Redbone Coonhound - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin

The ancestors of Redbone coonhound are Bloodhounds and Red Foxhounds who came to the America with scottish immigrants. The Red Irish Foxhounds were also brought to the America by irish settlers. By crossing these dogs, a new, more powerfull and faster hunting breed was develop.

2) Name

We are not 100% sure, why they are named Redbone. Of course, the logical explanation is, that it is because of their striking red coat. But it is more likely, that they are named after Peter Redbone, who was a breed promoter from Tennessee.

3) Color

The Redbone Coonhound coat is their most distinctive feature. Sometimes, they might look brownish, but the true color of this breed is is the color of deep rust that’s attractive and absolutely stunning. In the past there were Redbone coonhounds with black coloring over their backs resembling a saddle and they were called Saddlebacks. The coat must be short, smooth and shiny.

4) High Energy

The redbone coonhound is highly energetic and fun loving dog which is always ready for a good playtime. They also like running, so they are great companions for hikers, runners or bikers. They love to sniff and they are good adepts for dog sports like nosework or sniffing.

5) Living with

If you will meet the Redbone coonhound exercise needs, they make great family companions. They are gentle and easygoing dogs who are pretty loyal to their owners and they are definitely fun to be around. They are also okay with other dogs and children, but i would not let them unsupervised. On the other hand, they are not the best choice, if you have other, smaller animals in your household, like cats, rabbits, hamsters or birds. They would probably chased them, if they are not socialized from the puppyhood.

6) On leash

It is recommended to keep your Redbone coonhound on leash when you are not in fenced area. You can put them offleash only if you are 100% sure about their recall. It is because they are hunting dogs who like exploring any interesting scent and they will most of the time follow the scent no matter what. That is also a reason why you should install a high fence around your yard which will be burried several inches bellow the ground.
7) Large ears

Just like many other hunting dog breeds, the Redbone coonhound has large ears. The reason, why they have large ears like this is interesting. It is because they can not hear as much as they would with smaller ears. And why they should not hear that much? So they can concetrate more on sniffing and their great sense of smell, which was much more important for hunters back in the days.
8) Grooming

Good news! The coat of the redbone coonhound is short and smooth and it does not requiere much maintance. They are also not a big shedders. You can brush them coat weekly, to remove the dead hair. Regular brushing will also help to keep the coat shiny. You should regularly check their nails, eyes and ears and clean it if needed.

9) Size

The Redbone Coonhound is a medium to large sized, athletic, strong and streamlined dog. Their ideal height should be between 21-27 inches which is 53-68 cm and their weight should be between 45-70 pounds which is 20-32 kgs. Females are naturally little bit smaller than males.
10) Health

Redbone coonhounds have good health and for medium sized dog they have great lifespan – between 12 to 14 years. But of course they can develop some typical doggy health problems like cataracts, hip dysplasia or skin allergies.