| | Breed Information
There are three breeds of hounds used in the traditional sport of Foxhunting. They include English, American and the Crossbred. One hound crossbreed well suited for the Maryland terrain is called the Penn-Marydel Foxhound. English: | 
| English Foxhounds are more heavily built than American. They have shorter ears and less cry. They are hot-trailing hounds with great speed, and they take more direction from their huntsman than do the American strains. They were developed in England where the primary objective is to run down and kill foxes, as foxes are too numerous there. | American: | 
| The American Foxhound is a distinct type. He is racier and more lightly built than the English, with a distinctive occipital bump and long ears. He has a better voice and will hunt more independently than the English hound. He was developed for hunting the open farmland of Virginia, where great speed is essential to stay with the fox. | Penn-Marydel: |  Marlborough Hunt Club uses Penn-Marydel Foxhounds. This is a strain of American hounds bred for hunting in the farmland and woodlands of the Pennsylvania-Maryland-Delaware Area, hence their name. Penn-Marydels have a wonderful deep voice and excellent cold trailing ability, able to perform well in tighter, less open terrain. Although somewhat slower than the English and American Foxhounds, they possess sharp noses, great perseverance and incredible endurance, giving them the ability to find and hold a fox for hours. This makes them ideal for hunting the hills and thick woodland prevalent in Southern Maryland. Their voice is also a delight to hear and enables the followers to know where they are even in wooded country.
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History of Foxhounds in America  As noted from the MFHA, the first record of hounds being brought to America has them arriving in Maryland in 1650 with Robert Brooke and his family. These hounds were the basis of several strains of American Foxhounds. Thus it seems fitting that one of these breeds of hounds, the Penn-Marydel, should bear the state’s name. George Washington, the father of our nation, also helped father the American Foxhound. In 1770, Washington imported a number of hounds from England and in 1785, he received a number of French foxhounds from the Marquis de Lafayette in order to further develop the breed.
As the Colonies grew, so did the sport of Foxhunting. In 1840 Thomas, Sixth Lord Fairfax, of northern Virginia, was the first to organize and maintain a hunt for the benefit of a group of Foxhunters. The Montreal Hunt, established in 1826 was the first North American Foxhound Club. Fourteen years later, in 1840 the Piedmont Foxhounds in Virginia, the first American Foxhound Club, was established. Both of these clubs are still in existence today. There are records indicating that while the earliest politicians were settling matters of policy, on at least one occasion, matters of state took a back bench when a hunt coursed past The Whitehouse and the politicians interrupted the proceedings to mount their horses and join the chase.
MHC Breeding Program
 The MHC breeding program for 2005 produced 2 litter of puppies. The breeding program is one of the most important undertakings of the Hunt. The objects are always to improve the pack, do credit to the Penn-Marydel breed, and to preserve the venerable bloodlines that modern Foxhounds represent. These bloodlines are carefully studied and Foxhounds are watched closely in fall and winter for performance in the field. During the spring and summer, Foxhound shows are held around the country allowing Hunt Clubs to compare their best hounds.
 As a result, pairings between Hunts are often arranged to create new out-crosses and consolidate old lines, always with the hope that something wonderful in the way of a Foxhound will result. Members of a litter bear names with the same first letter, usually the letter corresponds to a yearly sequence. This helps sort them out, both in the kennel and in the field. In 2005, the letter was “M” for the Marlborough Hunt Club. Hunts also freely share hounds, or draft, between each other in order to establish the best pack for their hunt territory. There are characteristics that are important for lead, middle and sweep or trailing hounds; and it is also important to establish a proper balance between seasoned, older hounds and the younger, greener entry.
 Foxhounds are counted in couples, or two at a time. A couple is composed of any two hounds at any time regardless of sex, relationship or friendship. The pack is usually of mixed sex, although same sex packs are sometimes hunted by a Club. A female hound is called a bitch, a male hound is called a dog, and the young are called puppies. Marlborough Hunt Club currently has 30 1/2 couple, with an annual goal of 2 litters of puppies a year.
Penn-Marydels, bred, as the name suggests, in the mid-Atlantic region, are diverse in color: gray with white ticking (blue tick hounds), white with caramel patches (lemon hounds), and tricolor (black, white, and brown patches). As the country for the Marlborough Hunt Club is often tight and rolling, with ravines and water crossings, the Penn-Marydel hounds, diligently bred to maintain their deep voice, stamina and excellent scenting ability, are the perfect, bold hound for the various types of terrain they encounter while out pursuing a day of sport in the hunt field.
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