Pachon Navarro vs American Foxhound - Breed Comparison

Known also as the Navarra Pointer, this is a Spanish hunting dog native to Navarre, Spain and descended from the extinct Old Spanish Pointer.

Major kennel clubs don’t recognize this dog as a standardized breed, but the Spanish Kennel Club has accepted the Pachón Navarro as a breed.

It is believed that this dog has also descended from other hounds as well as the Talbot hounds. It isn’t a new breed as it is thought that the dog originated in the 12th century already. There were times when the dog almost became extinct but efforts to preserve it have been made and to also establish it as a standardized breed.

As a cousin of the English Foxhound, the American Foxhound is a scent hound and bred for hunting. Robert Brooke brought the first hunting dogs to the colonies in 1650. These dogs were the starting point for several American hound breeds including the American Foxhound.

For almost 300 years the Brooke family owned and bred dogs from this bloodline.

At the same time that Brooke was hunting with and breeding his hounds, George Washington was given French Foxhounds. These were crossed with the Brooke’s dogs to create the American Foxhound. This breed is said to have been originally bred in Virginia and Maryland.

They are the state dog of Virginia. After Red Foxes were imported or migrated, Irish Foxhounds were brought to American and added into the line, increasing the stamina and speed that today’s dog’s still display.

The American Foxhound was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1886. Today’s American Foxhound presents in many different lines but are all considered the same breed even though some ay look very different. These strains include the Trigg, Walker, Penn-Marydel, Goodman, July and Calhoun.

This dog is large sized, standing at between 48 and 57cm in height and weighing between 27 and 33kg. A most unusual feature and characteristic unseen in dogs in general is his split or double nose. The nose of the dog serves the same purpose however, as with any other dog.

The head is fairly large with a broad forehead. The broad head of the dog is generally solid colored. The coat of the coat of the dog is short and of a hard texture. Colors of the coat are white and brown or white and black or white and an orangey color with ticking.

The eyes are large and brown, the ears are long and broad with a rounded tip and the tail is long too. These dogs have a strong, sturdy body with strong legs.

Temperament:

The Pachon Navarro is a friendly, social, intelligent, loving and loyal dog. He is also gentle and docile with an amicable nature, making him a splendid choice for those with children in the home as well as pets.

He is athletic and energetic and is going to need a good dose of daily exercise. Apart from their strong hunting instincts, they make excellent family pets and companions and is most certainly not a dog to be put outdoors day after day without the contact of his human family.

He is intelligent and a quick learner and will benefit from training and socialization as this makes him obedient and it also bring about positive changes with any bad behavior from this excellent pet.

He requires a kind, firm, patient and consistent owner. This particular dog won’t be suited to living in a tiny property in the city, as they require a lot of space to run and exercise.

Given the variety of bloodlines and strains mentioned above, there can be many differences in the American Foxhounds. Because of this most American Foxhounds bred to show are Walkers as they most closely fit the AKC Breed Standard.

In general, the American Foxhound has long, straight legs and is taller than the English Foxhound. They have a narrow chest and domed skull with a long muzzle.

They have low, wide set eyes that should be dark – brown or hazel, never blue. They have feet like a fox and laid-back shoulders with a curved tail. Athletic and muscled, the American Foxhound is bred to run. They are one of the rarest breeds in the United States.

The Pachón Navarro is an active, friendly, playful, affectionate dog and he makes a great family pet. He will however want lots of outdoor exercise, making him a suitable companion for active owners. Inactive city dwellers should think of keeping a more docile kind of indoor pet.

Your Pachón Navarro just loves the company of his human family and will be dejected if made to spend all his time outside and away from his owner.

He also takes his role as guardian and protector seriously. Give him what he requires and make him part of the family and he will be a most remarkable friend and companion.

With a reputation as a docile, sweet dog, the American Foxhound is great with kids and animals. They are gentle and often very shy with strangers. They are strong willed and stubborn especially when training them, so they are not a good first dog. They need an owner who has handled dogs before and knows how to be the pack leader without being angry or mean.

The American Foxhound is a scent hound and once he is on the scent it is close to impossible to distract him from it. They have a tendency to ignore commands when they are in this state. A strong owner/leader is needed for this reason. Don’t let him off leash in an unfenced area.

Pachon Navarros are generally healthy dogs and you’re not likely to spend much time at the vets with these dogs. They can reach up to 15 years of age if looked after well, but with the long ears they are prone to ear infections.

Moisture, wax and dirt can all build up inside the dog's ears and this can cause a painful ear infection with the dog scratching and pawing at his ear.

Bloat is another illness to look out for and you'll notice your dog is lethargic and has a swollen, hard stomach with gas being trapped inside. The condition is life threatening and will require a trip to the vet.

The American Foxhound, like most hunting dogs does not carry a lot of genetic disorders. But they can easily become overweight and this can cause major problems. Dysplasia of any type had been mostly unknown in this breed, but due to obesity it is cropping up on occasion. Breeders have not, and do not usually screed for any genetic diseases.

The most devastating health issue the American Foxhound faces is thrombocytopathy. We will go into more detail on this in the Care for Pet section. This is a disease of the blood system, namely the platelets.

Your Pachon Navarros is a low maintenance dog and you will just be required to give him a good brush. He is a moderate shedder and this brushing down will keep the skin and coat healthy.

Because of his long, floppy ears, you will need to check inside them because moisture, dirt and wax can build up and encourage an ear infection. Don’t try to clean inside your pet’s ears if you’re not sure how, rather find out about cleaning the ears from the vet.

The nails will also need to be clipped as well as checking regularly on the eyes and teeth.

Diet:

Your Pachon Navarro is a hardworking dog and you want to ensure tasty, palatable food that is properly digested and eliminated without problems. If you feed your dog a commercially manufactured dog food, choose the best quality and check out the labels.

Make sure that the food doesn’t contain lots of preservatives, colorants and fillers. Some of the best kibble has the right balance of vitamins and minerals in them. With these kind of hunting dogs, it is best to feed your dog hours before vigorous exercise such as a hunt.

Try and vary the regular kibble by adding in simple, but tasty home-made food occasionally. Dogs appreciate simple food without spices and exotic ingredients as its keeps their stomachs free from pain, gas and bloat.

Some chopped up boiled chicken, some brown rice or pasta and some vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach is super healthy for your pet as well as adding in a little bit of raw meat from time to time.

Remember clean, fresh water must be constantly available.

Feeding

Whether feeding a pup, or an adult American Foxhound, you need to be sure the food is high quality and that you don’t overfeed. The Foxhound is happy to eat as much as you give him. They like to eat. Make sure you measure and don’t free feed. Control what they are eating.

For a puppy feed twice, a day – 2 to 3 cups of high quality puppy food. When he becomes an adult feed him once a day with 2 cups of adult food.

Health issues

As mentioned previously, the American English Foxhound, like most of the hound breeds is a very healthy dog. They do not have many genetic health issues. They do have a risk for thrombocytopathy. This risk is slight, but all owners of American English Foxhounds should be aware of it.

Thrombocytopathy

This disease is a circulatory system disease with poorly or non-functioning platelets. Platelets are designed to assist in the control of bleeding and without functioning ones the dog can bleed excessively from just a minor cut or bleed internally from a minor injury. The disease can be treated but you have to notice it first. Depending on how severe the disease is, the treatment will vary. Some dogs will have to be given platelets.

Exercise and games

This is a high energy breed that is very active and needs a lot of exercise. They are not good for the first-time owner as they are stubborn and hard to train. They need room to run and get frustrated and out of sorts if they don’t have it. They can live in the suburbs but only with a large fenced yard, an even larger dog park and regular walks. This dog needs a lot of exercise. The simplest thing to do is take him hunting.