Redbone Coonhound puppy
If you have ever shopped for a coonhound as a pet, you have likely encountered breeders who have refused to sell their coonhounds into pet homes. Those coonhound fanciers who hunt and breed their hounds work incredibly hard to get their lines where they are today. It takes generations for any dog breeder to get their lines to a point they feel they are making a sincere contribution to their breed. When you are not only breeding for good looks and personality but also function, the work becomes
harder. These breeders feel they are throwing away their hard earned genetics when they are sold into pet homes that won't hunt them and see this potential to fruition. More than one such coonhound breeder has told me that they would "rather put those pups into a hole out back than sell them to someone who won't hunt them." No, this does not mean any of them are literally doing this but it does show how firm they stand in their beliefs. I've witnessed countless coonhound puppies from these same outstanding lines being given freely to youth who wish to learn to coonhunt but lack the funds to obtain a quality coonhound. I've never met a coonhound hunter yet who would pass up the opportunity to see young people join their sport but even more so, I'm sure all will agree that allowing a young person to start out with a less than fantastic puppy with tons of potential is akin to a sin.
On the flip side, I know of several notable fanciers who have sold coonhound puppies into pet homes. The belief here is that they do make fantastic family pets. A good number of those pet owners become infatuated with their dog and it's breed and gain an interest in seeing what they can do. This also builds the numbers of brand new coonhound fanciers that will promote how wonderful coonhounds are. I have personally helped many pet owners to see the hunting potential of their coonhounds. I've never met a pet owner yet that didn't at least want to see if their instincts were there and some of those have went on to become quite active in hunting with their coonhounds.
As my husband is a third generation coonhound fancier and as someone hyper-dedicated to the betterment of the coonhound breeds, I can sympathize with both sides of this controversy. But in the end, I believe all of us will agree that a good coonhound is of fantastic temperament as well as superior hunting ability. As both of those traits are hereditary, I salute those coonhound breeders - past and present - who have made coonhounds what they are today.
Comments
The animal shelters in Kentucky are full of coonhounds and coonhound mixes. As a matter of fact, I'm fostering one right now. I do wish the breeders would have their puppies neutered or spayed before adopting them out. So many of these wonderful dogs end up being euthanized.
hey
Are these the same breeders who dump entire litters of pups into kill shelters because they can't sell them by 8 weeks of age?Are these the same breeders who dump litters of pups along the side of the highway?I'd be a lot more interested in this alleged debate IF coonhounds weren't being destroyed by the hundreds in kill shelters.Scroll through Petfinder.com-see how many Walkers, Blueticks and redticks and mixes are on death row.We rescue 300+ Black&Tans/year and the others when we can and they are spayed/neutered and placed with families and succeed beautifully. But we're not even making a dent in the hound overpopulation. As Louisville Animal Rescue Examiner points out in her reply, the shelters are full of them. Most come in tough condition, and most don't make it out. I don't think they care much about this so-called debate. www.coonhoundrescue.
Glad to know coonhound breeders consider "they are throwing away their hard earned genetics when they are sold into pet homes that won't hunt them".
Guess tying a dog to the top of a pick-up truck on a 3' lead & leaving her in the woods is okay?
Or throwing mom & pups into a lake to drown is part of caregiving protocol?
Where are these coonhound fanciers when these dogs are being furtively dropped down chutes at kill shelters?
Or just released into the woods to fend for themselves...guess those dogs don't count because their "genetics didn't kick in" to hunting mode. Not sure I understand how someone can be called a "fancier", i.e. lover, enthusiast of something, and at the same time, turn a blind eye to all hunting/bred coonhounds who perish regularly because they've been castaway, unwanted by the very same group you espouse. Let "coonhound fanciers" start taking responsibility by neutering their non-hunting stock & finding safe homes for them, then let's have a pet/hunter d
"I have personally helped many pet owners to see the potential of their coonhounds."
By going hunting? Really? Is that all it takes for you to feel your dogs have reached their potential? This is the hardest part for me to accept that hunting/breeders feel their dogs must be hunted to have reached their potential....like it's rocket science or something. Teaching a dog to chase game is as base as it gets...IMO. You are barely scratching the surface here as far as a dog reaching his potential. Potential what? Treeing a raccoon, or running game at night in the woods? This is basic dog training 101.
For a dog to reach his potential at my house, well, the sky is the limit. Surely you have seen what wonderful therapy dogs the Coonhounds make...and search and rescue dogs, including tracking, cadaver, evidence recovery, drug dogs,...and of course, rally, obedience, agility,and companion dogs extrodinaire!!!
This 'just a pet' notion is an oxymoron. What happened to man's best friend?
Not every dog breed for their intent, be it show or field, makes it to their potential. So why not place them in a great forever home to enjoy the spoils of family companionship & individual Love? When placing pets in pet homes they should be spay/neutered if they have shown to not be of good breeding quality to fulfill that breeds intent.
My husband raises Beagles and yes he does breed them to hunt and several of his puppies have gone on out here to be the best in the rabbit trials but also about a 1/4 them went on to pet homes and yes he does prefer the homes that do hunt them but the ones in pet homes are doing Wonderfully!! Nothing but Satisfaction..I feel if you breed all around ..their temperament will fit either into a pet home or a hunting home .
We acquired out female coonhound from a woman who was indiscriminately breeding her dogs. Ours is half Walker/half bluetick and we love her to death. She doesn't hunt, not because we aren't hunters but because we don't do it since moving to Arizona. Our girl is spayed and will never breed. She will never hunt in the traditional sense but if a rabbit gets in the yard - watch out!
I can't believe the angst folks have here regarding the simple statement of "reaching their full potential". A coonhound has been bred to hunt. It is as much of their genetics as is their fur color or their long ears. To deny them this is to deny them breathing. We set up play hunts for our coonhound with a stuffed animal and treats. She loves this and knows when the stuffed bunny comes out, it's time to hunt. However, I DO agree if someone wants to own a coonhound, even if it's just as a pet, they should be able to have one so long as they provide a good home.
Great points on both sides of the "controversy". If there is shortage of hunters then obviously if bred the dogs should go to good appropriate homes - for AKC shows or for PET. I guess I see the AKC showing as a third option - but I could easily be wrong.
I guess if it is cruel to not hunt them then the breeders have to access the market for the puppies before breeding them. maybe? All I know is I love golden retrievers and they hunt birds on their own to bring me as presents. You can take away the hunter with the gun but our dogs still hunt birds and gophers. LOL
Those dogs make me want a pet. Until I realize that I really hate trying to potty train one. So I guess I will just have to look at your cuties and the videos.
I have adopted four coonhounds, one blindly, meaning that the only info I had at the time was that he was half blue tick and half rottweiler. I got a 160lb hound dog. I have since adopted 3 coonhounds who have been the best dogs. They do not hunt professionaly or otherwise, they are just three dogs doing what dogs do best.
Play, hunt, run, bark and provide us humans with companionship, joy and happiness and occasional misbehavior. I am fortunate to be able to have rescued these three. Whats to become of the others we cannot provide for because of litter dumps, etc. Thank you to the rescue operations providing the opportunity to give these dogs a happy place to be.
I'm sorry, Janet, but the real world here in Texas doesn't quite match the one you live in. Yes, there are breeders here such as you describe, but there are also many that breed without any real understanding of genetics, and with no commitment to see to the welfare of the pups the produce. If the dogs hunt, they're valuable; if not, they're left in the woods, shot, or dumped at the local shelter, which then calls me (maybe). Any effort by me to speak with coon hunters meets with a nasty response because I'm "ruining the breed" by placing their rejects into pet homes. How does that work? They don't want the reject dogs, and I spay/neuter before placement. So how am I ruining the breed?
Interestingly, Bloodhound club members welcome me and work with me to find pet homes for Bloodhounds that flunk Tracking 101. The response I get from them is nothing like what I get from the coon hunters.
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Jerry Dunham
Tejas Coonhound Rescue
I can understand the redneck way of thinking since I was raised with them. I had an uncle who kept his hunting dog chained and he got no attention except for hunting and food etc. THAT is cruel to an animal. Taking the hunting instinct out (HA) is also cruel to the animal. When I first got mine I use to watch her stare out the front window wanting to go go go....I thought How would I feel if all I could do was yearn to be out there! The next week I started her on search and rescue training and such. There is a way to have a PET and let them be who they were bred to be. They are one of the smartest dogs and she has learned soo much and even takes a bow on command....well WHEN SHE HAS A MIND too LOL and even better if there is something special in it for her. Food and or even just absolute adoration for me !!!
Terry
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