The English Coonhound was born in the United States following the introduction of hunting dogs to the continent by settlers. The breed originated from an attempt to find a dog that could hunt raccoons at night and foxes during the day. In addition to its great hunting abilities, the English Coonhound is a very loyal, sociable and affectionate dog, which makes it a very good companion for life. However, they require a lot of daily activity and movement, and therefore are not suitable for all types of tutors. The care they need isn't much different than other dogs, and while they may be prone to developing certain illnesses, they are he althy dogs.
Keep reading this breed from PlanèteAnimal to learn more about the American English Coonhound dog breed, its origin, characteristics, character, care, education, he alth and where to adopt one!
Origin
- America
- United States
Physical Characteristics
- End
- Muscular
- Proportional
- Short ears
Size
- Average
Height
- 55-70
Adult Weight
- 25-45
Character
- Balanced
- Society
- Very loyal
- Active
- Affectionate
Ideal for
- House
- The hunt
- The guard
Hair type
- Short
- Medium
- Hard
Origin of the American English Coonhound
The American English Coonhound, also called English Coonhound, Redtick Coonhound or Anglo-American raccoon hunter, is native to the United States, descended from hunting dogs (Virginia hounds) brought to North America by settlers between the 17th and 18th century
They were born with the aim of creating an ideal dog for chasing raccoons at night. After crossing them with dogs to improve their scent ability and after a careful breeding process with dogs from the United States, the breed was developed.
In the beginning, these dogs, in addition to hunting raccoons at night, were used to hunt foxes during the day, and were called English foxhounds. Today, they are very good hunters of game, bears and a perfect companion at home.
This breed was registered in 1995 with the Foundation Stock Service and in 2012 with the Westminster Kennel Club.
Physical characteristics of the English Coonhound
The males of the American English Coonhound breed have a height at the withers of 56 to 69 cm, and the females of 53 to 64 cm. Both sexes weigh between 20 and 30 kg. He is a medium-sized dog, strong, well-proportioned, athletic and precise. His main physical characteristics are:
- Slightly domed skull
- Broadhead
- Deep Chest
- Power Back
- Elongated muzzle
- Slightly Drooping Lips
- Large black or pink truffle
- Dark brown round eyes
- Drooping and very long ears, with soft hairs
- Long tail
- Double-layered, hard, medium-sized bristles
American English Coonhound colors
The coat color of the American English Coonhound can be:
- Redish and white with spots.
- Black and white.
- Tricolor.
- Fire.
- Bronze.
Character of the American English Coonhound
The American English Coonhound is quite gentle and generally a very pleasant dog. However, their hunting instinct should not be forgotten indeed, if they identify an animal as potential prey, they will not hesitate for a second to chase it.
Apart from that, they are perfect companions who, if they have been well socialized, will get along wonderfully with the little ones in the house. They are sociable, kind, loyal dogs who only seek to please their guardians. In addition, due to their character and their barking, they are considered good watchdogs.
Caring for an American English Coonhound
To have a he althy and happy English Coonhound, you must:
- Exercise him every day. Due to their high energy and vitality, they need sports and long walks.
- Brush him between 1 and 2 times a week and bathe him once a month.
- Cut his claws monthly when they are too long.
- Offer them a he althy, complete and balanced diet so that they have all the necessary nutrients. The amount of daily energy will vary depending on your best friend's activity level, physiological state, weight, age and environmental conditions.
- Brush his teeth to prevent periodontal disease and tartar.
- Clean him and check the condition of his ears to prevent ear infections.
- Take him to the vet regularly.
- Vaccination.
English Coonhound Education
As for the education of the American English Coonhound, several axes must be worked on. Here they are:
- Get him used to not barking.
- Socialize him from an early age to avoid.
- Control his destruction or house hunting needs.
The most effective way to train an American English Coonhound is through a form of conditioning called positive reinforcement, which involves rewarding good behavior and ignoring bad ones. Thus, the dog will associate these behaviors with something pleasant and will learn more quickly.
American English Coonhound He alth
The life expectancy of the American English Coonhound is between 10 and 12 years and it is considered a strong breed that enjoys good he alth. However, it is predisposed to a series of pathologies. Here they are:
- Hip dysplasia: consists of an incongruity between the joint areas of the hip and the femur in the hip joint. This leads to the appearance of joint laxity, damaging and weakening it, which over time will lead to osteoarthritis and the appearance of clinical signs such as pain, muscle atrophy and lameness.
- Elbow dysplasia: these are combined or uncombined lesional processes of the elbow joint between its component bones, such as the humerus, radius and ulna. Specifically, these are pseudarthrosis of the anconeal process, fragmented coronoid process, osteochondritis dissecans and elbow incongruity.
- Cataracts: consist of the reduction or complete loss of the transparency of the lens of the eye, the lens. This prevents or impedes the passage of light to the retina, which is the part of the eye that carries light signals carried by the optic nerve to the brain, where vision is allowed.
- Progressive retinal atrophy: consists of a degeneration of the components of the retina of the eye, called photoreceptors (cones and rods). This causes loss of vision, dilated pupils and even cataracts.
- Gastric torsion: consists of a rotation of the stomach which generally occurs when the dog eats or drinks too quickly after exercising.
Where to adopt an American English Coonhound?
Before starting the process of adopting an American English Coonhound dog, keep in mind that this is not a dog that can live in a small downtown apartment. He therefore needs a dedicated tutor willing to devote many hours a day to play with him or to make him run.
If you think you might be fit or fit to have a dog of this breed, the first thing you should do is go to local animal shelters or humane associations and ask.It is not a very common race, although it depends on where we are.
Pictures of English Coonhound or American English Coonhound
