English Coonhound Care

The English Coonhound (EC), also called the American English Coonhound or the Redtick Coonhound, is a medium-sized hunting breed that's blessed with great energy and endurance. ECs are best suited as companion dogs to hunters, or for active families willing to give the dog lots of exercise. Overall, English Coonhound care and maintenance takes a moderate amount of work, and will consist mainly of exercising the dog a good bit every day.

Below you'll find plenty of details on caring for an English Coonhound: puppy care and development, exercise needs, recommended diet, and more are all covered here. For answers to your questions about raising this highly active breed, read on!

This breed is extremely energetic and athletic, so English Coonhound exercise requirements are quite extensive. From centuries spent in the fields chasing raccoons, foxes, and other game, ECs are swift, agile, and bold, and will need a variety of activities that allow them to stretch their legs (walking, jogging or fetch) and stimulate them mentally (hunting, canine sports). ECs make excellent bicycling companions as well.

The typical adult EC, depending on its age and overall activity level, will need about 90 minutes of proper exercise per day--which you can accomplish with a couple of leashed walks, jogs, or bike rides and a good period of play. You can start exercising your EC puppy when it's three months old by taking it on short (5- to 7-minute) leashed walks, then you can increase the walks' length and frequency as the puppy grows.

A few precautions to observe when exercising your English Coonhound: first, puppies younger than nine months old shouldn't participate in activities that include a lot of jumping, running on hard surfaces, or navigating of stairs, as doing so can injure their still-developing joints and bones. And all ECs, regardless of age, must be leashed when in public. These dogs have incredibly high prey drives, and will instinctively follow the scent of animals--squirrels, cats, and even other dogs, to name a few--if given the chance; a leash will help you control your EC when it sees or smells an interesting critter! Even when exercising in your own yard, the area will need to be securely fenced to keep the dog from running off after potential prey. Otherwise, English Coonhounds are healthy and hardy, and can exercise in a variety of situations and weather conditions.

Safeguards aside, exercising an EC every single day is a must. Without consistent exercise these dogs will become bored and frustrated, and will turn destructive and disobedient--and they'll bark and howl (loudly!) all day and night. Daily activity, and lots of it, will be great for the both the dog's and your own peace of mind. A few exercise ideas:

• Walking/Jogging/Bicycling: Two 30-minute walks (or 20-minute jogs or bike rides) per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: ECs will chase a ball, stick, or Frisbee for hours
• Tug-of-War: Great indoor, rainy-day activity; use a rope or old towel
• Hunting: Puts an English Coonhound in its natural element
• Canine Sports: ECs can excel at obedience and agility trials, tracking competitions, flyball, and other events
• Hiking: Excellent bonding activity; bonus if you can find a remote area where the dog can be off-leash

If your EC spends a lot of time indoors, it's a good idea to give the dog access to one or more balls or chew-toys that will allow the dog to burn excess energy. It's also recommended that you establish a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks, jogs, or bike rides after breakfast and dinner and a play period in the afternoon.

In terms of shedding and drooling, these dogs don't need too much care. English Coonhound shedding is constant throughout the year, but is light to moderate; drooling isn't an issue.

Dogs of this breed have short-haired, smooth coats that shed a fair amount all year long. Weekly brushing with a rubber grooming glove or bristle brush will minimize the amount of shed hairs pretty well; cleanup--vacuuming the floors and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will be necessary on occasion, but it won't be a constant chore.

And ECs almost never drool. If your English Coonhound is drooling excessively, it might be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is recommended.

Though opinions differ, most breeders, owners, and enthusiasts agree that the best dog food for Coonhounds is the premium dry kind, particularly brands formulated for active dogs. These high-quality foods, while more expensive and difficult to obtain, provide your English Coonhound with the proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids the dog will need to maintain its health in the long term. Cheap, generic food is not recommended for this breed, because it contains mostly empty "filler" ingredients that are not healthy, are harder for the dog to digest, and may even shorten its lifespan if consumed on a daily basis.

Royal Canin, Diamond, and Hill's Science Diet are three recommended brands that carry excellent lines of premium dry food for active breeds.