Breeds / Large
Black and Tan Coonhound puppies
A large American trailing hound, easy going and affectionate at home and single minded on a scent. It has a deep, carrying bay and needs secure fencing and lead walks.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin United States
- Adult weight 29.5 to 49.9 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 65 to 110 lb
- Adult height 58 to 69 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short smooth
- Typical lifespan 10 to 12 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
Where these come from:
About the Black and Tan Coonhound
The Black and Tan Coonhound is an American breed, built from Bloodhound and foxhound stock to trail raccoon and larger game by night across rough country. It is a big, loose limbed hound of 58 to 69cm and 29.5 to 49.9kg, with a short black coat, tan points and long low set ears. At home it is easy going and affectionate, rated at the top of the scale with children and other dogs given supervision and early socialisation, and it carries a deep bay that travels a long way.
Exercise needs are moderate but not optional: a long daily walk on the lead, or a play session inside a tall, solid fence, because a Black and Tan on a scent is simply gone. Grooming is a weekly hound glove and the occasional bath, since the breed can develop an odour. Ears want a weekly check. What catches new owners out is the voice. This is a hound bred to be heard across a valley, and it makes an awkward neighbour in a terrace.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Black and Tan Coonhound puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hip dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation and x-ray of breeding stock
- Cataracts and other eye disease, found on an ophthalmologist evaluation
- Hypothyroidism, diagnosed on a thyroid blood panel
- Ear infections, because the long low set ears cut off air flow, so ears need weekly checking
From Black and Tan Coonhound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/black-and-tan-coonhound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Black and Tan Coonhound puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Black and Tan Coonhound.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 29.5 to 49.9 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other large breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.