Black And Tan Coonhound Dog Breed

The Black and Tan Coonhound is a gun dog used for tracking, treeing, and other hunting tasks. While fewer seem to be used as intended and are less of a hunter and more of a companion, they are suited well enough to be that way so long as they get their daily dose of heavy exercise. They are very popular in the Deep South, and they are excellent in their many hunting roles. While they can work well enough with first-time dog owners, they are not recommended for people who are not very familiar with these dogs and are not accustomed to being occasionally ignored.

Here are some Black and Tan Coonhound facts, good and bad:

The first thing in the dogs 101 book about the Black and Tan Coonhound is that this American breed was the original "settlers dog" in the 18th century. This hardy background gave root to a specialized dog whose talents are nevertheless myriad, whose adaptability is amazing, and whose big-boned body is undeniably adorable!

They can be trained to do a great many tasks, and they are superb trackers and hunters who know what you're saying. If you don't have them restrained or off their feet, however, you are going to feel hard-put to acknowledge they are as smart as you know they are.

The infamous selective hearing gene is alive and well in this breed, and they are all the more stubborn when hard on a scent. They know how to work hard and make their efforts pay off, and they know they know how to commandeer the couch too. Understanding this information will help you get along fine with these dogs when it comes to couch potato time.

The duality of these dogs is found in their hard work and suddenly "lazy" spells that can prompt them to just plop down and not be moveable. At the minimum, they do need their exercise in a couple of long daily walks, and they will need you to get them going as they are either game to hunt or lay around all day.

It's a new breed, but Black and Tan Coonhound history essentially goes back several centuries via the Talbot Hound up through the Bloodhound, the Fox Hound, and the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound. This is one of the six Coonhounds formally recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). While the thought of hunting raccoons may seem odd to many Americans, this game long provided food, fur, and fat to early American settlers, and having a good dog to help catch them was key to survival.

As there was no dog that could tree and retrieve raccoons when America was in its infancy, Fox Hounds were used and then crossed with other dogs as the newly minted Americans sought a top dog for the job. Unlike Fox Hounds, who were accustomed to gentle rolling hills and other relatively easy terrain during the day, the Black and Tan Coonhound was bred to endure the swamps, thorns, and dangers of night hunts trailing raccoons.

The mountains of Kentucky was where the all-American B&T was developed, and the two primary dogs used to produce this breed were the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound and the Bloodhound. Unlike the Bloodhound, who tends to meander as she follows a scent, the B&T Coonhound moves much faster, and they are keen to chase all sorts of animals up too and including bears.

The United Kennel Club added the dogs to its books in 1900, a move which made the B&T Coonhound the first coonhound to be registered. When the breed was first admitted to the UKC registry, it was called the American Black & Tan Fox and Coonhound, until it was shortened to American Black and Tan Coonhound. It took nearly half a century, however, for the United States to recognize one of its own homegrown dog breeds. In 1945, the B&T became the first Coonhound breed registered by the AKC.

There is but one variation of this breed, and they are the old fashioned long eared Black and Tan Coonhounds that were established in the 1920s. With even longer ears than the typical Black and Tan, these dogs are exquisitely refined and some of the best for tracking due to their amazing hearing and scenting abilities. Other than the ears (and non-visible talents), these dogs basically look the same as any other Black and Tan. Unless they are side-by-side or observed by a very experienced Black and Tan owner, you probably won't know the difference in that ear size.

The man responsible for this variety, the master breeder William Cosner, was very active with the breed in general. Along with Ten Oaks kennel owner Don Stringer and Grand Mere kennel owner Orville Dunham, these three men were responsible for getting Black and Tans formally recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) when they authored the initial breed standard. Conner was one of the founding members of the National Black and Tan Club (which contributed to the petition for AKC recognition) and spent some three quarters of a century breeding the old-fashioned long-eared varietal.

The founding stock for this variation were Black Drum (the male) and Black Mandy (the female). They helped make Cosner's kennel, Maple Hill Farm, a renowned one. The pedigree continues to make any such puppies highly sought even as the kennel is long gone.

At first look, this large, droopy, and somewhat oddly shaped dog is sure to make one wonder if the Black and Tan Coonhound temperament is much more than a lazy, dopey, silly one. For those who know this dog, however, they'll quickly tell you that judging a book by its cover will cause you to pass up this classic breed.

These dogs are great when in a pack, and they get along very well with other dogs without demanding too much of a hierarchy. They are not shy, they are not mean, and while they love to play, rest, and goof off, their personality is pure business when they put their nose to the grindstone. Perhaps one of the best traits about these dogs is that they are laid-back, even-tempered, and good with kids even if they must be watched around them due to their great size and occasional habit to make a beeline when a smell interests them.

The Black and Tan Coonhound was bred to be a hardy dog who could withstand a lot of difficult situations without missing a beat — or his quarry! Still, they are dogs, and there are some conditions that can occur from working, old age, or, sadly, genetics. You should be sure to have all his health certifications, vet disclosures, and all that, especially if he is to be a proper hunting dog. For anyone who has an idea about any given dog's health profile, it's a sure bet you are already thinking about those large, floppy ears and all the issues that can occur.

Here are most of the health problems that can happen with Black and Tans:

• Cataracts
• Ectropion
• Entropion
• Hemophilia B
• Hip dysplasia
• Coonhound paralysis
• Ticks and other parasites

The average lifespan of a Black and Tan is 10 to 12 years.