American foxhound (Dog standard)

American foxhound is a moderately long, muscular and strong.

FCI-Standard N° 303 / 05. 03. 1998 / GB

AMERICAN FOXHOUND

ORIGIN : U.S.A.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 02.11.1979.

UTILIZATION : Hound.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 6 Scenthounds and related breeds.
Section 1.1 Large-SIZEd hounds.
With working trial.

HEAD : Should be fairly long, slightly domed at occiput.

CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Broad and full.
Stop : Moderately defined.

FACIAL REGION :
Muzzle : Of fair length, straight and square-cut.
Eyes : Large, set well apart, soft and houndlike; expression gentle and pleading. COLOUR brown or hazel.
Ears : Set on moderately low, long, reaching when drawn out nearly, if not quite, to the tip of the nose; fine in texture; fairly broad, with almost entire absence of erectile power; setting close to the HEAD with the forward edge slightly inturning to the cheek; round at tip.

NECK : Rising free and light from the shoulders, strong in substance, yet not loaded, of medium length. The throat clean and free from folds of SKIN, a slight wrinkle below the angle of the jaw, however, is allowable.

BODY :
Back : Moderately long, muscular and strong.
Loins : Broad and slightly arched.
Chest : Should be deep for lung space, narrower in proportion to depth than the English Hound, 28 inches girth (71 cm) in a 23-inch (58 cm) hound being good.
Ribs : Well sprung; back ribs should extend well back.
Flank : A three-inch (7,6 cm) flank allowing springiness.

TAIL : Set moderately high; carried gaily, but not turned forward over the back; with slight curve; with very slight brush.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS : Forelegs straight, with fair amount of bone.
Shoulders : Sloping, clean, muscular, not heavy or loaded, conveying the idea of freedom of action with activity and strength.
Pasterns : Short and straight.
ForeFEET : Foxlike. Well arched toes, strong nails, pads full and hard.

HINDQUARTERS :
Hips and thighs : Strong and muscled, giving abundance of propelling power.
Stifles : Strong and well let down.
Hocks : Firm, symmetrical and moderately bent.
HindFEET : Close and firm.

COAT

HAIR : Close, hard hound COAT of medium length.

COLOUR : Any COLOUR.

HEIGHT :
Dogs should not be under 22 or over 25 inches (56-63,5 cm).
Bitches should not be under 21 or over 24 inches (53-61 cm), measured across the back at the point of the withers, the hound standing in a natural position with his FEET well under him.

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Skull very flat, narrow across the top; excess of dome.
Roman-nosed, or upturned, giving a dish-face expression.
Muzzle long and snipey, cut away decidedly below the eyes, or very short.
Eyes small, sharp and terrierlike, or prominent and protruding.
Ears short, set-on high, or with a tendency to rise above the point of ORIGIN.
NECK thick, short, cloddy, carried on a line with the top of the shoulders. Throat showing dewlap and folds of SKIN to a degree termed  throatiness ».
Back very long, swayed or roached back.
Loins flat, narrow.
Chest disproportionately wide or with lack of depth.
Ribs flat.
TAIL long. Teapot curve or inclining forward from the root. Rat TAIL. Entire absence of brush.
Forelegs crooked.
Shoulders straight, upright.
Out at elbow.
Carpus knuckled over forward or bent backward.
Cowhocks or straight hocks.
FEET long, open or spreading.
Lack of muscle and propelling power.
COAT short, thin, or of a soft quality.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Source: FCI >>>