Breeds / Large
Bluetick Coonhound puppies
An American night hunting hound, sociable with people and other dogs, driven and vocal in the field. It needs secure fencing, lead walks and a genuine outlet for its energy.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin United States
- Adult weight 20.4 to 36.3 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 45 to 80 lb
- Adult height 53 to 69 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short smooth
- Typical lifespan 11 to 12 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
Where these come from:
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings, coat type, country of origin and health notes
About the Bluetick Coonhound
The Bluetick Coonhound is an American hound developed in the southern states from French staghounds and English foxhound stock, bred to trail raccoon at night and hold game at bay until the hunter arrives. It stands 53 to 69cm and weighs 20.4 to 36.3kg, with a short glossy coat mottled in dark blue ticking. It is friendly and sociable, particularly with other dogs, rated mid scale with children so supervision and socialisation matter, and it has the loud bawling voice of a night hunting hound.
A Bluetick is high energy and needs a real outlet, whether hunting, tracking, agility or long lead walks, though it will happily sleep at your feet afterwards. Fencing has to be secure and the lead stays on, because prey drive beats recall every time. Grooming is light, a weekly hound glove and an occasional bath, with daily ear checks because the ears hang low and trap moisture. The noise catches owners out, since this is not a breed built for close neighbours.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Bluetick 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. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and it will need a job to do long before it needs long walks. 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.
- Bloat and gastric torsion, a surgical emergency in deep chested dogs, so owners should learn the signs
- Ear infections, because the low hanging ears trap moisture, so ears need daily checking
- Hip dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation and x-ray of breeding stock
- Cataracts and other eye disease, found on an ophthalmologist evaluation
From Bluetick Coonhound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/bluetick-coonhound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Bluetick 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 Bluetick Coonhound.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 20.4 to 36.3 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.