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The Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound is a breed of natives of the United States, particularly the state of Virginia. Primarily a working breed, the Black and Tan is of the Virginia Foxhound breed and is kept almost exclusively for hunting foxes. There is some controversy as to the uniqueness of the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound as a breed, with some claiming that it is a mixed-breed dog or a variety of the American Foxhound. Either way, The Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound are close relatives of the American Foxhound and several distinct breeds of Conhounds, most notably the Black and Tan Conhound. The Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound is a rare breed that has not yet been recognized by any of the major canine registries.
The Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound can trace its prey back to the Huntinganhoods pack of many other breeds. During the Middle Ages, hunting with packs of dogs became one of the favorite games of European nobility, particularly in England and France. French hunters developed dozens of different varieties of the hound, of which the two oldest and most influential were the Grand Blue de Gascogne and St. Hubert’s Hound. When the Normans invaded England in 1066, they brought their French dogs with them. The English used these French hounds and existing British breeds to develop their own set of myrrh hound breeds, including the southern hound, north country beagle, bloodhound, harrier, and talbot. At the same time, hunters in other countries, such as Germany and Spain, were developing their hound breeds, although they did not necessarily reflect the diversity or pure-blooded nature of the Franco-English hounds.
For many centuries, English hunters preferred big game, especially deer. It was thought to be under the nobility to hunt foxes, which were thought to be vermin. This task was left to the common farmers, which they had performed with dogs since at least 1534. Larger pack, faster and more robust trail. However, most farmers could only keep one or two hounds. To solve this problem, farmers started keeping their dogs in large packs and cleaned many farms in a single day. These hunts quickly turned into large social events. By the end of the 16th century growing population and development had overtaken most of the wooded places in England and as a result the population of deer fell. The English aristocracy turned to foxes to hunt fast for this loss. Although English and Scottish farmers hunted a variety of pure and mixed-breed foxes with great success, the nobles wanted to develop a dog specifically for fox hunting. He used the now-extinct Southern Hound, a deer hunting specialist as a base, but heavily surpassed it with other breeds. No one knows for sure which dogs were used, but it is generally agreed that bloodhound, talbot, North Country beagles, harriers, beagle-type dogs, mixed-breed odor wounds. , Greyhound, Scottish Deerhound, Fox Terriers, pointers and Old English Bulldogs played a part. It is also generally suggested that setters, spaniels, lurchers, dalmatians, and collie-type dogs may also be included. The resulting English foxhound proved so unsustainable on the hunting fox that it probably extincted the most heavily hunted British breeds.
By the mid-17th century, fox hunting was the primary and most favored sport of the British upper classes. The game became so popular that foxes, originally thought to be serious agricultural pests, had to be imported from other European countries. During this time, the first British colonies were being established on the eastern seaboard. Many of these residents had a desire to hunt foxes in their new homes. In 1650, Robert Burke imported the first known pack of English foxheads to Maryland, which later became America’s first Master of the Hounds. A very large proportion of settlers in the Chesapeake Bay colonies of Virginia and Maryland came from upper class backgrounds, many of whom were second, third, or higher sons who were looking for wealth, denied them by British inheritance laws. Was. As a result, Virginia and Maryland became hotbeds of American fox hunting, a situation they still hold today.
The Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound is similar to its relatives as the American and English Foxhound. In general, Black and Tan look like an intermediate form between both Virginia foxhounds, although individual dogs may look like one breed or the other.
The Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound is a medium to large sized breed. Males typically stand between 22 and 25 inches at the shoulder, and females typically stand between 21 and 24 inches at the shoulder. Although effects on height, position, and weight of each individual dog are constructed, most breed members weigh between 60 and 80 pounds, weighing about 5 to 10 pounds more than females. The Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound is a working hunting dog and should always be seen as such. This dog should be very fit and muscular, although it should never be stocked. Some claim that the breed is made more thick than the American Foxhound, but this may be more of a fact than an aspiration. This breed needs to be very well proportioned and without any exaggerated features that compromise their ability without working. The Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound has a medium length of tail and is usually somewhat upward with a slight curve.
The head and face of the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhounds are both quite long, although they are intermediate in length between the American and English Foxhounds. Especially straight, the square muzzle exhibits great length, giving the dog maximum area for odor receptors. The ears of the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound fall from close to the head and may be slightly in front of or on either side of the arms. The ears of this breed are longer than those of the English foxhound, but are generally not as long as the American foxhound. The eyes are well separated and are usually brown or hazel in color. The overall expression of most of the breed members is king, sad, gentle, and happy.
The Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound’s coat is the most important and defining feature of the breed. The coat itself is thick, stiff and of medium length. The hair on the tail is usually slightly longer, forming a very medium brush. This breed comes in a primary color scheme, which is a black base coat with tan markings. These tan markings are usually found on the face (especially above the eyes), snout, ears, chest, legs, feet and / or tail, although the size and location of the markings will vary from dog to dog. . Many individuals with tan legs have black pencil lines on their toes. Many individuals may also show white marks on the chest and legs. It is not uncommon for black and tan Virginia foxhounds to be born in another color pattern, especially those commonly seen on American foxhounds.
The gestation period in lasts for 60-64 days
The primary period of the reproductive cycle of the female is called Proestrus and goes on for around 9 days. During this time the females begin to draw in males. The subsequent part is the Estrus when the bitch is receptive to the male. It goes on for around 3 to 11 days. The third part is the Diestrus. Usually, it happens around day 14. In this period the bitch’s discharge changes for distinctive red and reaching its end. The vulva gets back to average, and she will no longer allow mating. The fourth part called the Anestrus. The time span between heat periods ordinarily keeps going around a half year. The litter size ranges between 6 to 8 puppies at a time.
This breed is classified as “somewhat active”, but is an average. Long segments of quiet activity are often spread with brief bursts of high activity, often simply moving around the house or yard. In addition to walking, daily play sessions are required. Another dog can be a good exercise partner, but they will still need quality play time with his owner. A fence-backed backyard is a good idea; Bichons are surprisingly fast, and if someone makes a dash for freedom, it can be difficult to catch or call you back. They enjoy obedience, agility and participating in rally competitions.
They should perform well on high quality dog food, whether it is commercially manufactured or prepared with the supervision and approval of your vet. Any diet should be appropriate for the age of the dog (puppy, adult or senior). Some dogs are at risk of being overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treatment training can be an important aid, but giving too much can lead to obesity. Know which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. If you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet, check with your vet. Clean, fresh water must be available at all times..
There does not appear to have been any health survey conducted on the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound. Therefore it is impossible to make any definite statement about the health of the breed. However, most think it is a very healthy breed. These dogs are almost exclusively restricted to their ability to function, and any genetic defects affecting this ability will be eliminated from the gene pool. Additionally, the breed has not been subjected to commercial and backyard breeding practices that have harmed many other dogs. It is claimed that the life expectancy of this breed is between 11 and 13 years, although it is unclear what the estimate is based on.
Hip dysplasia is known as a major problem in many related breeds, and is certainly a concern for Black and Tan Virginia foxhounds as well. Hip dysplasia is caused by a malfunction of the hip joint that causes the leg bone to connect properly to the hip. Overtime, this can cause discomfort, pain, arthritis, difficulty walking, and in severe cases, lameness. Although the disease is caused by genetics, its onset and time severity can be influenced by environmental factors. There is no widely accepted treatment for hip dysplasia, although there are a variety of treatments for its symptoms. Unfortunately most of these treatments are lifelong and expensive. Genetic tests for hip dysplasia have been developed, and it is hoped that responsible breeders will be able to reduce its occurrence substantially in the future.
Problems that have been found in related breeds that may be a concern for Black and Tan Virginia Foxhounds: