Post by DogGoneGood on Mar 9, 2009 19:29:30 GMT -5
Group: II - Hounds
Origin: England
Date of Origin: 1700s
Purpose: Hunting Raccoons
Other Name(s): American Black and Tan Coonhound
American Coonhounds are among the world's most specialized breeds, with highly developed instincts to follow the scent trail of a raccoon or opossum, and tree the animal. Once the quarry has been cornered, the coonhound changes the tone of its voice. It remains at the tree, baying its "I've got it cornered" call until the hunter arrives. The Black and Tan is the most common coonhound and is assertive, watchful, and obedient. Grooming, with special attention to the ears, and excercise, are vitally important.
Breed Standards:
General Appearance:
The Black and Tan Coonhound is first and fundamentally a working dog, capable of withstanding the rigours of winter, the heat of summer, and the difficult terrain over which he is called upon to work. Judges are asked by the club sponsoring the breed to place great emphasis upon these facts when evaluating the merits of the dog. The general impression should be that of power, agility, and alertness. His expression should be alert, friendly, eager, and aggressive. He should immediately impress one with his ability to cover the ground with powerful rhythmic strides.
Coat and Colour:
The coat should be short but dense to withstand rough going. As the name implies, the colour should be coal black, with rich tan markings above eyes, on sides of muzzle, chest, legs and breeching with black pencil markings on toes.
Head:
The head should be cleanly modelled, with medium stop occurring midway between occiput and nose. The head should measure from 9-10 inches (23-25 cm) in males and from 8-9 inches (20-23 cm) in females. Viewed from the profile the line of the skull is on a practically parallel plane to the foreface or muzzle. Skull should tend toward oval outline. Nostrils well open and always black. Teeth should fit evenly with slightly scissors bite. Eyes should be from hazel to dark brown in colour, almost round and not deeply set. Ears should be low set and well back. They should hang in graceful folds giving the dog a majestic appearance. In length they should extend well beyond the tip of the nose. The skin should be devoid of folds or excess dewlap. The flews should be well developed with typical hound appearance.
Neck:
The neck should be muscular, sloping, medium length.
Forequarters:
Shoulders powerfully constructed. The forelegs should be straight, with elbows well let down, turning neither in nor out; pasterns strong and erect. Feet should be cat-like with compact, well-arched toes and thick strong pads.
Hindquarters:
Quarters should be well boned and muscled. From hip to hock long and sinewy, hock to pad short and strong. Stifles and hock well bent and not inclining either in or out. When standing on a level surface, the hind feet should set back from under the body, and leg from pad to hock be at right angles to the ground when viewed both from profile and the rear.
Body:
The back should be level, powerful and strong, with a visible slope from withers to rump. The chest should be deep. The dog should possess full, round, well-sprung ribs, avoiding flat-sidedness.
Tail:
Should be strong, with base slightly below level of backline, carried free, and when in action, at approximately right angle to back.
Gait:
The stride of the Black and Tan Coonhound should be easy and graceful with plenty of reach in front and drive behind.
Faults:
Judges should penalize the following defects: undersize, elbows out at shoulder, lack of angulation in hindquarters, splay feet, sway or roach back, flat-sidedness, lack of depth in chest, yellow or light eyes, shyness and nervousness. Dewclaws are a fault. White on chest or other parts of body is highly undesirable.
Disqualifications:
White on chest or other parts of the body if it exceeds 1-1/2 inches (4cm) in diameter.
Size:
Measured at the shoulder: males, 25-27 inches (64-69 cm); females, 23-25 inches (58-64 cm). Height should be in proportion to general conformation so the dog appears neither leggy nor close to the ground. Dogs oversized should not be penalized when general soundness and proportion are in favour.
Temperment:
The Black and Tan Coonhound is a gentle, adaptable, and lovable dog. Many are easygoing and people-friendly, and the Black and Tan Coonhound is happiest when performing the work it has been bred for. Easily distracted by their incredible sense of smell, these dogs require patient handling and encouragement. Though most are trusting and sweet-natured, Black and Tan puppies require a fair amount of encouragement to boost their confidence, especially when living indoors as pets. Black and Tan Coonhounds are happy to be couch-potatoes when given plenty of exercise, and they enjoy the company of their human family. Black and Tans may seem cautious or nervous around strangers or unfamiliar dogs, but will socialize well with time, as they are bred to hunt and work in packs. They don’t become senior citizens until about ten years old, and will be active, fun-loving buddies for their first decade.
The nose of the Black and Tan Coonhound will often lead it to trouble, and it must therefore be kept on leash when outdoors. When tracking, the Coonhound may work methodically, but the untrained and off-leash Coonhound will sometimes race off after a scent. Patient training is essential.
The Black and Tan is best known as a raccoon hunter, the breed has also been used very successfully to hunt other types of game such as bear, stag, opossum, deer and mountain lion - even on difficult terrain. It withstands well the rigors of winter as well as intense heat. Some of the Black and Tan Coonhound talents include hunting, tracking, watchdogging, and agility. Black and Tan Coonhounds are the only breed officially recognized as Coonhounds by the American Kennel Club.
This breed drools and slobbers, a trait that can be troublesome. This breed is not well-suited for someone who is looking for a quiet dog; Black and Tan Coonhounds, like all coonhounds, are quite vocal and will bark and howl often.
Black and Tan Coonhounds are effective at warning their owners when a stranger enters the yard. Their bark sounds threatening to strangers, but they are unlikely to actually bite unless they sense danger or they or their pack are threatened.
Though not seen frequently in urban areas, they enjoy popularity in rural areas. It is said that coonhounds are found on the porch of more rural homes in the United States than any other breed. While that is not a statistical fact, their place on the AKC registered breeds list ranks them as one of the more popular breeds.
Health:
The black and tan coonhound is a hardy breed that has few known diseases. The most common are hip dysplasia and obesity. The black and tan coonhound tends to be an inactive dog if kept indoors most of the time and can become overweight.
Average Lifespan:
10 to 12 years.
History:
Ancestry includes the Bloodhound, Irish Kerry Beagle, and Foxhound, in particular the Virginia Foxhound of the 1700s. The breed may also be related to the 12th-century Talbot Hound.
Sources:
Canadian Kennel Club Official Breed Standards - Black & Tan Coonhound
The New Encyclopedia Of the DOG by Bruce Fogle DVM Page 180
Wikipedia - Black and Tan Coonhound
Pet Place.com
Origin: England
Date of Origin: 1700s
Purpose: Hunting Raccoons
Other Name(s): American Black and Tan Coonhound
American Coonhounds are among the world's most specialized breeds, with highly developed instincts to follow the scent trail of a raccoon or opossum, and tree the animal. Once the quarry has been cornered, the coonhound changes the tone of its voice. It remains at the tree, baying its "I've got it cornered" call until the hunter arrives. The Black and Tan is the most common coonhound and is assertive, watchful, and obedient. Grooming, with special attention to the ears, and excercise, are vitally important.
Breed Standards:
General Appearance:
The Black and Tan Coonhound is first and fundamentally a working dog, capable of withstanding the rigours of winter, the heat of summer, and the difficult terrain over which he is called upon to work. Judges are asked by the club sponsoring the breed to place great emphasis upon these facts when evaluating the merits of the dog. The general impression should be that of power, agility, and alertness. His expression should be alert, friendly, eager, and aggressive. He should immediately impress one with his ability to cover the ground with powerful rhythmic strides.
Coat and Colour:
The coat should be short but dense to withstand rough going. As the name implies, the colour should be coal black, with rich tan markings above eyes, on sides of muzzle, chest, legs and breeching with black pencil markings on toes.
Head:
The head should be cleanly modelled, with medium stop occurring midway between occiput and nose. The head should measure from 9-10 inches (23-25 cm) in males and from 8-9 inches (20-23 cm) in females. Viewed from the profile the line of the skull is on a practically parallel plane to the foreface or muzzle. Skull should tend toward oval outline. Nostrils well open and always black. Teeth should fit evenly with slightly scissors bite. Eyes should be from hazel to dark brown in colour, almost round and not deeply set. Ears should be low set and well back. They should hang in graceful folds giving the dog a majestic appearance. In length they should extend well beyond the tip of the nose. The skin should be devoid of folds or excess dewlap. The flews should be well developed with typical hound appearance.
Neck:
The neck should be muscular, sloping, medium length.
Forequarters:
Shoulders powerfully constructed. The forelegs should be straight, with elbows well let down, turning neither in nor out; pasterns strong and erect. Feet should be cat-like with compact, well-arched toes and thick strong pads.
Hindquarters:
Quarters should be well boned and muscled. From hip to hock long and sinewy, hock to pad short and strong. Stifles and hock well bent and not inclining either in or out. When standing on a level surface, the hind feet should set back from under the body, and leg from pad to hock be at right angles to the ground when viewed both from profile and the rear.
Body:
The back should be level, powerful and strong, with a visible slope from withers to rump. The chest should be deep. The dog should possess full, round, well-sprung ribs, avoiding flat-sidedness.
Tail:
Should be strong, with base slightly below level of backline, carried free, and when in action, at approximately right angle to back.
Gait:
The stride of the Black and Tan Coonhound should be easy and graceful with plenty of reach in front and drive behind.
Faults:
Judges should penalize the following defects: undersize, elbows out at shoulder, lack of angulation in hindquarters, splay feet, sway or roach back, flat-sidedness, lack of depth in chest, yellow or light eyes, shyness and nervousness. Dewclaws are a fault. White on chest or other parts of body is highly undesirable.
Disqualifications:
White on chest or other parts of the body if it exceeds 1-1/2 inches (4cm) in diameter.
Size:
Measured at the shoulder: males, 25-27 inches (64-69 cm); females, 23-25 inches (58-64 cm). Height should be in proportion to general conformation so the dog appears neither leggy nor close to the ground. Dogs oversized should not be penalized when general soundness and proportion are in favour.
Temperment:
The Black and Tan Coonhound is a gentle, adaptable, and lovable dog. Many are easygoing and people-friendly, and the Black and Tan Coonhound is happiest when performing the work it has been bred for. Easily distracted by their incredible sense of smell, these dogs require patient handling and encouragement. Though most are trusting and sweet-natured, Black and Tan puppies require a fair amount of encouragement to boost their confidence, especially when living indoors as pets. Black and Tan Coonhounds are happy to be couch-potatoes when given plenty of exercise, and they enjoy the company of their human family. Black and Tans may seem cautious or nervous around strangers or unfamiliar dogs, but will socialize well with time, as they are bred to hunt and work in packs. They don’t become senior citizens until about ten years old, and will be active, fun-loving buddies for their first decade.
The nose of the Black and Tan Coonhound will often lead it to trouble, and it must therefore be kept on leash when outdoors. When tracking, the Coonhound may work methodically, but the untrained and off-leash Coonhound will sometimes race off after a scent. Patient training is essential.
The Black and Tan is best known as a raccoon hunter, the breed has also been used very successfully to hunt other types of game such as bear, stag, opossum, deer and mountain lion - even on difficult terrain. It withstands well the rigors of winter as well as intense heat. Some of the Black and Tan Coonhound talents include hunting, tracking, watchdogging, and agility. Black and Tan Coonhounds are the only breed officially recognized as Coonhounds by the American Kennel Club.
This breed drools and slobbers, a trait that can be troublesome. This breed is not well-suited for someone who is looking for a quiet dog; Black and Tan Coonhounds, like all coonhounds, are quite vocal and will bark and howl often.
Black and Tan Coonhounds are effective at warning their owners when a stranger enters the yard. Their bark sounds threatening to strangers, but they are unlikely to actually bite unless they sense danger or they or their pack are threatened.
Though not seen frequently in urban areas, they enjoy popularity in rural areas. It is said that coonhounds are found on the porch of more rural homes in the United States than any other breed. While that is not a statistical fact, their place on the AKC registered breeds list ranks them as one of the more popular breeds.
Health:
The black and tan coonhound is a hardy breed that has few known diseases. The most common are hip dysplasia and obesity. The black and tan coonhound tends to be an inactive dog if kept indoors most of the time and can become overweight.
Average Lifespan:
10 to 12 years.
History:
Ancestry includes the Bloodhound, Irish Kerry Beagle, and Foxhound, in particular the Virginia Foxhound of the 1700s. The breed may also be related to the 12th-century Talbot Hound.
Sources:
Canadian Kennel Club Official Breed Standards - Black & Tan Coonhound
The New Encyclopedia Of the DOG by Bruce Fogle DVM Page 180
Wikipedia - Black and Tan Coonhound
Pet Place.com
