Black and Tan Coonhound
Description:
This breed has become very popular in places like the United States because it is a tracking dog and a hunting dog. The black and tan coonhound, as its name suggests, is black, big and very potent and it has reddish brownish spots on the sides of its nose, its chest, its legs and feet. It has a good size head and its lips are well developed, however its skin does not have creases. Its ears should fall gracefully framing its head majestically. Its neck descends gracefully and is muscular, make sure though that it does not have too much of a dewlap. Its back is leveled and its chest reaches its elbows. The tail of this dog is long and it carries it upwards and freely. The coat is short and thick. The black and tan coonhounds height is around sixty three to sixty eight centimeters and the females height is around fifty eight to sixty three centimeters; its height should be in proportion with the rest of its body and it must never look too tall or too short on its legs.
Ideal owner:
The black and tan coonhound is a natural hunter and loves being around people and its extremely agile. It is able to resist all types of weather conditions such as extreme cold as well as a lot of heat. Although it is extroverted and likes being around people, its happier when it is able to do the job it was bred for. It is a very brave dog and requires a very patient and consistent trainer. If you are considering having this dog as a companion dog it will be necessary to train it to wear a leash otherwise you will have problems with it running off on you when you take it out on a walk.
Growth:
This dog has a bundle of skin that grows very quickly. When the black and tan coonhound is a puppy its ears are very long, so long that it almost looks as if it is able to step on them, however, little by little it will grow into the right proportion. It doesn't look all that robust when it is younger but as it grown this will become very evident. When it is a puppy it is important to stimulate it a lot so that it gains confidence in itself. Despite the fact that it is such a big dog, the black and tan coonhound has a pretty long life span and on averages lives until around the age of fifteen years. It is actually considered an older dog at the age of ten years and it spends the first decade of is life as very active.
General health:
The biggest worry in this breed is hip dysphasia, so if you are thinking about acquiring one, make sure the breeder or vendor provides you with the necessary health certificates or have the dog checked yourself. Ectropion is also a very common problem and happens very frequently but it can be avoided if you choose the right one. Hemophilia B that is something that manifests itself in prolonged hemorrhages can be problem for the future owner; this is a hereditary problem that is linked to the sex of the animal. Hunters and trackers will need to be careful of coonhound paralysis that can happen around seven days after it has come into contact with a raccoon; this syndrome usually goes away in three to six weeks. Make sure to keep its ears checked because since they are long they have a tendency to get infections.
