The breed standards’ guidelines for showing English Foxhounds requires them to be 21–25 inches (53–64 cm) tall at the withers. The skull is wide and the muzzle is long. The legs are muscular, straight-boned, and the paws are rounded, almost cat-like. The English Foxhound comes in any hound color, most often tricolor, tan, red, or black with a white base.

Traditionally a pack hound, the English foxhound nonetheless makes a stately house dog, as long as it has human or canine companionship. It gets along well with horses, dogs, children and other pets. It is an avid sniffer and trailer, however, and needs daily exercise in a safe area. It is a tolerant, amiable and gentle dog, even though it is not very demonstrative. Most are reserved with strangers. It is not well-suited for city life. It bays.