How did the American Foxhound originate?

The American Kennel Club does credit George Washington as the Father of the American Foxhound. Washington and his wife Martha were dog breeders in Mount Vernon, Virginia. [4] Washington is said to have had a strong love for dogs; that grew from his love of hunting for foxes. This love of dogs stems from watching the relationship between the dog and the fox it was hunting.[5] Washington was an avid fox hunter. The birth of this breed can be credited to Washington, and his relationship with Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette gifted a group of French Hound’s to Washington, from there around two years after, Washington acquired eight regular hounds from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and 2 “Slow Pace” hounds from England. [6] From these 3 breeds of dogs, from America, France and England, Washington then bred the American Foxhound. Washington had no desire to breed this dog for attention to legacy, but rather for personal gain – to hunt foxes with his own collection of specially bred hunting dogs. Washington bred the American Foxhound in hopes of breeding faster speed and tracking of foxes into the breed of hounds he already owned. [7]

George Washington is credited by the American Kennel Club with originating this dog breed by crossing French and English hounds with other American hounds from Pennsylvania.  Washington bred the American Foxhound because he loved fox hunting and wanted his own specialty breed for that purpose.