The Truth About Coonhounds


There seems to be an old myth still circulating about Coonhounds that categorizes them as "good" for one thing only -- hunting. But anyone who's ever shared home and hearth with a Walker, Bluetick, Black & Tan, Plott or Redbone hound knows they are capable of much more than just hunting. For one thing, they seem to be pretty damn resilient, and incredibly forgiving toward humans. No other breed that I know of would tolerate the cramped quarters of a dog "box" in the back of a pick-up truck, especially during a hot Texas summer, and not emerge without some degree of physical or psychological damage. But the big hounds seem to come through it unscathed for the most part, which is due, I think, to their benevolent temperaments.

I've been rescuing hounds for over thirty years and know them to be exceptional companions, especially those originally bred for tracking. They're affectionate by nature, rarely quarrelsome with other dogs, and generally easy to house train. They come in a variety of beautiful colors and have a short, dense coat which is easy to keep clean with regular brushing. Ninety-eight percent of the Walkers I've rescued over the years lived long, healthy lives, with NONE of the health issues (hip dysplasia, DM, hypothyroidism, cancer, etc.) that seem to plague so many of the more popular breeds. One of our Walkers, a male named "T.J.", lived to the ripe old age of 17, with clear eyes, no skin or ear problems, and cancer free. Without a doubt, he was the finest example of a well-bred Walker hound I ever knew. Breed longevity is a bonus for any dog lover, but longevity and good health is the ultimate "package" deal.

So the next time you visit a shelter, rescue, or animal control and see one of those "only good for one thing" hounds, please consider adopting him. Chances are he was given up because he wouldn't hunt, was gun-shy, or just got separated from his pack. Kill shelters in almost every state are brimming with unwanted coonhounds, which are usually near the top of the "euth" list, out-ranked only by Pit Bulls and owner-surrenders. The myth about Walkers and similar hounds is so widespread that only one in five shelters in the southern states even attempts to find rescue for them, and when they do, the rescue is often full to capacity. And now that AKC has recognized most of the coonhounds, breeders (both good and bad) will profit from puppy sales, which will prove as disastrous for these hounds as it was for GSDs and a host of others who became popular after gaining approval from the most recognized registry in the world.

Pictured here is "Olivia", who waited in rescue for almost two years for a good home to come along, and when it finally did, the adopter's first question was this: "Why is such a sweet, easygoing dog still in rescue?" Olivia's adopter went on to say this hound (her first Plott) is terrific with the children, house-trained and not at all "noisy". One of the most common misconceptions about coonhounds is that they don't make good house pets, but it simply isn't true.



















It's obvious from this picture, Lucy; a Bluetick hound, that coonhounds can be wonderful companions and service dogs for almost any family. The old myth about them being "good for only one thing" (hunting) is absurd and outdated.