For the majority of its existence, the Black and Tan Coonhound has always been used for the tracking and hunting of game. With twenty times the amount of scent receptors, blood vessels and nerve endings of the human nose, the Coonhound has proven to be a major success at sniffing out leads not only on land but water as well. Seeing the advantages of this ability, many agencies have put the Black and Tan Coonhound's nose to use. From search and rescue missions to various programs in law enforcement, the nose of the Coonhound has consistently come out the winner over advanced computer programs and machines.
The Black and Tan Coonhound has proven extremely effective as a search and rescue dog in many areas of investigation. While some are part of a K9 unit in a subdivision of law enforcement, others work independently with owners trained in search and rescue techniques. The dogs can be used to find lost or missing persons but are also commonly used for locating the remains of individuals after fatal disasters. The Black and Tan Coonhound's nose is so sensitive that they are even able to locate the bodies of submerged drowning victims. They perform this amazing feat by scenting trails left just above the water's surface.
Nowhere has the Black and Tan Coonhound been of better use than in drug and bomb sniffing dog programs. Even the trickiest of smugglers are no match for the nose of the Black and Tan Coonhound. Each year, criminals do their best to become more and more advanced in their techniques of hiding illegal drugs and explosives. The breed can often be found at airports, border crossings and other ports of entry searching out the undercarriages of cars, sniffing through luggage and other types of goods. Upon locating something suspicious, the Black and Tan Coonhound will become excited and let out its signature howl. The Coonhound's accuracy is such that many handlers report that they never second guess their partner.
Another area that the nose of the Black and Tan Coonhound has proven invaluable is in the area of sniffing out illegal fruits and plants. Many fail to recognize the devastating effects that plants and fruits brought into a country illegally can have on indigenous crops. As seen before, a single piece of fruit or plant infested with any type of non native insect, fungus or microscopic organism has the ability to lay waste to millions of acres of native vegetation in a very short period of time. These problems can take a number of years and billions of dollars to correct. Preventing these occurrences is of extreme significance and the Black and Tan Coonhound has been one of the most effective weapons in this task.
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