How much exercise does an English Foxhound need?
Daily exercise minutes, the activities an English Foxhound enjoys and signs of too much or too little.
An adult English Foxhound needs at least 2 hours of exercise a day, and many thrive on more. Long hikes, canicross, running beside a bike once mature, and scent-trailing games are excellent outlets. Trail work, where a hound follows a laid scent over a planned route, taps directly into what the breed was made for.
Off-lead exercise is risky. Once a Foxhound picks up a scent it follows it, often baying loudly, and recall rarely wins. Use a long line in open country and a securely fenced area for free running; fences should be at least 1.5 m (5 ft) high. An under-exercised Foxhound will bay, dig, chew and look for a way out, so exercise is not optional.
English Foxhound exercise in numbers
Activity ranges are editorial planning estimates. The five-minutes-per-month puppy rule lacks scientific evidence. Adapt activity to the individual and seek advice for pain or exercise difficulty. PDSA puppy exercise guidance.
Editorial activity estimate
120 to 150 min
Puppy activity
Individual plan
adapt to age, health and development
Senior activity
Individual plan
adapt to comfort and ability
Size
large
25 to 34 kg
Energy level
Playfulness
Handles heat
Handles cold