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This is the place to get stories about
the UKC Hound Breeds |
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 The
Black & Tan is one of many tracking breeds that was
developed in the south of the United States. The breed
can trace its immediate ancestry to the American
Foxhound and the Virginia Foxhound of colonial days,
with probably the introduction of some Bloodhound stock.
This latter would explain not only the coloration of the
Black & Tan, but its tendency toward being larger-boned
than other breeds, its long ears, and its famous cold
nose.
The American Black & Tan can probably be traced to
the English Foxhounds, and before that to the Tolbot
Hounds and St. Hubert hounds of France. These hounds
were first brought to England following the Norman
invasion in the 11th Century.
The American Black & Tan was the first coonhound
breed to be admitted into registry with U.K.C. When they
were first registered in 1900, and for several years
after that, they were registered was American Black &
Tan Fox Coonhounds. |
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 It
is most likely that the Bluetick is principally
descended from the quick foxhounds of England with some
introduction of the blood of various French hounds which
were used for hunting big game. The French dogs were
known as being very cold nosed. George Washington
received five such French hounds from General Lafayette.
Blueticks were originally registered with U.K.C. as
English. In 1946, at the request of the Bluetick
fanciers, U.K.C. began registering Blueticks as a
separate breed. |
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 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 this similarity that the breed
had to the American Foxhound and the English Coonhound. |
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 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
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
hunting 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, and 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. |
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Of
the six breeds of U.K.C. registered Coonhounds, only the
Plott Hound doesn't trace its ancestry to the foxhound;
and of all the breeds, we can be most certain of the
Plott's heritage and the men most responsible for its
development.
The ancestors of today's Plott were used for boar
hunting in Germany many years ago. Jonathon Plott left
his native Germany and came to this country in 1750. He
brought a few wild boar hounds with him. These dogs had
been bred for generations for their stamina and
gameness. Plott and his family settled in the mountains
of western North Carolina.
In those days there were no wild board in this
country. Jonathon Plott used his dogs for hunting bears.
Plott supposedly kept his strain entirely pure,
making no outcrosses. In 1780, the Plott pack passed
into the hands of Henry Plott.
Shortly after that time a hunter living in Georgia
who had been breeding his own outstanding strain of
"leopard spotted bear dogs" heard of the fame of the
Plott Hounds and came to North Carolina to see for
himself. He was so impressed that he borrowed one of
Plott's top stud dogs for a year to breed to his own
bitches. This single cross is the only known instance of
new blood being introduced into the Plott Hound since
the first came to this country.
Other crosses possibly took place around the year
1900. G.P. Ferguson, who was a neighbor of the Plott
family in North Carolina days, was a major influence on
the Plott breed. He made a careful study of the Blevins
hounds and the Cable hounds of that era. To what extent
he used these bloodlines in his Plott breeding program,
is not known.
The Plott Hound was first registered with United
Kennel Club in 1946. Today's Plotts are know for their
great courage and stamina. They have a clear voice that
carries well. |
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 Years
ago most coon hunters who owned a red dog of unknown
ancestry, but proven ability in tracking and treeing
raccoons, called his dog a "Redbone". Then a few serious
breeders who were devoted both to the breed and the
sport began a campaign of selective breeding to produce
a hound with the necessary characteristics to make a
superior coonhound and which would breed true to type in
color and conformation.
The foundation stock of the modern day Redbone came
from George F. L. Birdsong of Georgia, who was a noted
foxhunter and breeder. He obtained the pack of Dr.
Thomas Henry in the 1840's.
As is the case with most of the other coonhound
breeds, the ancestors of the Redbone were foxhounds. A
Bloodhound cross is said to have been made, and it's
also said that the blood of the Irish hounds was also
introduced later. This latter cross is said to account
for the white chest and feet markings which still
occasionally show up in Redbone pups today.
The first dogs were commonly called "Saddlebacks".
The background color was red, and most of them possessed
black saddle markings. By selective breeding, the black
saddle was bred out and the solid red dogs became known
as Redbone Coonhounds.
The Redbone was the second coonhound breed to be
registered with U.K.C., the first being registered in
1902, two years after the American Black & Tan.
Of the six coonhound breeds, the Redbone is probably
the most uniform as to type and size. The breed is
distinguished by the medium build, pleading eyes and a
"sweet" voice. The rich, deep red color makes the
Redbone a striking dog to look at.
The Redbone is known to be a well-balanced breed,
making them adaptable to various types of hunting and
terrain. Their agility benefits them when hunting in
fenced country or steep, rocky ground. Redbones are know
to make excellent water dogs.
A natural treeing instinct has been bred into the
Redbone, making them specialists in coon hunting. But
they are also proficient in trailing and treeing bear,
cougar and bobcat. Often times, when used on big game,
Redbones are hunted in packs. |
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 The
Treeing Walker was developed from certain strains of
English Walker Foxhounds. The credit for the development
of the Walker Foxhound goes to two men - George
Washington Maupin and John W. Walker. Both men were from
Kentucky.
Before that time Thomas Walker of Albemarle County,
Virginia, imported hounds from England in 1742. George
Washington, who was an avid fox hunter, also imported
several hounds from England in 1770. These dogs became
the foundation strains of the "Virginia hounds", which
were developed into the Walker hounds.
At least one major outcross was made in the 19th
century that was to forever influence the breed.
Strangely, the outcross was with a stolen dog from
Tennessee of unknown origin, known as "Tennessee Lead."
Lead didn't look like the Virginia strain of English
Foxhounds of that day. But he had an exceptional amount
of game sense, and plenty of drive and speed and a
clear, short mouth.
Walkers were first registered with U.K.C. as part of
the English Coonhound breed. Then in 1945, at the
request of Walker breeders, U.K.C. began registering
them as a separate breed - first as Walkers (Treeing)
and then later as Treeing Walkers. |
Copyright © 2004 United Kennel Club
UKC,
Inc. is not responsible for inaccuracies in this
reproduced copy, nor Standard or excerpts presented in
this document.
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