Did you know?
Each Coonhound has a distinctive voice, and hunters can recognize their dogs by sound alone as they follow a hunting pack.
Black and Tan Coonhound
In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog. – Edward Hoagland
“Evie”
Coonhounds are an American dog, developed in the mountains of Virginia when it was still an English colony. They are descended from Bloodhounds brought over to the colony.
As the name suggests, they were originally bred to track and tree raccoons and also opossums but they are also great swimmers. The courageous Coonhound can also hunt deer, bear, wolf, cougar and other big game. However, he remains a raccoon hunting dog and is used for that purpose today.
There are six types of Coonhounds but only the Black and Tan Coonhound is recognized in Canada. The other varieties are the Redbone Coonhound, Plott Hound, Bluetick Coonhound, the English Coonhound, and the Treeing Walker Coonhound.
Photos displayed courtesy of Joy Huntley, Briarhunt Perm Reg’d, Ontario
The Coonhound stands 27 inches (69 cm) tall at the shoulder. He has a short, sleek black coat with tan markings.
Coonhounds ares affectionate, good with children, and intelligent. A friendly and lovable dog, the Coonhound is also powerful, rugged, and tireless when on the hunt. Because he typically works at night, the Coonhound relies on his superb sense of smell to track his prey. Then he uses his voice to attract a hunter’s attention once he’s treed a raccoon. He has a loud bark – a quality that may not be appreciated by neighbours! A hunter at heart, he is not the dog to live with cats. He should also be socialized and trained early on to discourage a tendency to dig!
Not a breed for couch potatoes, Coonhounds need lots of exercise and attention. They enjoy playing with their people and are unhappy if left alone for long periods. They make great jogging partners as they can run for miles, and need an active owner. Coonhounds are scent hounds and should be kept in a fenced-in yard to combat a tendency to roam. They are best living on a farm, or in a country environment.
Ch Briarhunt’s Chablis
“Chablis”
CKC Breed Standard
