Mr. Hieu Anh. PhD - Shaolin CFO!

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.


Scale of points

Head
Skull 5
Muzzle 5
Eyes 5
Ears 5 Sub-total: 20

Body
Neck 5
Chest and shoulders 15
Back, loin and ribs 15 Sub-total: 35

Running gear
Forelegs 10
Hips, thighs, hind legs 10
Feet 15 Sub-total: 35

Coat and tail
Coat 5
Tail 5 Sub-total: 10
Total 100

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.