The Foxhoodle is an excellent addition to a family. They are a hybrid mix between the English Foxhound and the Poodle. These pups tend to combine the best traits from both of these dogs, bringing an air of playful intelligence with them wherever they go.

Breed Overview

These dogs are prone to think of themselves as living in a pack. This attitude means they quickly attach themselves to their human counterparts. They want to be around you as often as they can and will enjoy experiencing new things with your family — as long as they are the center of attention.

If you want to add a pup to your family dynamic, these should be high up on the list to consider. Here is everything that you need to know before you adopt your own Foxhoodle.

Foxhoodle Puppies — Before You Get One

Foxhoodle puppies are lively, affectionate, and friendly. They are known for their love of exercise and adventure, and they need plenty of opportunities to run and play in order to stay happy and healthy. Foxhoodles are also highly intelligent and eager to please, which makes them quick learners and great candidates for training. They tend to be social and friendly with other dogs, as well as with people, and they are generally good with children.

When you go out to adopt your Foxhoodle, you should look at local rescue shelters and animal rescues. Although this breed isn’t prevalent, there is a chance that you might find the dog of your dreams in a shelter.

If you decide to adopt from a breeder, vet them to ensure that you are supporting a business that treats their dogs well. You should ask plenty of questions and have a tour around their facility to get an idea of how they treat and house their dogs. They should be willing to show you into every area of the facility where they allow their dogs. You should also ask for your puppy’s vet records and their parents before you adopt them. These will give you a better idea regarding the health of your pup and their genetic predisposition for other diseases. You should warn your vet if you have any concerns for their health as they get older.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Foxhoodle 🧠

These dogs have a high level of intelligence. A Foxhoodle inherits plenty of smarts from both sides of their family, but especially the Poodle. Poodles were one of the first trained circus dogs because of their intelligence and obedience. You can train your Foxhoodle to do all kinds of things while sharing a bonding experience with them.

You shouldn’t adopt a Foxhoodle if you don’t have enough time to spend with them. They enjoy being around people and don’t do well if they get bored. Their intelligence can end up manifesting in a mischievous temperament if they are left alone for too long.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🏡

These dogs are well-suited for families. They have quite a bit of patience for children and enjoy their higher levels of energy and excitement. These dogs suit living with a family better than living with singles unless you are active. They enjoy having plenty of excitement and things to do with plenty of people around the house.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets? 🐶 😽

The Foxhoodle tends to get along well with other pets. They are not typically territorial, although they can be trained as a watchdog if you want. These dogs are primarily lovers, not fighters, and will enjoy getting to play with other dogs and even cats, as long as they have been appropriately socialized.

Things to Know When Owning a Foxhoodle

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

These dogs are only a medium-sized breed, but they need plenty of high-protein food because they need to exercise so much. You should feed them about 3 cups of food each day, spread out in about three meals each day.

Exercise 🐕

Proper exercise is one of the most important parts of raising one of these dogs. The Foxhoodle is a high-energy dog. If you don’t give them enough exercise, they will go from being a well-behaved and obedient dog to a walking disaster. They tend to take their energy out on unsuspecting household objects if left alone, all tense and bored, for too long.

The Foxhoodle is a skillful dog. You can take them on hikes, for swims, to the dog park, as a running buddy, or on simple walks. If you decide to go for walks, try to cover about 9 miles a week supplemented with other activities during the day. They should get at least an hour of exercise every day.

Training 🦮

Training your Foxhoodle is one of the best ways to bond with them and run out some of their mental and physical energy. Training gives them a chance to flex their brain as much as their muscles. You can train them to do all kinds of things. Start with the basics that will make life easier for both you and them. For instance, potty train them, and train them to sit before crossing roads or to come when you call.

From this point, you should continue to train them to do other things. The more they understand what you want from them when you communicate, the better relationship you are bound to have.

Grooming ✂️

Grooming your Foxhoodle primarily depends on the kind of coat that they inherit. Some will have thick, curly fur like a Poodle. Some might have the short and fine hair of the Foxhound. They could also have a mixture of the two. It is best to brush your dog’s fur multiple times a week to figure out the best frequency. Also, you want to prevent any potential tangles and mats from forming.

You might also need to clip their coat to keep it manageable every couple of months. Other than that, you should brush your dog’s teeth a couple of times a week, keep their ears clean and nails trimmed.

Health and Conditions ❤️

Overall, the Foxhoodle is quite a healthy breed. Although they still have specific health problems that can develop as they age, they tend to be healthy. The best you can do for them is to ensure that they continue to get plenty of exercise and appropriate food for their age.

Male vs. Female

There are no noticeable differences between males and females in this breed because they are not yet established enough to have definable differences.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Foxhoodle

1. George Washington raised and bred Foxhounds throughout all his adult life.

Foxhounds have a varied history divided by continents. There are two different types of Foxhounds: the American and the English Foxhound. The American Foxhound is one of a small handful of dogs that originated in the United States. Americans mixed the Coonhound with English, French, and Irish Hounds to develop the distinctive black and tan Foxhound that we have today.

One of the primary instigators for the breeding programs of Foxhounds in America was George Washington. As an influential founding father, he widely popularized these dogs as a dominant hunting breed during his adult life.

George Washington bred Foxhounds throughout the 1700s, and they become officially recognized as one of the earliest breeds in the AKC.

2. Poodles have gone from hunting dogs to dogs of royalty.

Poodles have an interesting history. Although we often associate them with the wealthy nowadays, they don’t always have this reputation. They were initially bred to be water dogs. The Germans developed them as the “Pudelhund,” meaning water dog. They helped hunters and trappers by catching their prey or shooting game in the water.

Poodles suit this well because they have water-resistant fur and webbing between the toes on their paws. These characteristics allow them to swim quickly without getting weighed down by too much-wet fur.

The dog’s ancestors are descended from some of the oldest breeds of dogs. These breeds have been used as hunting dogs for millennia. They gained the attention of both French and Belgian royalty and gained popularity in other countries throughout the 1600s and into the 1800s.

Although they are no longer heavily associated with living monarchs, the Poodle is still the seventh most popular dog in America.

3. The Foxhoodle makes an excellent watchdog.

The combined traits of the American Foxhound and the Poodle make them highly trainable. They make excellent watchdogs for their families, and you can also train them as highly functional hunting dogs. Both the Poodle and the Foxhound have long lines of intelligence and hunting instincts bred into them.

Final Thoughts

A Foxhoodle is a great dog to have around for those people with energetic families or who want a canine companion as a running or hiking buddy. They will fit well into an active lifestyle. On the flip side, they will be a frustrating breed to own if you don’t have enough time to give them and don’t meet their exercise needs. However, the more exercise they get, the more obedient they will likely be.

See also:

• Chinese Crestepoo (Chinese Crested & Poodle Mix)
• Foodle (Poodle & Toy Fox Terrier Mix)

Featured Image Credit: Left – Foxhound, (Olga Aniven, Shutterstock); Right – Poodle (Alexas Fotos, Pixabay)