Dante, Foxhound?

[oakash]

I see lab/pointer/hound

Not sure which I see more out of the pointer and hound, and I'm just saying because of the spotting

[Pops2]

Originally Posted by BostonBanker

A lot of individual pieces remind me of Meg, who is a Mountain Cur - the feet and ear shape/carriage especially. Even the body shape to an extent, although Dante's face is much longer than hers. I wouldn't be shocked if there was some breed of Cur in there.

i see cur in the head as well. IA is part of the dogging heartland. and several good cur & treehound breeders are in that state. treeing curs ( a UKC program that registers crossbreds for foundations, the most common cross is Mt Cur X treeing walker) are highly possible in the area.

[Dante]

The UKC page for the treeing cur certainly seems to describe his build and head. One of the few hounds I've seen that seem to have his ear shape.

[YodelDogs]

English Foxhounds are incredibly rare in the US. The 5th picture down shows what looks like a Lab's "otter tail". I would lean toward a Lab x Beagle cross. (Beagles come in lemon.)

[Dekka]

I would think that would depend on where you are. I know there are a fair number in Virginia, for example. Though I doubt they are ever registered. Hunting kennels pet out a fair number of failed hunters. The hunt club around here seems to supply a fair number of pets.

Fox Hunting in Virginia & VA Fox Hunt Clubs

so while they might not all be 'english foxhounds' and actually a mix between american and english they still out there. I bet most dog people here in Ontario would say they are really rare, but they aren't, you just don't see them. And when you do they don't look like your typical 'pure bred' and look like a hound cross.

And many have thick otter like tails. Here is one from my local hunt club..





Working bred non registered, so they don't show up on most peoples radar, but there are quite a few kicking around.

[Dante]

I am actually unaware of the make up of the dog population in southern Iowa, as I live in a more northern portion. I will say my suspicion that Dante is part hound (beagle or Foxhound) came from two pictures I've seen which I think he resembles.
Both are show breed pictures. First is an english foxhound.

Next, is actually a beagle bitch by which I was especially struck how closely he resembles her.

I cannot dispute a lab/beagle cross, as he essentially looks like a very large version of this dog to me. However, every 'beaglador' I've come across seems to have a fairly consistent trait, a very narrow snout in comparison to its head. There is of course a large variation in possible outcomes, but this observation still makes me cautious about thinking he is a lab/beagle cross.

Biggest thing that makes me think hes not a lab/beagle though is of course his non-beagle or lab personality. He is happy to see both people and dogs, but I've never really seen the usual over amorous disposition typical of beagles and somewhat from labs.