Overview
The Redbone Coonhound is one of the American treeing hounds, bred to follow raccoon and other game through swamp and hill country and bay until the hunter arrived. It has a solid red coat, long velvet ears and a gentle, slightly mournful look that owners find hard to resist.
In the UK they are rare and mostly kept as pets rather than hunters, but the instincts are all present. A Redbone on a walk is an easy-going companion right up until it catches a scent, at which point it becomes a tractor with ears.
Exercise and walking needs
An hour and a half a day is a sensible target for an adult, ideally with time on a long line in woodland or along hedgerows where the dog can follow trails. Hounds of this type have deep stamina and are happiest when they can trot steadily for a long time rather than sprint.
They can also be lazy at home, which fools owners into under-exercising them. A Redbone that gets too little will find its own entertainment, often with its voice.
On the walk
- Pulling: When the trail is fresh, a thirty kilo hound leans into the harness and keeps leaning. A padded back-clip harness and a lead with a strong wrist loop are essential.
- Voice: The bay is loud and musical. Expect it when the dog hits a scent or sees a squirrel, and route the walk away from quiet residential streets if the dog is a talker.
- Recall: Soft for a stranger and poor when the nose is engaged. Reward every check-in but do not rely on a recall to get the dog back from a trail.
- Other dogs: Pack hounds, so most are friendly and tolerant with other dogs of all sizes. They can be a nuisance to dogs that dislike being sniffed thoroughly.
- Water: Many Redbones swim readily and will plunge into streams on a trail. Towel the ears and check the ear canals afterwards.
Tips for professional walkers
- Carry a long line and use it in woodland; it gives the hound its trail time without giving it the county.
- Wipe out the long ears after wet walks and look for redness; heavy ears hold moisture.
- Feed treats at ground level to reward the nose coming to you rather than the other way round.
- Choose a steady, long route over a short fast one. Hounds like to cover ground at a trot.
- If the dog opens up with a bay, stay calm; it is excitement, not distress, and it will stop when the scent fades.
What to ask the owner
- Does the dog work scent seriously, and has it ever followed a trail out of sight?
- How vocal is it when walking, and where do the neighbours draw the line?
- Is the dog allowed to swim, and how does it cope getting out of steep-banked water?
- Any ear or skin problems you should check for after a wet or muddy walk?