External norms of the blue speckled coonhound, the character of the dog and its health, care of the breed: walking, diet and other procedures, training. Puppy price. The blue speckled coonhound is one of six recognized coonhound breeds, all of which have been bred in the United States of America. These dogs are distinguished by their bright "coat", characterized by large and small spots. These markings give the dog a bluish-blue hue, hence their name. The Blue Speckled Coonhounds are difficult to find in urban areas, but the breed is widespread in the countryside, where hunting skills and good looks are highly prized.
Description of the external norms of the blue speckled coonhound
In general, this breed is similar to other large hunting dogs. The blue speckled coonhound has drooping ears, loose skin and a long muzzle. What makes them distinctive is their basic white coat color with a huge amount of black spots, which gives a blue tint. The height at the withers in males is 55, 9–68, 6 cm and females 53, 5–63, 5 cm. The weight of males is 25–36, 5 kg and females are 20, 5–29, 5 kg.
- Head - long and relatively wide. The skull is vaulted. The occiput and brows are pronounced. Cheekbones are flat, well-defined.
- Muzzle - long, rectangular, massive. Stop is not manifested. The bridge of the nose is wide, flat or with a hump. The lips are voluminous, hanging over the lower jaw. The teeth are powerful, scissor-like.
- Nose - protruding, developed, black. His nostrils are well open.
- Eyes - rounded, small, black-brown. The eyelids are slightly loose. The expression in the eyes is sad, as if the dogs are asking for something.
- Ears - long, low-slung, with elastic cartilage. Some speckled blue kundhounds have shorter ears, while others look more like bloodhound ears.
- Neck the representative of the breed is set high. She is muscular and has a good length. There is a slight dewlap under the neck.
- Frame - with slightly loose skin, stretched, well-muscled. The withers are clearly visible. The back is straight, wide and powerful. The chest is of good volume. The loin is strong. The croup is slightly sloping. Ribs are oval, not protruding. The bottom line is moderately tucked up.
- Tail - is a continuation of the back line, long, refined towards the end. Carried in a straight manner, gently curved in the second half.
- Front limbs - long, straight-placed. Their bones are very strong, and their muscles are well developed.
- Hind limbs - Parallel, with strong thighs and well-formed hocks.
- Paws - hare, arched fingers.
- Coat without undercoat, short and smooth.
- Color - white with black spots. This gives the appearance of a blue tint. These dogs often have large spots on their body, especially on the head and ears, which are generally black. Individuals that are predominantly blue, not black, are popular among breeders and those breeders who exhibit them in show contests. These dogs can show small amounts of tan and mottled mottles around the eyes, head and muzzle, as well as under the tail.
Manifestations of the character of the blue speckled coonhound
Blue speckled coonhounds tend to get along well with people. They have a reputation for being very affectionate and loving pets. Dogs are good at handling children. They will be the kids' best friends. Many representatives of the breed, returning home from hunting, are very happy to see their family members as soon as possible. They are affectionate and affectionate with everyone at home, as well as with most strangers.
Blue speckled coonhounds were bred to work in flocks. This means that most of these dogs get along well with other canines. Some kundhounds will show traditional dominance, especially around unfamiliar cousins. There is one potential difficulty in their behavior with very small dogs. Blue speckled coonhounds that have not been socialized with small decorative dogs may see them as prey to hunt and possibly kill. It is always best to gradually introduce your Coonhound to new dogs.
These hunting dogs hunt various animals, including raccoons. For this purpose, they were created for a considerable time. As a result, many blue speckled coonhounds perform very well in raccoon spotting competitions. Therefore, they contain a surprising amount of aggression towards small animals. Their natural desire to chase and kill animals such as raccoons and possums is redirected to pets such as cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters.
Blue speckled coonhounds can communicate well with other animals if they were raised together from an early age. However, if you already have other pets, you might be better off choosing a different breed of dog. It is not recommended to bring your adult coonhound to someone else's house, where not dogs live, but small animals. If your four-legged friend is very affectionate with the cats of your family, this does not mean that he will not track and attack your neighbor's "moor".
Blue Speckled Coonhound Health
This Coonhound variety is a relatively healthy breed. They were bred long enough for hunting. Unhealthy individuals were usually excluded from the gene pool. In addition, the harsh climate that has contributed to the development of many diseases has created naturally immune canines. However, these dogs do suffer from some health problems.
Blue speckled coonhounds are known to suffer from hip and elbow dysplasia. Some studies have shown that over 16% of kundhounds are flawed. This condition occurs in almost all large canines, and this breed develops at a much faster rate than most. Dysplasia occurs when the elbow joint or acetabulum is underdeveloped or malformed, resulting in painful arthritis.
Some dogs with severe illness cannot even move. The conditions that trigger this severe defect are genetically linked, but environmental factors can increase the likelihood of its occurrence, as well as exacerbate its severity. Preventive treatments for hip and elbow dysplasia exist, but most are not patented by veterinary medicine.
It is always advisable that your pets are tested by either the Animal Orthopedic Foundation or the Dog Registration Foundation, especially if you intend to breed them. The OFA and CERF tests are used to identify a variety of genetically inherited disorders, such as blindness and hip dysplasia, that may affect your dog or its offspring.
Blue Speckled Coonhounds are susceptible to many diseases that are common in other dog breeds, such as scabies, entropion, cherry eye, glaucoma, cataracts, ear infections, and tooth decay.
Features of grooming a blue speckled coonhound dog
- Wool the blue speckled coonhounds have very low care requirements. Professional care for these dogs is not required. Regular brushing is the most time consuming, but basically all that is usually needed for the breed. However, the guard hairs of kundhounds, although short, are very stiff and straight. They stick fairly easily into upholstery, carpeting, and clothing. You and your guests may regularly find a lot of dog hair on your clothes. Blue speckled coonhounds often have a very strong "doggy" smell, which many people find unpleasant. These pets are known to occasionally salivate profusely.
- Teeth Clean daily to avoid gum problems and bad breath created by bacteria inside tartar.
- Ears blue speckled coonhounds are prone to ear infections. Such problems are common in dog breeds with dangling ears and narrow ear canals. Also, if they are not examined, there may be infection with ear parasites. When examining their condition, the inside of the ear should not be inflamed (red), have an unpleasant odor, and outside of damage of a different nature. At least once a week, it is necessary to clean them. Always support your pet's head when manipulating. Next, you need to drip the cleaning prophylactic agent into the ear canal and massage the base of the ear for its best effect. When the four-legged friend is released, he shakes his head, thereby removing all the softened dirt, which must be wiped off with a clean napkin.
- Eyes a pet should not be deprived of your attention. At the very least, you should check that they are clean and not red. Your vigilance will prevent many problems.
- Claws this breed is very hard and strong. Therefore, keep an eye on their length. If the pet walks little on hard surfaces, then the stratum corneum of the nail grinds off poorly, and its excessive length can cause discomfort to the dog. It happens that the dog's fingers are even bent because of this and it is uncomfortable for him to move. You need to shorten the claws about once every two weeks using claws. They can also be cut with a file.
- Feeding. Blue speckled coonhounds are very prone to overeating and rapid weight gain. Like most hounds, initially these dogs hunted a lot. In such conditions, the coonhounds had to eat quickly and as much as possible, or not eat anything at all. This led to the breed developing a propensity for gluttony and increased nutrition. Some hounds are known to eat so much that their stomachs actually burst. You will need to carefully regulate your pet's diet and ensure that it is properly exercised properly. You should also carefully select any food you can eat, as this will affect the lifespan of your four-legged friend. Unscheduled, additional feeding of the dog must be only during the period of vigorous physical activity - hunting or competition. So that the dog does not have swelling, food and water should not be offered to the animal immediately after active physical exertion, but only after an hour.
- Walking. Blue speckled coonhounds need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. They are working dogs and should be treated as such. Pets that are not taken care of will reimburse everything in full in your home, applying all their power to the virtuosity of the mind. Returning home, you may find the most unexpected surprise. These affectionate dogs are likely to be misplaced jumpers when they greet you. This behavior is also exacerbated by lack of exercise. A simple exercise routine will probably fix this problem.
These dogs are famous virtuoso fugitives. If you intend to unleash your dog in your yard, you should have a high fence that has a solid foundation to prevent digging. Otherwise, your blue speckled coonhound will jump over a low fence or go through a tunnel dug right below it. You are also required to store all food carefully. These dogs have a great desire, determination and physical ability to climb on tables, boxes and refrigerators in order to get something edible.
One of the features of the blue speckled coonhounds that can cause some problems in urban and suburban areas is the voice of the breed. These are some of the loudest dogs in the canine world. Some hunters claim that their pets can be heard from miles away. In coonhounds, a loud notification was laid in the voice of hunters when they were following the trail or had already found prey.
Hunters consider their barking wonderful. In the city, these noises are less desirable. All blue speckled coonhounds are quite noisy. Dogs can howl for hours. If you plan to keep such an animal in a suburban area or in a city apartment, then you may be in trouble. Oftentimes, neighbors are disturbed by this “baritone treble”. People can not only make trouble with you, but also complain to law enforcement agencies.
Blue Speckled Coonhound Training
These representatives of the canine world are known for being very smart and efficiently solving the tasks assigned to them. They are loyal and love their owners. Therefore, it can be assumed that these dogs are also easy to train. Unfortunately, this is not so. Blue speckled coonhounds are famous for their stubbornness and sometimes uncontrollability. They are selective and often do what you command only when they like it - and even then, not as quickly as you would like.
This does not mean that it is impossible to train blue speckled coonhounds. There are many of these dogs throughout America that are well trained. You just need to know that you will have to spend more time training such a four-legged friend than other canine breeds. It is advisable for you to have a lot of patience, otherwise you will never get the desired results. If you want your dog to perform a series of tricky tricks, then the blue speckled coonhound is probably not for you. These pets are extremely motivated through food. Any training with these dogs will require a lot of treats.
The Blue Speckled Coonhounds were bred to track their prey for hours on end. They will do so if given the chance. It is imperative that you keep your four-legged hunter on a leash at all times, unless he has been very well trained. Otherwise, your dog will follow the found trail and will do it with great passion, and you probably will not be able to keep him. The Blue Speckled Coonhounds do a great job and are some of the best athletes in the canine sport.
Interesting facts about the speckled blue Coonhound breed
While the blue speckled coonhound has long been recognized as a unique type, this variety was not separated from the general coonhound breed until the 1940s.
Cost of a blue speckled coonhound puppy
Before you make yourself such a four-legged friend, you should know that this breed is not suitable for every person. Blue speckled coonhounds are born hunters and their prey can be cats, mice, hamsters, lizards and even other small dogs. This is inherent in their nature.
Dogs should be kept behind a secure fence because hunting instinct makes them often run away from home. Usually, they need obedience training and leash training, because as soon as the pets catch the scent they are interested in, they will immediately follow the trail. Pets need a lot of physical activity and if they do not have the opportunity to hunt, then at least from time to time they should participate in dog competitions.
It is best to keep them in a private house, together with another four-legged brother. Blue speckled coonhounds are very bored and if they do not have any activity of the breed peculiar to nature. Then they can spoil your property, run away climbing fences, or destroy landscaping near your home. Pets have great, loud voices, and your neighbors will be "very happy" when they play their concerts. The price of a puppy is $ 350-750.
More about the breed in the following video:
