Black and Tan Coonhound: temperament, size, care and health

About the Black and Tan Coonhound

The Black and Tan Coonhound is a big, powerful hound with a long head, a dark expressive eye, low-hanging ears and a deep chest. The short coat is jet black with rich tan markings, a pattern that gives the breed its name and recalls the Bloodhound. Males stand up to twenty-seven inches tall, and the body is strong, athletic and heavy in bone.

The dog was bred in the American South to follow a raccoon's trail through woods and swamp at night, a job requiring a cold nose, stamina and a voice that carries to the hunter following behind. The Black and Tan is the slowest of the coonhounds in pace but among the best at working a difficult track. Today it is also kept as a family dog valued for its mellow manner.

Temperament and family life

In the house the Black and Tan is calm, friendly and affectionate. It is usually good with children, being tolerant of noise and clumsy handling, but the breed's size and the occasional exuberance mean small children need watching. It generally welcomes strangers and accepts other dogs, being a pack hound. As with other coonhounds, small animals that run may trigger the chase, though a hound raised with a cat can be trusted to some extent.

The voice is a major consideration. It is deep and loud, and it is used freely when the dog is excited, bored or on a scent. Dogs left alone in a yard are prone to bay for hours. Many owners value the loyalty and relaxed demeanor but find the noise a real problem in suburbs.

Exercise and training

The Black and Tan needs a long daily walk, and it is happier with a chance to trail a scent in the woods or in a field. Its stamina is high, even if its speed is moderate. It should be kept on a leash or in a strong fenced area because it may follow its nose across roads and for miles. Tracking, coonhound events and scent games give meaningful work.

Training is possible but slow. The dog is intelligent and willing to please its family, but it gets distracted by smells and can seem deaf when it has a scent. Positive reinforcement, food rewards and short sessions work best, and recall should never be relied on. Without enough exercise the breed puts on weight, gets noisy and may dig or chew.

Grooming and shedding

The coat is easy to maintain. A weekly brushing with a hound glove or a rubber brush removes loose hair, and an occasional bath helps with the hound odor. Shedding is moderate all year, and the black hairs stand out on light carpet.

The ears are long and heavy and trap moisture and wax, so they should be cleaned and examined often. The loose skin of the lips and the lower eyelids can collect debris. Nails need regular trimming, and the pads should be checked after trailing in rough ground.

Health

The Black and Tan Coonhound is a generally healthy breed, but its large, deep chest makes it prone to bloat, a twisting of the stomach that is an emergency. Hip and elbow dysplasia, ear infections, hypothyroidism and eyelid problems like ectropion are recorded, and hemophilia B, an inherited bleeding disorder, is known in the breed. Obesity worsens joint trouble. Breeders typically screen hips and elbows and may test for inherited conditions. What is written here about the Black and Tan Coonhound is general, and only a veterinarian can advise on an individual dog.

History

The breed descends from the Talbot hound of medieval England through the Bloodhound and the foxhound, and it developed in the United States from the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound. In 1945 it became the first of the six coonhound breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club.

Is the Black and Tan Coonhound right for you?

This dog suits a rural or large-yard household that enjoys the outdoors, wants a loyal hound and does not mind noise or drool. It is not a good fit for apartment living, for quiet neighborhoods or for an owner wanting off-leash reliability.

For a bigger, wrinklier tracker consider the Bloodhound. For a faster, lighter coonhound, look at the Redbone Coonhound or the Treeing Walker Coonhound.