Coonhound
- Not to be confused with the raccoon dog.
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2016) |
A Coonhound is a type of scent hound and a member of the hound group. They are an American type of hunting dog developed for the game animals and working conditions found in the United States, specifically coon hunting. There are six distinct breeds of coonhound.
History
In the colonial period, foxhounds were imported into the United States for the popular sport of fox hunting. Various breeds of foxhounds and other hunting hounds were imported from England, Ireland, and France.[1]
Foxhounds were found to be inadequate for hunting American animals that did not hide near the ground, but instead climbed trees, such as raccoons, opossums, bobcats, and even larger prey like cougars and bears.[2] The dogs were often confused or unable to hold the scent when this occurred, and would mill about.
Treeing dogs were thus developed. They were chosen for a keen sense of smell, the ability to track, chase and corner an animal independent of human commands, and, most importantly, to follow an animal both on the ground and when it took to a tree. A good coonhound will bark and keep its prey treed until the hunters arrive. Bloodhounds specifically were added to many coonhound lines to enhance the ability to track. Some dogs have webbed toes to deal with the rivers and swamps common in their hunting grounds.
Coonhounds can hunt individually or as a pack. Often, hunters do not chase their quarry along with the hounds, unlike organized foxhunting, but wait and listen to the distinctive baying to determine if prey has been treed. Coonhounds are excellent at hunting all manner of prey if trained properly.[3]
Memorial
Established in 1937, the Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard in Colbert County, Alabama, is dedicated for the burial of coon dogs.[4][5]
Breeds
There are six breeds of coonhound, all of which were first recognized by the United Kennel Club.[6] The first to be officially registered was the Black and Tan Coonhound in 1900. It was followed by the solid red Redbone Coonhound in 1902.[7] The third is the English Coonhound, recognized by the UKC in 1905. The English has the widest color variation of the coonhound breeds, coming in redtick, bluetick, and tricolor patterns. The Bluetick Coonhound and tricolored Treeing Walker Coonhound were originally considered subtypes of the English, but were split off and recognized as different breeds by 1946 and 1945 respectively.[8] The Plott Hound, a dark brindle in color, was the last to be recognized, in 1946. It is the only coonhound that does not descend from foxhounds; its ancestry traces back to German boar hunting dogs.[9] The Black and Tan Coonhound was the first to be recognized by the American Kennel Club, in 1946.[10]
References
- ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=w4Z1CAAAQBAJ&pg=PA182
- ^ Club, The American Kennel (11 November 2014). "The New Complete Dog Book: Official Breed Standards and All-New Profiles for 200 Breeds- Now in Full-Color". i5 Publishing – via Google Books.
- ^ "American English Coonhound Breed Information".
- ^ "Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard - Cemetery".
- ^ Kazek, Kelly (August 19, 2014). "Legendary Coon Dog Cemetery to once again host Labor Day celebration with live music, crafts, barbecue". The Huntsville Times. Huntsville, AL. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
- ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=bOapDdbRJ_QC&pg=PA83#v=onepage&q&f=false
- ^ https://www.ukcdogs.com/redbone-coonhound
- ^ https://www.ukcdogs.com/enlgish-coonhound
- ^ https://www.ukcdogs.com/plott-hound
- ^ http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/black-and-tan-coonhound/