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American English Coonhound

sociable / sweet / mellow
Hound Group >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

24-26 inches (male)
23-25 inches (female)

Weight

45-65 pounds

Life Expectancy

11-12 years

https://akc.tv/watch/23/3983/collection-video/american-english-coonhound-2/american-english-coonhound-2

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    60% 60%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    60% 60%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    100% 100%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    40% 40%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    20% 20%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    20% 20%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    60% 60%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    60% 60%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    80% 80%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    80% 80%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    60% 60%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    60% 60%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    100% 100%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    40% 40%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    20% 20%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    20% 20%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    60% 60%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    60% 60%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    80% 80%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    80% 80%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

These sleek and racy, lean but muscular hounds work dusk to dawn in pursuit of the wily raccoon. The sight of the American English Coonhound tearing through the moonlit woods, all sinew and determination, bawling their lusty night music, is coon-hunter heaven. Standing as high as 26 inches at the shoulder, American English Coonhounds are deep-chested, sweet-faced athletes beloved by sportsmen for their speed and endurance. Stretched tightly across the athletic frame is a medium-length coat of various patterns, some with ticking. The head is broad with a domed skull, with soft, low-hung ears and dark-brown eyes that glow with warmth and kindness. American English Coonhounds are mellow when off duty but tenacious and stubborn in pursuit of their ring-tailed prey. Their work drive and energy, the patience it takes to train them for things other than coon hunting, and their loud, ringing bark can make the breed a bad fit as house pets for novice owners. Some passionate fans of American English Coonhounds feel that without a sporting outlet for this breed’s houndy virtues, you’re simply wasting a good dog.

What To Expect When Caring For a American English Coonhound

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

Still bred primarily as a hard-working dog, which must have an efficient physical condition, the American English Coonhound is generally a healthy breed. Responsible breeders will screen their stock for health conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia as well as eye disorders such as progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts. His ears should be checked regularly to remove excess wax and debris. Like other large and deep-chested breeds, he can experience bloat, a sudden, life-threatening stomach condition. Owners should learn the signs of bloat and what to do should it occur.

Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
  • No recommended health tests

Grooming

Good nutrition influences the shine and texture of your American English Coonhound's coat from the inside, but he will still need regular grooming to be at his best. His short, hard, protective coat requires a minimum of care. Using a shedding tool or a grooming mitt with rubber nubs at least weekly will help to keep his shedding to a minimum. This also distributes skin oils down the hair shaft, giving his coat a natural shine. His nails should be trimmed once a month, and a bath every four to six weeks will keep the coat and skin clean and healthy, and reduce doggy odor. His ears should be checked weekly and gently cleaned of any excess wax or debris.

Exercise

With his high energy level and innate desire to be part of a pack, whether human or canine, the American English is an ideal candidate as a companion for someone who is an active runner, biker, or hiker. He needs a lot of exercise to stay healthy and happy. The breed has a very strong prey drive, so should never be allowed off leash in an uncontrolled situation, as he will not be able to resist the instinct to follow an interesting scent he detects with his sensitive nose. He requires a fenced area where he can run freely. Chasing a ball in his backyard can be an excellent source of exercise.

Training

Following through with proper early socialization of your American English Coonhound is paramount, or your puppy may become possessive over food or toys in your home. The key to a well-adjusted, mentally healthy dog is to have him experience positive interactions with many different kinds of people in a variety of places and situations. Like many hounds, English dogs have a split personality: tenacious, tireless, and stubborn on the trail, but at home these spirited hunters are sweetly amiable companions. Still, the breed's limitless prey drive and energy, the patience it takes to train them for anything other than coon hunting, and their tendency to bark in a loud, ringing voice make them most appropriate for experienced dog owners.

Nutrition

The American English Foxhound should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian's supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior). Remember that a working dog requires a very different food than one who lives a more sedentary life. Coonhounds are prone to getting overweight as they age, so be mindful of your dog's calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog's weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

History

The American English Coonhound is American by birth, English by ancestry. They’re one of six AKC coonhound breeds that frontiersmen devised to specialize on trailing and treeing North America’s perfect source of food, fat, and fur: the raccoon. It’s said that the American English Coonhound are descended from English Foxhounds brought to America in the early 1800s. Foxhunting had been a popular pastime in Great Britain’s southern colonies in America since the late 1600s. George Washington maintained an avid interest in English-style horse-and-hound foxhunts even as he commanded the army that would deprive England of its American colonies. Importations of English Foxhounds during America’s formative years refreshed the gene pool used by Colonial breeders to create America’s coonhound breeds.

Backwoods breeders crossed foxhounds with other breeds to create the American English, once known as the English Fox and Coonhound, as it could hunt foxes by day and raccoons by night. As the breed came to specialize on nocturnal raccoon hunts, it acquired its current name. (The breed was also known for a time as the Redtick Coonhound and, simply, the English Coonhound.) Since Colonial times, the American English has been immensely popular among the tight fraternity of coon hunters. “If I couldn’t have an English hound,” a veteran raccooner tells says, “I’d give up hunting.” Today’s American English is considered by some experts as the fastest of the coonhound breeds.