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Quick Glance

  • size-icon.svg
    Size
    Medium (11kg - 27kg)
  • exercise-icon.svg
    Exercise
    40 min/day
  • hart-border-icon-b.svg
    Training
    Weekly
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    Size of home
    House with garden
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    Time at home
    Often alone
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    Grooming
    Low maintenance
  • hart-border-icon-b.svg
    Barking preference
    Moderate
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    Personality
    Independent + affectionate
Black Tan Coonhound

History

The Black and Tan Coonhound is a breed of hunting dog. Developed in the United States from crosses between the Bloodhound and the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound, this scent hound runs its game entirely by scent and is used primarily for coon hunting. (1)

Appearance

The coat is short, dense and glossy. The eyes are hazel to brown, the ears are extremely long, wide, and thin, are set low and far back on the dog's head, and hang well down the neck. The black and tan markings are similar to the Dobermann and the Rottweiler.

The Black and Tan Coonhound's bark is loud and baying; it has been described as a deep howl. The breed standard includes muscular legs that are long in proportion to body length. The tail is set slightly below the natural line of the back. (1)

Temperament

The Black and Tan Coonhound is first and fundamentally a working dog, a trail and tree hound, capable of withstanding the rigors of winter, the heat of summer, and the difficult terrain over which he is called upon to work. Used principally for trailing and treeing raccoon, the Black and Tan Coonhound runs his game entirely by scent. (2)

The Black and Tan Coonhound makes a suitable pet: it is mellow, amiable, calm, and unobtrusive indoors; outdoors, its strong hunting instinct takes over and it can be difficult to turn it from tracking after it starts trailing. As befitting a dog with its heritage, it is strong, independent, and stubborn.

This breed is gentle and tolerant with children, but it may be too independent to satisfy a playful child. It is reserved with strangers and in their presence may bay and howl.

The Black and Tan Coonhound can run for miles although it is usually content with a moderate jog or long walk, with an occasional excursion into the field. It can wander if it catches a scent, so a safe area is mandatory. (3) (4)

Sizes

Size measured at the shoulder -
Males 25 to 27 inches;
Females 23 to 25 inches. (2)

In Conclusion

Now you know a little about the Black & Tan Coonhound, you may think that this is the dog for you. before you make a decision, please make contact with the breed club or your State controlling body for purebred dogs. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog shows where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the Black & Tan Coonhound and its needs and whether this breed would suit your lifestyle. 

References

  1. Wikipedia.org
  2. DOGS AUSTRALIA.org.au
  3. American Kennel Club (18 December 2007). The Complete Dog Book: 20th Edition
  4. The American Kennel Club (11 November 2014). The New Complete Dog Book: Official Breed Standards and All-New Profiles for 200 Breeds- Now in Full-Color

    Image: nextdaypets

Official breed standard as recognized by Dogs NSW (Last Updated: 16 Jan 2015)

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Breed Standard - Black and Tan Coonhound

A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

General Appearance

The Black and Tan Coonhound is first and fundamentally a working dog, a trail and tree hound, capable of withstanding the rigors of winter, the heat of summer , and the difficult terrain over which he is called upon to work. Used principally f or trailing and treeing raccoon, the Black and Tan Coonhound runs his game entirely by scent. The characteristics and courage of the Coonhound also make him proficient on the hunt f or deer , bear , mountain lion and other big game. Judges are asked to place great emphasis upon these f acts when evaluating the merits of the dog. The general impression is that of power , agility and alertness. He immediately impresses one with his ability to cover the ground with powerful rhythmic strides.Proportion-Measured f rom the point of shoulder to the buttocks and from withers to ground the length of body is equal to or slightly greater than the height of the dog at the withers. Height is in proportion to general conformation so that dog appears neither leggy nor close to the ground.Substance-Considering their job as a hunting dog, the individual should exhibit moderate bone and good muscle tone. Males are heavier in bone and muscle tone than females.

Temperament

Even temperament, outgoing and friendly. A s a working scent hound, must be able to work in close contact with other hounds. Some may be reserved but never shy or vicious. Aggression toward people or other dogs is most undesirable.

Physical Standards

Head and Skull The head is cleanly modelled. From the back of the skull to the nose the head measures from 9 to 10 inches in males and from 8 to 9 inches in f emales. Expression is alert, f riendly and eager. The skin is devoid of f olds. Nostrils well open and always black. The flews are well developed with typical hound appearance. Penalise excessive wrinkles.Skull tends toward oval outline.Medium stop occurring midway between occiput bone and nose. Viewed from prof ile the line of the skull is on a practically parallel plane to the f oreface or muzzle.
Eyes Eyes are from hazel to dark brown in colour, almost round and not deeply set. Penalize yellow or light eyes.
Ears Ears are low set and well back. They hang in graceful f olds, giving the dog a majestic appearance. In length they extend naturally well beyond the tip of the nose and are set at eye level or lower. Penalize ears that do not reach the tip of the nose and are set too high on the head.
Mouth Teeth fit evenly with scissors bite. Penalize excessive deviation from scissors bite.
Neck The neck is muscular, sloping, medium length. The skin is devoid of excess dewlap.
Forequarters Powerfully constructed shoulders. The forelegs are straight, with elbows turning neither in nor out; pasterns strong and erect.
Body The back is level, powerful and strong. The dog possesses full, round, well sprung ribs, avoiding flat sidedness.Chest reaches at least to the elbows.
Hindquarters Quarters are well boned and muscled. From hip to hock long and sinewy, hock to pad short and strong. Stifles and hocks well bent and not inclining either in or out. When standing on a level surface, the hind feet are set back from under the body and the leg from pad to hock is at right angles to the ground.Fault- Rear dewclaws.
Feet Feet are compact, with well knuckled, strongly arched toes and thick, strong pads. Penalize flat or splayed feet.
Tail The tail is strong, with base slightly below level of backline, carried free and when in action at approximately right angle to back.
Gait/Movement When viewed from the side, the stride of the Black and Tan Coonhound is easy and graceful with plenty of reach in front and drive behind. When viewed from the front the forelegs, which are in line with the width of the body, move forward in an effortless manner, but never cross. Viewed from the rear the hocks follow on a line with the forelegs, being neither too widely nor too closely spaced, and as the speed of the trot increases the feet tend to converge toward a centre line or single track indicating soundness, balance and stamina. When in action, his head and tail carriage is proud and alert; the topline remains level.
Coat The coat is short but dense to withstand rough going.
Colour As the name implies, the colour is coal black with rich tan markings above eyes, on sides of muzzle, chest, legs and breeching, with black pencil markings on toes. Penalize lack of rich tan markings, excessive areas of tan markings, excessive black coloration.Faults- White on chest or other parts of body is highly undesirable, and a solid patch of white which extends more than one inch in any direction is a disqualification.
Size Size measured at the shoulder -Males 25 to 27 inches;Females 23 to 25 inches.Oversized dogs should not be penalized when general soundness and proportion are in favour. Penalize undersize.

Faults

DISQUALIFICATIONSolid patch of white which extends more than one inch in any direction.

In as much as this is a hunting breed, scars from honourable wounds shall not be considered  faults.Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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