The Treeing Walker Coonhound is a crossbreed of the Tennessee Lead, a dog with an unknown origin, and the Walker Hound. It was not officially recognized as an independent dog breed until the mid 1940s. The breed directly descended from English Foxhounds which were first brought by Thomas Walker in Virginia in the year 1742.
Thomas Walker brought the foxhounds to Virginia in an attempt to introduce and establish the fox-hunting tradition in America. However, it was not until a few years later before a great number of the population practiced it. Roof rats, squirrels, raccoons, skunks, opossums, bobcats, cougars, and bears – these are only some of the Treeing Walker Coonhounds favorite prey.
Coonhounds are born hunters. When trained well, they will learn to howl in a distinctive manner that will tell its human hunting companion that their prey has been cornered and that the chase is almost over. Because hunting is natural to them, they can be really good at it but they cannot be the best urban or suburban companions.
Although dogs of this breed are unstoppable and seem to never get tired, they are totally efficient and naturally affectionate. Treeing Walker Coonhounds love warm climates and are naturally athletic so they fancy swimming and running around. Because they are like the other breed of dogs that are remarkably agile, you will almost never find them sunbathing or lying around to take naps.
Walker Coonhounds coats are smooth, short, and are bicolor or tricolor. They have sturdy shoulders and lean, straight legs and they usually weigh 50-70 pounds with body width that is around 20-28 inches. They have ears that are larger than their heads and most people would usually mistake them for oversized beagles.
Coonhounds become restless when they lack physical and mental exercise. Owners thus have to make time taking them on walks or to a dog park where they can play and run around. Because they are lovers of the outdoors and outdoor activities, they are not very suitable for life in apartments.
Training Walker Coonhounds are good companions aside from being excellent working and hunting dogs. Although they are fast learners and can learn tricks and routines through examples, they can ignore their trainers to follow their noses at times. As scent hounds, they have an excellent sense of smell and they have distinctive howls so they can be easily identified by their owners.
Treeing Walker Coonhounds live for 12 to 13 years. They hardly develop major health issues and need very minimal grooming. Walker Coonhounds need occasional bathing and their ears should also be cleaned and checked for infection regularly.
