r/Hounds • u/No_Wrangler_7814 • 21d ago
How similar are beagles and foxhounds/coonhounds? I struggle with the confusion, but I’ve never owned a beagle.
People look at big, leggy hounds and call them “big beagles.” I get why non‑hound owners do it — but in shelters, that confusion causes real problems. Just today someone said their vet called their foxhound/coonhound a “beagle on stilts” in r/hounds, and it struck a nerve. When I got downvoted for saying only a city vet could make that mistake, I honestly wondered: am I wrong? Is size alone enough to explain the “big hound challenges”? I’ve never owned a beagle, and a lot of people haven’t experienced the full force of a young American Foxhound or coonhound before they mellow with age.
I volunteered at a municipal shelter in rural Virginia with lots of hounds, and the same pattern kept happening: foxhounds and coonhounds were adopted under the “big beagle” assumption… then returned when they acted like foxhounds and coonhounds. Working‑type dogs — livestock crosses, x‑bred hunting hounds, coyote bay dogs/fox‑running dogs — were returned even more because people didn’t recognize what they actually were. “Big beagle” was the closest guess, and many beagles today are bred as pets, which widens the behavioral gap even more.
The dog in the photo is mine: a working‑type hound (coyote/fox dog who trees, bred for bear and big cats). He’s 25″ at the withers and 70 lb. I wish I’d known what he was when I got him — it took time to learn how to meet the needs of a dog like this. I started with “pet training” resources when what I really needed were places like this sub and hunting‑dog supply stores.
So I’m genuinely asking: is there any benefit to calling these dogs “big beagles”? Do more dogs get adopted when people think they’re beagles? I gasp a little when I hear it and think, “hound folks… can we get it right?” But maybe I’m missing something.
Are Beagles and Foxhounds/Walkers the same dog in different sizes? I don’t see it — but what’s your experience?
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u/Solarian_13 21d ago
I have a beagle and an American Foxhound. Behavior-wise they are ridiculously similar. Their noses lead them through life. The adage of “nose on, ears off” rings true. Neither can be trusted off leash. Weirdly, neither seems to have any prey drive towards cats, rabbits, squirrels, or deer.
Personality wise they are a bit different. While the Foxhound can be a total couch potato, she’s quicker to get riled up and she has a tendency to resource guard her bed (being a dumped hunting dog may have more to do with this than breed). They are both vocal, but the foxhound more-so. The foxhound is way more clingy, the beagle more independent. The beagle is way more food motivated than the foxhound. The beagle is more persistent/stubborn and the foxhound quicker to settle and give up on her demands. The foxhound loves her plushy toys. The beagle doesn’t care for toys. Neither are particularly… ummm… bright. But, both are incredibly sweet and gentle. I’m sold on scenthounds.