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Susan on Coonhounds

by Susan Mudgett with some expansions and editing by Bonnie Dalzell. Text of article ©1996 by Susan Mudgett
HTML formatting ©1996 by Bonnie Dalzell

The Coonhound Breeds How to Locate One

There are six different Coonhound breeds. The biggest difference between them is color. All six Coonhound breeds are North American in origin. Most of these breeds are direct descendants of Foxhounds. The English Coonhound is named for its ancestral connection to the English Foxhound breed. The Plott and Treeing Walker were named after humans involved in breed origins. The Redbone, Bluetick, and Black and Tan were named for their color."Redbone" is the same as red.

Black and Tan Coonhounds are marked with black and tan markings like a Doberman or a Rottweiler. They are the only coonhound breed registered with the AKC. There are also a UKC registered Black and Tans.

Bluetick Coonhounds - bluetick refers to the blue-speckled or roaned condition similar to the 'belton pattern' of some English setters. Some are also speckled or roaned with black and red. Basically the dog is a piebald black and tan or black but the ticking is so heavy that a heavily specker or 'blue roan' effect is produced in the areas that would be white on a non-piebald dog.
The ticking can be so dense as to produce a roan pattern (white hairs mixed with red or black to make a red or blue effect) or it can be a white base speckled with tiny red or black dots. Despite the name, there are no blue hairs on a bluetick, just a blue effect from mixing of black hairs and white hairs.
At one time all blueticks were registered as English coonhounds. Then, some decades ago, many Bluetick breeders got their own breed registry for bluetick-only hounds and split off as a distinct breed. This creates the confusing situation that you can have two identical dogs-one a Bluetick, and the other a bluetick-colored English Coonhound. Since the English standard allows other colors a hound can appear to be a mismarked Bluetick and actually be a perfectly acceptably marked English Coonhound. The breeds are identical except for color, and while there still are bluetick colored dogs are registered as English Coonhounds, the English Coonhounds more often are redtick these days. There is no such breed as a Redtick, so called 'Redtick Coonhounds' are most likely English Coonhounds. Back to introductory paragraph
English Coonhounds- named after the English Foxhounds who were their direct ancestors. Colors = bluetick, redtick, or tricolor ticked. As with the Blue tick this is a heavily ticked piebald dog. Either a heavily ticked red or a heavily ticked black and tan.
Most English are redtick (red roan with solid red patching) in color, but some are bluetick (which is usually a tricolor of blue roan and red roan in a Dobe/Rottie type pattern, with some solid black patching and black on the head. Blueticks with no red hairs exist but are very rare), and others are tricolor ticked(any combination of red and blue ticking, such as a "mismarked" bluetick or redtick with a bluetick saddle). Back to introductory paragraph
Redbone Coonhounds-red self, not piebald. A solid red dog named for its color. Ther were called "saddlebacks" in the old days when a black saddle was allowed. Now they are always supposed to be solid red. Back to introductory paragraph
Plott Hounds were named after the Plott family who brought their brindle hounds to North Carolina from Germany in the 1700s. Later Leopard Curs (cathoula leopard dogs?) were mixed into the breed. The colors are brindle or brindle and black; selfs, not piebald. Back to introductory paragraph
Treeing Walker Coonhounds have Beagle-like markings. Tricolor (white, black, tan) with white feet, black saddle, and some tan or white with spots. Are few are black and white or tan and white. Treeing Walkers were once registered as English Coonhounds but are closer to American Foxhounds, not that there's a huge difference. Named for their treeing ability( there's a lesser known variety called Running Walkers which were used on fox) and possibly for a Mr Walker, I'm not sure. Back to introductory paragraph
HOW TO LOCATE A COONHOUND
Only one breed of Coonhound, the Black and Tan, is registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) all of the others are registered with the United Kennel Club (UKC). Not all of the Black and Tans are AKC registered, either, some are UKC registered.
Unless you specificially want an AKC Black and Tan, call the UKC at 616-343-6428. But don't just ask for breeders. If you do you will get a very short list of breeders who have paid a fee to be placed on the breeders list for that year. For best results ask UKC for one or more of the following:

The breeder's list for the breed you want.
The name of the secretary of the national breed club for that breed for the current year.
A contact person for someone in a local club which puts on Coonhound shows, Nite Hunts, and other events.
They will know people locally and may even know who has puppies available.
Ask how to order a copy, or even a full subscription, to their magazine "Coonhound Bloodlines".
You can sift though it for listings of shows and hunts, which will have the name and phone number of local club contacts. The national breed club columns will always have the author's name and address. And the magazine will have lots of breeder ads.
If you are considering a rescue dog, Ruth Hoffman may be able to help you. However response to your e-mail may not be immediate.
If you want a pet and not a hunter, check with local clubs and the ads in local papers. Very often hunters will have nice young hounds for adoption to pet homes. In many cases the dog's only fault is lack of hunting talent. Hunters' rejects make wonderful pets, though of course if you plan to hunt with your hound they are unsuitable.

Internet Coonhound resources: E-mail list: NOSES-L-REQUEST@MAIL.EWORLD.COM The NOSES-L(tm) name is a trademark of David L. Hendrickson. All rights reserved.
Mail to author Susan Mudgett (scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us).

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