Black and Tan Coonhounds are the only breed officially recognized as
Coonhounds by the American Kennel Club. The UKC in the United States recognizes
four additional Coonhound types. The Black and Tan Coonhound may be a descendent
of hounds known in England as early as the 11th century. Since that time,
carefully crossbreeding over the centuries which include the Bloodhound,
Irish Kerry Beagle and Virginia Foxhound have given him a distinctively
colored coat p; short black hairs on the body with tan on the muzzle,lower
legs and paws p; and a specific purpose p; to hunt raccoon in the
southern United States. He has also been used to hunt deer, mountain lion
and bear. Once his quarry has been cornered, the Coonhound changes his tone
of voice to notify his master of his success and location.
The Black and Tan Coonhound is a scent hound, tracking his prey by smell.
He is a courageous dog that gives a general impression of power, agility
and alertness. His gait must be easy, graceful, and effortless. He is outgoing
and friendly.
The head of the adult male should measure nine to ten inches from back of
skull to the nose, while in the adult female it should be eight to nine
inches in length. They have a scissors bite. The eyes are brown and almost
round in color. The ears are low set and hang in graceful folds from eye
level to below the tip of the nose. The top line is level and the tail is
strong, carried at right angles to the back when the dog is in motion. The
male is between 25 to 27 inches in height at the shoulder while the female
is 23 to 25 inches in height at the shoulder. The length of body should
equal the height.
Name withheld by request of U.S. writes:
Best friend I've ever had.
We have had our dog for almost nine years now ... and reading that the
life span for Black & Tans is only six to ten years, we're so sad to
think that our little "bundle of joy," as we used to call him
when he was a puppy, may only have a year or two left in him. He has been
the best dog ever; loyal, loving, funny, energetic, well-behaved, and so
many other things. He loves to walk, to run, to unwrap Christmas presents,
to chase (and never catch) birds and squirrels, and help out in the garage.
He has been an excellent family dog and I would recommend that anyone who
is considering getting a Black & Tan: imagine the cutest, most cuddly,
funniest, clumsiest puppy that you can ... and it only gets better!
Name withheld by request of Texas writes:
Couldn't ask for a better dog.
This is the first dog I have ever owned, and I spent about a year searching
for exactly what I wanted. Black and Tans are big dogs and and love to go
wild outside, but they are very mellow inside the house. They can be difficult
to find depending on where you live in the States, but they are worth the
search. Even as a puppy, they are very easy to handle, and respond very
well to clicker training.
Iamethyst @aol.com of Massachusetts writes on 3/17/00:
Excellent companion and family dog - a joy to own.
We acquired our first Coonhound over seven years ago, never knowing anything
about this breed. I just happened to make eye contact with this intelligent
looking 7 mo old puppy. Her eyes met mine and she had this look like take
me out of here, I don't belong her. Well I couldn't get her out of my mind,
you guessed it we bought her a day or two later. We had owned many dogs
before, purebreds included and even bred twice. But luck was with us and
she turned out to be a wonderful pet, very intelligent and loving. I should
mention one of the reasons I felt so strongly about getting her was I noticed
a sore on her backside, from being in a cage too long and she was much too
big for. Being the animal lover I am I felt she needed me as much as I needed
her. Call it an expensive rescue but it turned out to be the beginning of
a wonderful relationship with a breed I never even knew before. We acquired
a second Coonhound years later that proved to be the most wonderful of all
our dogs. He was a champion and we gladly opened our hearts and home to
this fabulous dog. He was only with us for two short years due to a heart
problem but I would do it all over again. My husband and I will cherish
his memory and will certainly own more Coonhounds if possible. Black &
Tan Coonhounds are the perfect breed for us.
cicippio@epix.net of Pennsylvania wrotes on 2/19/00:
People do not know what this breed is and represents.
We have been owned by a black and tan for almost five years. He is the best
dog we have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He lives with a multitude
of cats. When people ask what kind of dog he is, we respond and get a "?"
look. The breed is gread with kids and other animals. Is content as a couch
potato with appropriate excercise. He is somewhat headstrong and likes his
own way. I have never heard my hound growl at anything in an inappropriate
manner. He has an even temper - he's a lover not a fighter! These dogs are
truly one of the best kept secrets. Many would not even give them a second
look and those people do not know what they are missing. I would add, beware
of the spit and the hound odor. However, despitting is a price I will continue
to pay for the companionship of this fine amimal.
MERomere@aol.comof Kingwood, TX writes on 10/11/99:
Great hunters, watchdogs, and gentle pets!
Black and Tan Coonhounds are one of the dog world's best kept secrets. They
are great with kids and love to play with kids, adults, and other dogs.
They are great at warning you when a stranger enters the yard, but are not
apt to bite or harm anyone. Their bark sounds serious to someone who doesn't
know them, but the truth is, if someone actually entered the yard, they
would bark, but never touch the person. They are generally sweet and good
natured in the house and easily house-trained. They are excellent hunters
of raccoon, possum, and deer and can be entered in the specialized Coonhound
events sponsored by the UKC, AKC, and PKC - nite hunts, bench shows, and
water races. They require very little grooming or medical care, other than
cleaning their ears so they don't get ear mites. I recommend this breed
to anyone who wants a great pet!