Coonhound's Central

The Coonhound Breeds

OK, what the heck are Coonhounds?

The Coonhounds are the most highly-specialized, purely-American dog breeds found today. The group consists of six distinct, purebred breeds: the Black and Tan, Bluetick, English, Redbone, Walker and the Plott hound.

Treeing hounds were created out of necessity in the early days (1700's) of The United States. The early settlers were faced with a multitude of game species that, when driven, would simply climb a nearby tree to escape the danger of a trailing dog. Early foxhounds and a variety of other dogs were first used, but these dogs didn't have the treeing instinct or other necessary attributes required to produce reliable results.
The early settlers relied heavily on native game species for food and clothing. They needed a dog capable of tracking and treeing these animals: A dog that would stay at the tree and alert the hunter to its location. Because of the type of game found in Europe, a treeing-type of hound had not been developed. A brand new type of dog was needed: A rugged, intelligent, trailing hound that that could handle the physical torture of this varied terrain. A pack dog with the fighting ability, size and stamina to take on animals up to three times its size. A dog with a terrific nose and the determination to track an animal tirelessly in the daytime, but largely in the darkness of night. The American Coonhound was born.....

I've Never Heard of One

If you live abroad or in the Northeast United States, this is not surprizing. Although Coonhounds are very popular in the South, the Mid-West and the western part of the US and some parts of Canada, they are relatively unknown by anyone other than hunters and houndsmen in the Northeast. I'm not implying that there's a shortage of coon clubs or hound hunting in the Northeast. It's just that the average person in this region has never heard of a Coonhound. This, of course, is only my experience.

What are they used for Today?

Coonhounds are extremely versatile dogs. Like their ancestors, the modern-day Coonhounds are still used widely to track/hunt bear, cougar, bobcat, fox, boars, raccoons, oppossums, deer, and some individuals swear by them as bird dogs. Coonhound field trial events and nite hunts have been popular for decades and they're becoming increasingly popular throughout the country. Thousands of dollars are won by successful houndsmen and houndswomen every year. If you're interested in finding an event near your "neck-of-the-woods", The American Kennel Club publishes Event Calendars for upcoming Coonhound field trails, bench shows, water events and nite hunts.
Another major role of these wonderful dogs, of course, is as the family pet. They are becoming increasingly popular in families accross the land. They are very content on the family sofa, the rug in front of the fireplace and the queen-sized "you-know-what" in the master bedroom. They are hounds. Hounds are lovable. Hounds are funny. Hounds will "charm the socks" off you. Read some of the comments on the Coonhound Central Message Board to see for yourself.
Coonhounds are tremendously adaptable to just about any environment you place them in, but of course, there are drawbacks that go along with all the good things in life. If you decide that you want a coonhound for a pet, please, please, please read Should you own a Coonhound? by Ruth Clark. It's a very good article that describes all of the things I would otherwise have to describe here. Thanks for saving us the work, Ruth.

Where can I get a Coonhound?

Like any breed of dog, the best place to buy a Coonhound is from a reputable breeder in your state or your part of the country. To locate a nearby breeder, try to contact your local coon-hunting club. A list of National Coonhunting Associations is available on Coonhound Central. Click Here to view this rapidly-growing list. Ask your club for a reputable breeder nearby with dependable, contactable references. Several Publications are also available that list a wide variety of breeders from all over the US and Canada. In addition to helping you find a breeder for your dog of choice, these publications may contain useful tips to assist you in the selection process. You may have to travel to find your new Coonhound. Shipping these dogs around the country is common.

How much does one Cost?

The price of a Coonhound varies greatly. For a young pup, you can expect to pay from $100 to $600 depending on where you buy it. For more experienced dogs, the prices increase rapidly. Cooners will pay top dollar (into the several thousand dollar range) for a top-notch hound. To get a feel for the going price of different Coonhounds, visit the Classifieds section and take a peek for yourself. One of the dogs there has an asking price of $4000.

Are they Good Swimmers?

Coonhounds are ideally suited for swimming. They have to be. Coonhounds are streamlined and powerful. Their feet are webbed and these dogs propel quickly through water. The coats of all the Coonhounds are very short which means their coats do not soak up water. Water weight is shed quickly after exiting a body of water and thus, the short-haired coat of a Coonhound dries in a very short amount of time.
A great deal of coon-hunting takes place in swamps, near rivers, streams and ponds. This is the raccoons habitat. He is a supurb swimmer. He is also very clever. If a raccoon can find water, he'll use it in an attempt to escape a close-tracking hound. The raccoon may also lead a hound to water in an attempt to drown him. They are sometimes successful.

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