ENGLISH COONHOUND

Official U.K.C. Breed Standard*

Scenthounds Group
  © Copyright Jan 1,1980, United Kennel Club, Inc.

This standard has been framed for two real purposes: - first, to act as a guide for the Judges at Bench Shows; - Second, to furnish suggestions for breeders in their aims toward improving the breed to higher ideals in their breeding.

HISTORY

A person could almost say that the history of the English Coonhound is the history of all coonhounds - and he wouldn't be too far wrong. With the exception of the Plott Hound, all the U.K.C. breeds of coonhounds have a common ancestry that is deeply rooted in the English Foxhound. The English was first registered by U.K.C. in 1905 under the name of English Fox & Coonhound. In those days the dogs were used much more on fox than they are today. The name also reflected the similarity that the breed had to the American Foxhound and the English Foxhound.

The variation in color brings us to another aspect of the English Coonhound history. Both the Treeing Walker and the Bluetick Coonhound were originally registered with U.K.C. as English. The Walker was recognized as a separate breed in 1945, and the Bluetick a year later. To this day there are still tri-colored and blueticked English hounds, though redticked dogs predominate. The first mention we have of hounds in America appears in the diary of one of the men of the explorer DeSoto. He also mentions that the hounds were used for the hunting of Indians rather than fox, raccoon or rabbit.

In 1650 the Englishman Robert Brooke brought his pack of hounds with him. Thomas Walker of Virginia imported hounds from England in 1742; and in 1770 George Washington, an avid fox hunter, had hounds imported from England. These dogs were the foundation of the "Virginia Hounds", from which our present day English Coonhound developed. It was, however, for the Americans to adapt these animals to the much rougher American terrain and climate. And it was the Americans that, through careful breeding practices, adapted the hound to American game, the raccoon, opossum, cougar and various species of bear. English hounds have excelled in both performance and conformation. The first major coonhound Field Trial of all time, the first Leafy Oak, was won by an English dog called "Bones", owned by Colonel Leon Robinson.

VOICE

A good hound bawl.

HEAD, SKULL & NECK

MUZZLE
Good length, square, stop nearly medium. Flews enough to look square.

SKULL
Very slightly domed.

TEETH
Even. Neither undershot nor overshot.

EYES
Eyes wide apart, dark. Never pig-eyed or drooping.

NOSE
Large open nostrils.

EARS
Ears hung a little low, fine texture and soft feel. Reach nearly to end of nose if drawn out. Not flat and stiff or half cocked.

FOREQUARTERS

FORELEGS
Forelegs having good bones, straight, strong, set well apart.

BODY

Deep, broad chest; strong back, slightly arched. Not roached back. Thighs and shoulders up, and muscle strong. Good barrel, plenty of lung room. A strong, racy type body.

HINDQUARTERS

HIND LEGS
Stifles stout, well down. Hocks just a little bent. Hind legs, strong, showing drive, power push. Never cowhocked.

FEET

Feet, cats paw, strong arched over toes, pads deep, set directly under legs. The nails should be strong. Feet well-padded.

TAIL or STERN

Carried gaily, set high, but not hooked over back. Just a little brush shown. Medium length. Not rat tailed.

COAT

Hair hard, medium length, of good hound-type for protection.

COLOR

The English Coonhound may be redtick, bluetick, tricolor with ticks, white-red, white-black, or white-lemon; any hound with too much black, too much red or any brindle is not acceptable.

HEIGHT AT SHOULDERS

Slightly higher at shoulders than at hips, never lower at shoulders than at hips.
Males - 22" to 27".
Females - 21 " to 25".

DISQUALIFICATIONS

Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Extreme viciousness or shyness.

SCALE OF POINTS

Head	10
Neck	5
Shoulders	10
Chest & Ribs	10
Back & Loins	15
Hindquarters	10
Elbows	5
Legs & Feet	20
Coat & Color	5
Stern	5
General Make-up	5
Total	100

* NOTE: This information has been contributed by, and is property of The United Kennel Club, Inc. and is gratefully used here with permission.

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