Originally a member of the English family of Coonhounds, it wasn't until the mid 1940's that the Bluetick was recognized as a separate and distinct breed by the United Kennel Club.

The American Bluetick origins can be traced back to Louisiana in the early 1900's. Selective breeding of the English Coonhound, Foxhound, Cur and most obviously, one of the French Gascony Hounds, the Grand Bleu de Gascogne, produced a hound of relatively massive proportions. Today, we call these old timers "Big Blues".

Reaching the vicinity of one hundred pounds, the Big Blue is impressive. He's extremely large, reaching 27 inches or better at the shoulder. He is massive in the head, muscular and well set. His legs are well built and strong. His chest very wide. He is a tireless, fearless hunter used commonly for bear and big cat hunting.

Photo courtesy of:The Trail Hound

A second type of Bluetick is of the lighter, faster variety. He possesses all of the qualities of his larger brother, but as you would expect, he is more streamlined and a bit faster on the trail. This dog, in addition to being perfect for common raccoon hunting, is well suited to hunt more speedy game like fox and coyotes.

The Bluetick Coonhound is a very dignified looking animal. Although his name implies it, the Bluetick coat isn't actually blue, but rather a combination of black and white which give him a "blue" appearance. The black and white are combined with a tan trim for one of the most striking appearances in the Coonhound family.

| Black and Tan | | Bluetick | | English | | Plott Hound | | Redbone | | Treeing Walker |