The Redbone Coonhound lives well indoors or outdoors. His coat is sufficient to give him protection from all elements of the weather in addition to being able to hunt in any weather. They are comfortable living in an apartment if they get sufficient exercise outside. Although, confined in small places like a small apartment may make then start baying loudly and the sound can be heard for a long distance. They are just as comfortable being outdoors as indoors, although the more room they have to run, the happier they are.
Description
The Redbone Coonhound is a medium sized lean and muscular breed of dog bred for hunting. They were originally developed for hunting raccoons, and are faster to tree a coon than any other coonhound. In addition to their expertise at tracking raccoons, they also excel in hunting bear, cougar and bobcat. They are a very coordinated and agile dog that allows them to be versatile enough to cover every type of ground from the swamplands to the mountains and are also used as water dogs. The Redbone Coonhound is probably one of the best all around hunting dogs. Their strength and endurance make it easy for them to cover all kinds of terrain, even jumping over fences up to 5 feet high.
They are used for showing in addition to hunting. The Redbone Coonhound has a strong build that is well proportioned with long legs, a deep chest and a tail and head that are both held high, regardless of what they are doing. The face gives off a sad expression with sad brown eyes and long drooping ears that go to the tip of the nose when he is following a scent. The coat is short and the nose always black. The paws are cat-like with thick pads. The Redbone Coonhound is the only solid-colored Coonhound. Occasionally you may see red with a little white, but the norm is all red.
They are friendly, loyal and eager to please and are considered very gifted dogs. When they are puppies, they will chew on anything they come in contact with, even more so than most puppies. They love being the family and doing things. In addition to being excellent avid hunters, they also make great family pets. Their breath does have a doggie smell and most of them tend to drool a lot. The male dog is usually larger than the female and carries a deeper bay.
The Red Coonhound has a smooth shiny and short coat that requires minimum care. It may be thin, but it is coarse enough that it gives them protection while hunting in the woods or shrubs. It also serves as a good insulation in all weather conditions.
The colors of the Redbone Coonhound are red and occasionally you may see red with a little white on the chest or legs. This dog is the only coonhound that is one solid color.
History
The history of the Redbone Coonhound began in Georgia in the 1800s with the mixture of bloodhounds and foxhounds. The original name came from a breeder named Peter Redbone. It is still not decided if the true name came from Peter Redbone or because of their cooler. At that time, any dog that was a great hunting and treeing dog and was red was called a redbone. Then a couple breeders got together with the intent of developing a good hunter that was red with speed and agility. The first results of this breeding were red with black saddle markings and were called "saddlebacks".
After much practice, they eliminated the black and developed an all red dog that was called the Redbone Coonhound. With the ancestors being foxhounds and bloodhounds, they have all the great qualities the breeders were looking for in a hunting dog. The Redbone Coonhound was the second coonhound to be registered in the United Kennel Club. Until recently, the dog was only known for hunting and never shown in the ring. Owners are now beginning to show their Redbone Coonhound in competitions.
Originally, the Redbone Coonhound was classified in the miscellaneous group. They were first registered in the American Kennel Club in 2001.
Temperament
The Redbone Coonhound is a very happy, mellow and even tempered dog. They are also very affectionate and love being with people. They are excellent with children, especially children that are used to dogs and want to play. At times, they enjoy playing so much, that they can almost be overwhelming to a small child. They have a very pleasant sound bark, although when left alone indoors, their bark does tend to turn into a howl, which isn't such a pleasant sound. In spite of the bark having a pleasant sound, it is also very loud.
The Redbone Coonhounds are not a dog that needs to be busy at all times, as long as they are with their family, they're happy. They are very energetic dogs that if not allowed the room to romp around will misbehave in the form of chewing on things and they will chew on anything. They are also very independent thinker and will spend a lot of time trying to solve a problem such as getting out of a fence or pen. They Redbone Coonhound will not give up as easily as some dogs when a problem arises.
They get along well with cats if they've grown up with them from the time they were little. If they haven't they may consider them as prey and chase them. It is a good idea to always keep them on a leash if taking them for a walk, as they will chase after small animals in the same manner that they would hunt and tree a raccoon. They have a natural treeing instinct bred into them and regardless of the training, they will still want to tree other animals. Often when the dog is in pursuit of something, it will appear that he is in a world of his own and may not even respond to your voice.
Very few family members will not love having the Redbone Coonhound as a family pet. They are loving, trusting and extremely affectionate. Because of the high energy and happy personality, they are great at playing catch and other games with children.
Health Problems
The Redbone Coonhound is a relatively healthy dog with few Health Problems. They are sometimes prone to hip dysplasia. An x-ray of the hips will tell a prospective owner if the hips are good. They should be OFA certified as excellent or good. You can often look at the pedigree to see if there is a history of poor hips in a certain family.
Elderly Redbone Coonhounds also have a tendency to get arthritis. Some are afflicted with eye diseases or disorders. A regular annual checkup at your vet is recommended to prevent any Health Problems or catch them when they start. Keeping up on their vaccinations and worming will also ensure that they look good, perform well for you and live a long healthy life.
Grooming
The Redbone Coonhound has a short smooth single layer coat that doesn't' require a lot of grooming. As with all dogs that are kept indoors and outdoors, you will want to make sure they are clean. Your hound will love being outside romping around when the weather is nice and he will get dirty especially if he's chasing an animal. Always be sure to check him for ticks or other insects when he comes back in. This is especially important when he's been out hunting, which he will probably be doing a lot of. Regular brushing with a firm bristle brush is about all he will need with his short coat.
Grooming your Redbone Coonhound is important for a couple reasons. One reason is to make him look good and it's a way to possibly alert you to any unusual health problems in or on the skin. Another reason is this is a time for you and your dog to bond-just the two of you. Grooming should begin when your dog is a small pup so he gets used to having his body parts (feet, toenails, ears, mouth) handled on a regular basis. He will get so used to having his feet and ears touched and cleaned, that it will be something he comes to enjoy as an adult dog.
Keeping the ears clean and dry is very important for dogs, especially dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors. The Redbone Coonhound does not need to be bathed very regularly, but his ears should be clean and dry. If he does a lot of hunting in wet and rainy weather, he will be more susceptible to ear infections, if he is not properly dried. If you do bathe him, ask you pet supply store to recommend a good shampoo or conditioner for this breed of dog. Your dog will love this attention from you especially if it's ended with a treat.
Exercise
The Redbone Coonhound is a great hunting dog that thrives on the hunt and the chase and is best when allowed to do this. They do enjoy being indoors just sitting around with their family, but shouldn't be allowed to do this too much as they are very prone to become lazy and overweight. Because they are so energetic, they need a lot of exercise so they don't get bored. A bored dog is usually a destructive dog. They also need exercise to avoid becoming obese which is a problem for many Redbone Coonhounds. If the dog becomes overweight, he will not be as productive at hunting.
They have the natural hunting instinct in them so if they are left alone too often, they will roam and try to go hunting on their own. Being the great problem solvers that they are, if there is a way for them to get out, they will find it. They love going for walks and runs and it's important that they get to go daily if they are confined indoors. They need to be on the leash at all times to avoid a great chase if they encounter another animal.
Training
You may feel that since he's a hunting dog, training for the Redbone Coonhound mostly involves tracking and hunting training. This is true to some extent as that is what he will be doing a great deal of the time. However, there is other training he will need from the time he is a young puppy. If he will be spending any time at all in the house, you will want him to be housebroken. They do mature slower than other dogs, but you will still be able to house break him.
Basic obedience is very important to every dog. They need to learn the basic commands of "sit" "down" "stay" and "come". Once you start the training, you need to be consistent with them so as not to confuse them. If you don't have the time to train them, find a trainer that can do this for you and your dog. They are not as easy to train at a young age as most dogs because the mature slower both mentally and physically. So, expect that "puppy behavior" must longer than normal. As he is older, though, he will pick up on things much quicker. Once he is older, you will find that they are very quick to learn things.
You will also want to start training him for hunting at a fairly young age. This training will go much smoother if he's already mastered the basic obedience. Although, much of the hunting skills are already bred in him, the techniques will have to be taught. Often hunters go with their dogs in crews, "run them", and train them together. The Redbone Coonhound has a great drive for chasing, treeing and killing many animals so is the perfect choice to train to hunt bear or mountain lion. Because of this drive, he may not be the type of dog you want if you do not want the animals killed. Not only will you be doing something that your dog loves and was bred for, but you will be giving him some excellent exercise.
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Ratings and Attributes
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