A
Coonhound is a
typeDog types are broad categories of dogs based on function; dog types are not identical to modern dog breeds but dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance, including ancestral forms that arose undocumented over a long period of time...
of
scent houndScent hounds are a type of hound that primarily hunts by scent rather than sight. The Scenthound breeds are generally regarded as having some of the most sensitive noses among canines....
and a member of the
houndA hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. It can be contrasted with the gun dog, which assists hunters by identifying the location of prey, and with the retriever, which recovers shot quarry....
group.
Coonhounds are an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
style of
hunting dogA hunting dog refers to any dog who assists humans in hunting. There are several types of hunting dogs developed for various tasks. The major categories of hunting dogs include hounds, terriers, cur type dogs, and gun dogs...
developed for the unique quarry and working conditions found in the United States. Coondogs are highly valued, and the locus of competition , although there is no recognized breed dedicated to the task.
In the
colonial periodThe term colonial history of the United States refers to the history of the land that would become the United States from the start of European settlement to the time of independence from Europe, and especially to the history of the thirteen colonies of Britain which declared themselves independent...
,
foxhoundA foxhound is a type of large hunting hound. Foxhounds hunt in packs and, like all scent hounds, have a strong sense of smell. They are used in hunts for foxes, hence the name. When out hunting they are followed usually on horseback and will travel several miles to catch their target...
s were imported for the popular sport of foxhunting.
A
Coonhound is a
typeDog types are broad categories of dogs based on function; dog types are not identical to modern dog breeds but dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance, including ancestral forms that arose undocumented over a long period of time...
of
scent houndScent hounds are a type of hound that primarily hunts by scent rather than sight. The Scenthound breeds are generally regarded as having some of the most sensitive noses among canines....
and a member of the
houndA hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. It can be contrasted with the gun dog, which assists hunters by identifying the location of prey, and with the retriever, which recovers shot quarry....
group.
Coonhounds are an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
style of
hunting dogA hunting dog refers to any dog who assists humans in hunting. There are several types of hunting dogs developed for various tasks. The major categories of hunting dogs include hounds, terriers, cur type dogs, and gun dogs...
developed for the unique quarry and working conditions found in the United States. Coondogs are highly valued, and the locus of competition , although there is no recognized breed dedicated to the task.
History
In the
colonial periodThe term colonial history of the United States refers to the history of the land that would become the United States from the start of European settlement to the time of independence from Europe, and especially to the history of the thirteen colonies of Britain which declared themselves independent...
,
foxhoundA foxhound is a type of large hunting hound. Foxhounds hunt in packs and, like all scent hounds, have a strong sense of smell. They are used in hunts for foxes, hence the name. When out hunting they are followed usually on horseback and will travel several miles to catch their target...
s were imported for the popular sport of foxhunting. Various breeds of foxhounds and other hunting hounds were imported from
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
,
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
, and
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
, making up the initial composition of the dogs that were later known as
Virginia Hounds.
Foxhounds were found to be inadequate for hunting animals that didn't "go to ground", but instead took to the treetops to escape, such as
raccoonProcyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most widespread species, the Common Raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
s, opossums,
bobcatThe Bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family, Felidae. With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States. The Bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits wooded areas, as well as semi-desert, urban...
s and even larger prey like cougars and
bearBears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s. The dogs were often confused or unable to hold the scent when this occurred, and would mill about.
TreeingTreeing is a method of hunting where dogs are used to force animals that naturally climb up into trees, where they can be shot by hunters. Particularly used with coonhunting, treeing dogs are selected for the instinct to not cease barking at an animal after it has escaped into a tree...
dogs were developed, chosen for a keen sense of smell, the ability to track, chase and corner any manner of animal independent of human commands, and, most importantly, to follow an animal both on the ground and when it takes to the trees. A good coonhound will bark and keep its prey treed until the hunters arrive.
BloodhoundA bloodhound is a large breed of dog that was bred originally to hunt deer and wild boar, later specifically to track human beings by scent. It is famed for its ability to follow scents hours or even days old over great distances...
s specifically were added to many coonhound lines to enhance the ability to track. Some dogs have webbed toes to deal with the rivers and swamps so common in their hunting grounds.
Coonhounds can hunt individually or as a pack. Generally, hunters don't chase their quarry along with the hounds, unlike organized foxhunting, but wait and listen to the distinctive baying to determine if a raccoon or other animal has been treed. Besides raccoons, coonhounds are excellent at handing all manner of prey if trained properly.
Besides hunting, coonhounds are family dogs that are known to be good with children. They also make good watchdogs with an impressive, loud bark.
Breeds
There are several individual
breedsDog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of Coonhound:
- Black and Tan Coonhound
The Black and Tan Coonhound is a breed of dog used principally for trailing and treeing raccoon. It's a cross between the Bloodhound, and the Black And Tan Virginia Foxhound. The Black and Tan Coonhound runs its game entirely by scent...
- Bluetick Coonhound
The Bluetick Coonhound is a breed of dog. It is a type of coonhound and typically bred in the southern United States.- Appearance :The overall body style of the Bluetick Coonhound is muscular and speedy, not chunky or clumsily built. The head is carried well up and the tail carried over the back,...
- English Coonhound
The English Coonhound, sometimes referred to as the "Redtick Coonhound", is a breed of dog. It is a type of coonhound that is typically bred in the southern United States.-Coloration:...
- Plott Hound
The Plott Hound is a large scent hound, specifically a coonhound, originally bred for hunting boar.-Appearance:The Plott Hound should be athletic, muscular, and agile in appearance. It should be neither low-set and heavy, nor leggy and light: it has medium build. Its expression should be one of...
- Redbone Coonhound
The Redbone Coonhound is a breed of dog. They are widely used for hunting bear, racoon, and cougar. Their agility allows them to be used for hunting from swamplands to mountains, and some can be used as water dogs. The Redbone Coonhound is the only solid colored coonhound...
- Treeing Walker Coonhound
The Treeing Walker Coonhound is a breed of dog descended from the English Foxhound, first recognized as a separate breed in 1945
. The breed began when a stolen dog of unknown origin, known as "Tennessee Lead", was crossed into the Walker Hound in the 1800s...
The
Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial GraveyardThe Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard is a cemetery located in rural Colbert County, Alabama reserved specifically for the burial of coon dogs. Key Underwood established the cemetery on September 4, 1937 by burying his famous coon dog, Troop. Underwood chose the spot as it was previously...
in
Colbert County, AlabamaColbert County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of brothers George and Levi Colbert, Chickasaw Indian chiefs. George Colbert operated a ferry across the Tennessee River in 1790 near present day Cherokee ....
is dedicated for the burial of coon dogs. It is said to be the only cemetery of its kind in the world.
External links