in a real search and rescue and that certification needs to be renewed every few years. Once certified, your dog is ready to go whenever needed!

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More Fun Ideas...

Which Hand

This quick game is fun when you need something small to do to entertain your dog. Hold a treat in one hand and show your dog both hands, closed. See if your pup picks the correct hand with their nose!

Dog Park

English Foxhounds are very friendly and social pups. This breed used to hunt as a dog pack so they will enjoy playing with other dogs in a relaxed setting like a dog park.

Conclusion

English Foxhounds are fantastic pets that definitely benefit from a good game or activity set up by you. Scent games are key with this breed and will always be winners since your English Foxhound loves to smell and track. Activities that keep them moving is the other sure fire way to make your pup happy. No matter what you play, if you are there, engaging your dog, they will be excited. Make sure to run, play and train your English Foxhound every day!