Description of a English Foxhound.

The English Foxhound was created in the late 1500s, as a result of the perception of the depletion of deer in England. Nobles and Royalty had hunted deer for both food and sport, using the Deerhound or Staghound for this purpose. During the reign of Henry VIII, it was perceived that a new prey was needed, and the fox was selected. The English Foxhound was then created by a careful mixing of the Greyhound, for speed, the Fox Terrier, for hunting instinct, and the Bulldog, for tenacity in the hunt.

Studbooks for this breed were kept as early as the 1800s.

The dogs were meant to trail foxes and live around horses. They are still used for those purposes.