Health Problems to Watch for With Bluetick Coonhounds
Bluetick coonhounds are an athletic, healthy breed. But your pet could still have a number of problems that you should watch out for.Â
Bluetick coonhound health issues include:Â
There are a few important details to keep in mind before bringing a bluetick coonhound home with you. Theyâre only moderately good with young children but can be great with older kids. The kids just need to be large enough to handle the dogâs enthusiastic personality and prey instincts.
They may take time to warm up to strangers but arenât protective enough to make great watchdogs.Â
They rarely drool but their bark could be an issue for some families. Bluetick coonhounds donât bark like normal dogs. They have loud, baying, bawling barks. They constantly call out in long, bell-like tones when theyâre on the hunt. The bark becomes shorter and choppier when theyâve cornered their prey but it still doesnât stop.
If your dog is left alone too often or never given a chance to run off their energy, then theyâll likely develop problematic behaviors. For example, they could start baying all night at your neighbors.Â
Like all coonhound breeds, bluetick coonhounds were created in the U.S. This breed specifically comes from Louisiana.Â
The coonhound lineage traces back to before the U.S. was even a country. George Washington received a pair of French staghounds from his friend the Marquis de Lafayette. These dogs were bred to English foxhounds and other dog breeds to create the coonhound lineage.Â
American foxhounds and black and tan Virginia foxhounds were likely involved in the bluetick coonhoundâs breeding as well. Â
These dogs are nocturnal hunters. They were bred to excel at tracking warm-blooded game by its scent.Â
Bluetick coonhounds were fantastic companions for frontiersmen as they trailed raccoons through the wilderness. Theyâre so good at scent-tracking that they can follow trails that are days, even weeks, old. Â
Although theyâre mostly bred to hunt alone, blueticks can be trained to work as a pack as well. Together, theyâre capable of taking down much larger game including:
Thereâs one variation of this breed, a subgroup called the American blue Gascon. These dogs are also known as old-fashioned blueticks because theyâre larger, heavier, and more houndy-looking than the standard breed. They also have a slower tracking style thatâs still very effective.Â
Bluetick coonhounds were added to the United Kingdomâs Kennel Club in 1946 and the AKC in 2009. These dogs have been referenced throughout popular culture, including roles on TV and in film. Bluetick coonhounds have been the sports mascot for the University of Tennessee since 1953. Â
How Long Do Bluetick Coonhounds Live For?
Thinking of adopting a Bluetick Coonhound and wandering how long do Bluetick Coonhounds live for?
Learn all about the Bluetick Coonhound life expectancy and use our Bluetick Coonhound age calculator and Bluetick Coonhound age chart to discover how old your Bluetick Coonhound is in human years here.
If you own or are thinking having a Bluetick Coonhound, knowing the Bluetick Coonhound life expectancy is required when looking after these dogs.
According to a Bluetick Coonhound life expectancy study, Bluetick Coonhound dogs have an average lifespan of 11-12 years.
Common Health Issues
Bluetick Coonhounds are generally healthy, though they may present breed-specific health concerns, such as:
You can minimize serious health concerns in a Bluetick Coonhound by purchasing him from a reputable breeder who engages in responsible breeding practices, and through screening for common diseases and conditions.