Black and Tan Coonhound - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) History
The Black and Tan Coonhound is a dog breed developed in southern United States and they can trace their history back to Talbot Hound and later to the Bloodhound and Foxhound, most likely American and Virginia Foxhounds. Originally, those dogs were used as racoon hunters, but also as skilled trackers.
2) Hunters
Even though this breed is known as a Coonhound, they were not only specialized on racoon hunting and they were succesfully used to hunt other animals as well, such as deer, but also very large and dangerous game such as bear, wolf or cougar. As you can imagine, this is a very courageous hunter. But the primary purpose is the racoon hunt. When they hunt racoons, they use their extraordinary sense of smell and they can trail their quarry for miles until they finally corner it, most often on the tree. The the dog howl to notice the hunters where it is and wait for them. Interesting fact is, that the Black and Tan Coonhound has a so called cold nose, which means that they are able to follow an old trail.
3) Coonhounds
The Black and Tan Coonhound is one of the 6 officially recognized Coonhound breeds and it is actually the first AKC recognized Coonhound in 1945. The other 5 were recognized only recently and those are Redbone, Bluetick, English and Treeing Walker Coonhound and the Plott Hound.
4) Appearance
You can see on the first sight, that the Black and Tan Coonhound has some of the Bloodhound ancestry, especially thanks to the large and floppy ears. As the name implies, this is a black and tan dog and the tan markings are typically located above the eyes, on the sides of the muzzle, and on the chest and legs.

5) Size
This is a large and powerful dog breed with average height between 53-69 cm which is 21-27 inch and weight is typically between 40-75 pounds, which is 18-34 kg. The females are naturally little bit smaller than males.

6) Companion

Of course, the Black and Tan Coonhound is not only a hunter, but also a great companion. They just love human companionship and tend to create a strong bond with its owner. It is an outgoing, friendly, loyal and intelligent dog breed. But even though they are intelligent, they are also independent and stubborn which is why the training can be little bit challenging. This is definitely not a dog for novices, they need firm, patient and experienced dog owner.

7) Singer
The Black and Tan Coonhound can sing. It is because they were bred to be vocal while they corner the prey, so even today, they are known for their very deep bay. And even though, you might like your dogs howling, your neighbors might have different opinion about it.

8) Exercise
Well, it is very hard to exhaust the Black and Tan Coonhound. They were used to follow the trail and hunt for long hours which is why they are endurant and highly energetic. If you are not using your dog for hunting, they definitely need daily physical and mental stimulation. Daily longer walks accompanied with some interactive playtime or training session is needed. As you can imagine, these dogs love sniff and you should let them sniff on your walk. But if you are in unexplored and unfenced area, it is recommended to keep this breed on leash, because when they start follow the scent, it is almost impossible to stop them.

9) Maintenance
The Black and Tan Coonhound has short and dense coat that does not require much grooming, only occasional brushing is enough to keep it in great condition. You should regularly check their floppy and long ears for possible infections and clean the ears. You should also be prepared for a lot of drooling. And just like with all dogs you should also regularly check their eyes and nails and clip them or clean them if needed.

10) Health
This is generally a healthy dog breed with average lifespan between 10-12 years. The major health concerns are hip dysplasia, bloating and congenital heart defect. They are also prone to become overweight. Other health issues includes ear and eye infections and hemophilia.