Treeing Walker Coonhound puppies

About the Treeing Walker Coonhound

The Treeing Walker Coonhound comes from the American South, bred down from the Walker strain of English Foxhound to trail raccoon at speed and bay at the tree until the hunter arrives. This is a tall, lightly built tricolour hound with a short smooth coat and long drop ears. The temperament is genuinely sociable: rated top of the scale with both children and other pets, confident rather than nervous, and equipped with a bawling voice that carries a very long way across open country.

This is a running dog and needs the exercise to match, ideally long daily runs or hikes rather than a turn round the block. Prey drive is high, so they stay on lead outside a fence. The coat is about as easy as coats get, needing a wipe down with a damp towel and an occasional bath, but the ears trap ticks, wax and debris and want checking every time the dog comes in from outside. They suit an active household with tolerant neighbours, and they do not suit anyone who wants quiet.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Treeing Walker 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 very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire them out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. 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 they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their 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 of breeding stock
• Eye anomalies, picked up by an ophthalmologist evaluation
• Ear infections in the long drop ears, found on weekly ear checks and cleaning
• Ticks lodged under the ear leather, found by checking the ears after every outing

Your Treeing Walker 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 Treeing Walker Coonhound.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 22.7 to 31.8 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 31.8 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other large breeds

More on the Treeing Walker Coonhound

Previous: Treeing Tennessee Brindle · Next: Turkish Kangal Dog

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type, country of origin and health notes
• Health notes from Treeing Walker Coonhound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/treeing-walker-coonhound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Albatrosses, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.