Unique Features of Black and Tan Coonhound Breed

The black and tan coonhound dog breed is as its name implies a raccoon dog, i.e. coon which is an abbreviation of raccoon, meaning raccoon in English, and hound, bloodhound. It is thought that its ancestors were the talbot, also known as English hounds, which were imported to America and used for a long time in hunting. The talbot was later crossed with the Virginia foxhound and the bloodhound, which gave rise to the breed we know today.

It is a very old breed and has only recently been recognised by the FCI. It is little known in Europe, while especially in North America it is widely used for raccoon hunting. At that time the raccoon was much sought after because it had delicious meat and was difficult to catch because it took refuge in trees, displacing the hounds.

A dog was needed that, having found its prey, would force it up a tree, after which it would bark and run in circles, never letting it down again, until it was joined by a hunter who would give the animal the coup de grace. And the black and tan coonhound is very good at this. However, it is also a suitable dog for big game such as mountain lions, roe deer and bears, as it is also very brave. It is also very hardy and adapts to any temperature.

A little curiosity: it was this dog that inspired them to create Goofy the famous friend of Mickey Mouse.

Character of the black and tan coonhound dog breed

The coonhound is a lively and very curious dog with a docile, friendly and calm character. Intelligent, very attached to his owner and his family, he has a lot of fun playing with children, but also likes to spend some quiet time and laze around occasionally.

Born to work, he is nevertheless a tireless dog who needs daily exercise to release his liveliness; he is therefore not suitable for elderly or sedentary people. It has no problems cohabiting with other dogs or animals as it was born to work in moults, perhaps with cats you should be careful, as it is a hunting dog anyway, it can still be dominant with other dogs.

Its training is not difficult, as it is very intelligent and very receptive to commands, but it is not a compliant dog, on the contrary it is rather stubborn, as is normal for all hounds, so it will be good to start its education as soon as possible, with constancy, consistency and even a little discipline. It can be said that the only defect the coonhound has is that it is very easily distracted and tries to chase whatever prey is in front of it, also for this a training from an early age will be very useful.

It is not an aggressive or fearful dog for no reason and is also a good watchdog, if it perceives any danger it immediately warns its owner, with strangers it is always very affectionate.

Appearance of the black and tan coonhound dog breed

The coonhound is a medium-sized dog, morphologically classified as a braccoid. The body is well-proportioned, sturdy and solid, but also lean and dry. It gives the impression of great agility and power. Among the bloodhounds, this dog is one of the strongest and fastest, maintaining a galloping gait for a long time without tiring. It is the typical hound, both in appearance and behaviour. The forelimbs are straight with powerful shoulders, the hind limbs are muscular with good bone structure. The tail is long, strong and sabre-like.

Its height at withers ranges from 63 to 68 centimetres for an average weight of 35 kilograms, the smaller and lighter females reach 63 centimetres for a maximum weight of 25 kilograms.

The head has a skull that tends to be oval. The truffle is black and the nostrils are wide open. The eyes are round and not sunken in, the colour is generally hazel or dark brown, the ears have a low, drooping hairline and descend long over the cheeks to the height of the truffle. The neck is long and massive.

The coat is very dense to withstand the weather; the basic colour is always carbon black, with abundant markings around the eyes, on the sides of the muzzle, chest, limbs and thighs. This typical colouring also gives rise to its name; black and tan in English means fiery black. It tends to shed hair all year round and therefore needs regular grooming.

Health and care of the black and tan coonhound dog breed

The black and tan coonhound is a hardy and robust dog that adapts to any environment and any temperature. It can therefore easily withstand the rigours of winter as well as the heat of summer and is at home even on the most difficult and rugged terrain. With this temperament, it is therefore little prone to disease: however, hip and elbow dysplasia have been found in a few specimens. For this dog it is important to keep an eye on its ears, which, being very large, are a breeding ground for parasites.

Its average life span is 10 to 12 years. However, this breed was born for hunting and by instinct feels the need to be outdoors, and in enclosed spaces it does not feel comfortable. And it needs a lot of daily exercise.

As far as coat care is concerned, it is sufficient to brush it every now and then to remove excess hair and avoid the formation of knots.

As far as nutrition is concerned, this hound, like every dog, must follow a diet that is well balanced and contains the essential nutrients for growth, development and maintenance. Obviously, the amount and intensity of physical activity that the dog habitually carries out must be taken into account.