Treeing Walker Coonhound

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Breed Details

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Breed Details

General

The Treeing Walker Coonhound dog breed is a purely bred dog descended from the English Foxhound and formerly classified as an English Coonhound. The breed earned the name by trailing game faster than other coonhounds and then treeing it until the hunter arrived. The Walker part of the dog?s name came from Kentuckian John W. Walker who helped develop the breed. The dog is also known to be called Tree Walker Coonhound.

These dogs are agile, very fast and tireless in the pursuit of game. They are extremely vocal with a distinctive bay that their owners can identify the dog even from very far away. They are not compatible with apartment living as they would like it more to have a yard where they can play and romp around as they need plenty of exercise.

Being a dog developed as hunters, they have high-energy, hardworking with an excellent sense of smell who are really smart. They are suitable as family dogs even with their powerful hunting instincts as they can manage to be relatively gentle and relaxed when they are with their family. The dog is very patient and playful with children and they can be friendly with new people. They would also make perfect watchdogs as they also have a good nose for danger.

Color

The dog's coat can be Tricolor, White, Black and Tan for shows. White can be the predominant color with Black markings and Tan trim. Black can be the predominant color with White marking and Tan trim such as a Saddle back of Blanket back. In shows, White with Black spots or White with Tan spots can also be accepted. Any other color combination is not accepted in shows.

Coat

The dog's coat is a smooth hair that is glossy and short yet dense enough for weather protection while being close and hard hound coat. When the dog is shown, the coat should not be too short or thin or too soft.

Personality

The Treeing Walker Coonhound can adapt well from learning by example. The dog gets along well with both children and other dogs. These dogs are confident, skilled and highly intelligent. As a hunting dog, they have a distinctive call and an excellent sense of smell. They are agile and swift.

The dog enjoys consistent attention and affection from their humans. Proper socialization at a very young age should be provided to help them get along better with other dogs. Proper amount of exercise should also be provided for this dog to keep them at their best temperament.

Care

These dogs are fairly easy to care for when it comes to grooming. Brushing and combing occasionally is all you need to remove dead hair. They floppy ears need to be checked regularly to keep them clean and free from any sign of infection. Bathing should only be done whenever necessary. Make sure that no water goes in their ears during the bath. The dog is an average shedder.

The dog is generally a healthy breed with no known major health issues although they are known to have hip dysplasia, yeast infections, ear infections, eye problems and hypothyroidism. Given proper nutrition, sufficient exercise and visits to the vet for their shots, these dogs can live up to 12-13 years on the average.

Training

The Treeing Walker Coonhound is smart but they can be stubborn during training. They can easily become shy and frightened; thus, spanking them can damage their trust making conventional training incompatible for this dog. Unfortunately, most of this breed is taken to shelters by owners who are unwilling to allot the time to train this dog properly.

Training must be firm and consistent as they are intelligent dogs and will take full advantage of loopholes in the training regimen. These dogs have been known to use whatever is available in their environment to accomplish a task at hand. They will move furniture to climb over gates, use household objects to manipulate kennel mechanisms, etc. Proper socialization should also be included in the training as early as puppyhood.

Activity

The dog is highly anxious and energetic dog is bred for severe physical exercise. They are born as hunters in nature so running off to hunt is a tendency for them to do if they are allowed to run off leash in a non-secured area. They must be kept in a safe environment at all times as they have no road sense at all. Daily brisk long walk or jog should be done regularly for these dogs as they tend to become high strung and destructive when they are not given enough physical and mental challenges.

The dog is more suitable for hot sunny weather. They are not recommended for apartment or small space living as they are too anxious to lie down at home or condo. They will do best in rural areas with large yards where they can romp around and play.