American Foxhound Belgian Laekenois Mix

The American Foxhound Belgian Laekenois Mix, is a mixed breed dog resulting from breeding the American Foxhound and the Belgian Laekenois. Both of these dogs can be friendly but personalities differ, so you never know. The American Foxhound is known for being intelligent, kind, and with a good temperament. All dogs need proper socialization and that will be a big factor in how they interact with others. What does this mixed breed look and act like? Is it more like the American Foxhound or the Belgian Laekenois? Those are the questions we will try and answer below. Continue reading below to see pictures, videos, and learn more about the beautiful American Foxhound Belgian Laekenois Mix.

While we really recommend that you acquire all animals through a rescue, we understand that some people might go through a breeder to get their American Foxhound Belgian Laekenois Mix puppy. That is, if they have any American Foxhound Belgian Laekenois Mix puppies for sale.

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American Foxhound Belgian Laekenois Mix History

All hybrid or designer dogs are tough to get a good read on as there isn’t much history to them. Breeding specific dogs like this has become common in the last twenty years or so even though I am sure that this mixed breed found it’s share of dogs to the shelter due to accidental breeding. We will take a closer look at the history of both parent breeds below. If you are looking at breeders for new, designer dogs please beware of Puppy Mills. These are places that mass produce puppies, specifically for profit and don’t care at all about the dogs. If you have a few minutes, please sign our petition to stop puppy mills.

American Foxhound History

The American Foxhound is known to have originated in the states of Maryland and Virginia, and is the state dog of Virginia. It was obviously bred to hunt fox and is a cousin to the English Foxhound Over the years it has been crossed with many different species of hound to create a faster and more prolific hunter. It was once thought that American Foxhound was originally used for hunting Indigenous peoples of the Americas, however this is not true. As their name implies they were bred to hunt foxes. This is obviously the mix of many different types of hound to get the traits most suited for the Eastern United States countryside and the pursuit of it’s quarry. It is known for it’s famous vocal bay. The breed was first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1886. There are various different strains of American Foxhound, including Walker, Calhoun, Goodman, Trigg, July and Penn-Marydel. Though these different names look different, they are all recognized as members of the same breed. Most show hounds are Walkers, many of the pack hounds (used with hunting foxes on horseback) are Penn-Marydel and hunters use a variety of strains to suit their hunting style and quarry.

Belgian Laekenois History

The thick-coated Belgian Laekenois is the rarest of the four known Belgian shepherds. His name looks difficult to pronounce, but when heard it’s rather simple: lak-in-wah, in honor of his home, the Belgian village of Laeken. He’s been known by a couple of other names, Laekense and Chien de Berger Belge, but it’s probably best if we stick to lak-in-wah, now that we know how to pronounce it. In Belgium, no distinction is made among the four herding breeds. In the U.S, the Laekenois was only recently admitted to the the American Kennel Club's Miscellaneous Class and is assigned to the Herding Group. This sizable guy stands proudly with his ears erect, at least when photographed, giving some the impression of a fluffy German Shepherd Dog.
The Belgian Shepherd Dog Club (in French, Club du Chien de Berger Belge) was organized in 1891 specifically to examine the characteristics of native dogs in Belgium. They were interested investigating the consistent type of this native dog that was identical in body and temperament but differing in coat (color, texture and length).

During the early part of the twentieth century, owners and breeders in Belgium argued for the acceptance of additional varieties based on color and regions of origin. The fawn rough-haired varieties were given the name Laekenois (derived from the Belgian town of Laeken). The abilities of these dogs as intelligent and versatile workers soon gained popularity in other countries.

As the years rolled on, the Laekenois was assigned some rather unexpected duties, such as guarding linens drying in the yard, which he carried out with complete dignity. He’s also a veteran of both world wars, having served as a messenger dog. The North Wales Police have trained them to use their natural head-butting impulse to corral criminals.

American Foxhound Belgian Laekenois Mix Size and Weight

American Foxhound
Height: 21 - 25 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 44 - 75 lb.
Lifespan: 10 - 12 years

Belgian Laekenois
Height: 22 - 26 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 44 - 66 lb.
Lifespan: 12 - 14 years

American Foxhound Belgian Laekenois Mix Personality

The American Foxhound and the Belgian Laekenois might be a little bit spunky. They can be an inquisitive little fella so keep on the lookout for that behavior! All dogs need attention and don't want to be left alone. That's why you have a pet, right? Plan on putting forth effort to socialize her as this will reap dividends in the long run. Please use always use positive reinforcement even though they can have a mind of their own. Enjoy being with your new mixed breed and love the relationship you will have with them.

American Foxhound Belgian Laekenois Mix Health

All dogs have the potential to develop genetic health problems as all breeds are susceptible to some things more than others. However, the one positive thing about getting a puppy is that you can avoid this as much as possible. A breeder should absolutely offer a health guarantee on puppies. If they won’t do this, then look no more and don’t consider that breeder at all. A reputable breeder will be honest and open about health problems in the breed and the incidence with which they occur. We obviously recommend that you look for a reputable animal rescue in your area to find your new mixed breed. Health clearances prove that a dog has been tested for and cleared of a particular condition.

The American Foxhound mixed with the Belgian Laekenois might be prone to joint dysplasia, hypothyroidism, among others.

Note that these are just common problems in both breeds.

American Foxhound Belgian Laekenois Mix Care

What are the grooming requirements?

Even if you know the breed, sometimes it is hard to tell if it will be a heavy shedder or a light shedder. Either way, Get ready to invest in a good vacuum if you want to keep your floors clean! Give them baths as needed, but not so much that you dry out their skin.

What are the exercise requirements?

Plan on taking them for extremely long walks and hikes to keep their energy level down. This mix will more than likely have a high energy level. This exercise will keep them from being destructive. A tired dog is a good dog. A tired dog is a good dog though. Never tie your dog up outside - that is inhumane and not fair to him.

What are the training requirements?

This is an intelligent dog that will be a little bit challenging to train. They are going to want to take the alpha position and need someone with a firm, strong, hand that can let them know their place. The best thing you can do is break the sessions into shorter daily sessions to keep their attention span higher. It might have a prey drive and be disposed to running for and chasing small prey, but if handled properly this can be managed. All dogs respond best to positive reinforcement. So make sure to praise her when she does well. She is an intelligent dog who loves to please, and loves a physical challenge. The more exercise she gets the easier she will be to train. Proper socialization is imperative to all dogs and puppies. Make sure to take her to the park and doggy day care to get her around as many people and dogs as possible.

American Foxhound Belgian Laekenois Mix Feeding

"A lot of times diet is done on a per-dog basis. Each one is unique and has different dietary requirements. Most dogs in the U.S. are overweight. A mix like this one that is prone to hip and elbow dysplasia should really be on fish oil and glucosamine and chondroitin supplements as soon as possible. A good diet to look into is Raw Food Diet. A raw food diet will be especially good for the Wolf background.

Overfeeding any dog is not a good idea as that can really exacerbate health problems such as elbow and hip dysplasia.

I good diet to look into is Raw Food Diet. A raw food diet will be especially good for the Wolf background."

American Foxhound Links

Links to other breeds you might be interested in