Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

The Bloodhound

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Bloodhound History and origin:

This scent hound is an old breed, dating back to Roman times.  He is said to have been brought to England by William the Conqueror in 1066.  This dog has the most powerful sense of smell of all the breeds.  In the United States, he has been used as a tracker of fugitives and lost individuals.

Description:
The Bloodhound stands 24 to 26 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 90 and 110 pounds.  This is a large, powerful animal with great stamina and drive. The shedding coat is short and requires regular brushing with a hound glove to keep it in good condition.  The color may be black-and-tan, red-and-tan, or all tan.  Bloodhounds have loose, wrinkled skin and long ears.

About the Bloodhound:

The Bloodhound is known to be the best tracker of all the scent hounds.  He is excellent at picking up a scent and following it relentlessly until the prey is located, but he does not kill it.  This breed is a highly specialized dog specifically designed to perform a single task: tracking.  Breeders have created not only a dog with the best nose in the business but also a dog with a relentless, determined mind-set.  The Bloodhound will follow a scent forever and ignore everything else, including you.  Choosing a Bloodhound for a family pet would be like using a bulldozer to drive to the corner store.   More than any other breed, the Bloodhound needs to perform the task for which he was bred.  Although most of them have a very good temperament, there have been few cases of very aggressive Bloodhounds.  The relentless, determined, non-thinking mind-set that is so effective in tracking can be transformed into aggressive behavior as well.  When a Bloodhound becomes aggressive, he is almost impossible to stop.  Keep in mind that this is a very big dog.  The Bloodhound needs obedience training and socialization early in life.  He is stubborn and is easily distracted by scents that you cannot perceive.

Feeding:
Recommended feeding for the Bloodhound is 1 ½ – 2 ½ cans (13.3oz) of high-quality meaty product with biscuit added in equal part or 5 cupfuls of a complete, dry dog food.

Ideal home:
This breed will be suitable for hunters, trackers, police departments, and search and rescue teams and is not really recommended as a family pet.  He can be intolerant of children and may bite if teased or provoked.  However, if you choose to have this breed as a family  pet, he needs to live in the country and requires a fenced yard or kennel.  The owner must be a strong, no nonsense leader and must use this breed to do the work he was bred for.  Keep in mind the Bloodhound needs plenty of exercise to keep him happy and healthy.

Black and Tan Coonhound

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Black and Tan Coonhound History and origin:

First used in Medieval England, the Black and Tan Coonhound was perfected in the southern United States.  This breed is one of six types of Coonhound and was used as a tracker of opossum, raccoon, and bear.  It is a working hound that is not usually seen in the show ring.

Description:
Standing 23 to 27 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 70 and 90 pounds, this is a big, strong, agile scent hound.  The shedding coat is short, dense, and requires regular brushing with a hound glove.  Regular ear check is important with this breed.

About the Black and Tan Coonhound:

This is a very strong, hardy, active, driven breed that is primarily a” hunting dog and should not be considered for use as a family pet.  The Black and Tan Coonhound is not as adaptable to the home as the Beagle or Basset.  He is best owned by a hunter who can put his natural abilities to the best use. The Black and Tan is eager, alert, and possesses a superb sense of smell and will be easily distracted by any scent wafting through the neighborhood.  Similar to the Bloodhound and to a lesser extent, the Basset, this breed can be provoked to aggression if required to obey when he does not want to or when he does not understand what he is expected to do.  This is an explosive, non-thinking type of aggression that comes with very little warning.  The instinct to track in this breed is usually stronger than his owner’s ability to control; the dog goes into a driven, trance-like state that is hard to break through.  The Black and Tan Coonhound is normally suspicious of strangers and is not recommended for families with children because of his potential for aggression.  Though bred to be a pack hunter, he can be very dog-aggressive.  The Black and Tan Coonhound is also very vocal, making him best suited to life on a farm or in the country.  He is susceptible to hip dysplasia and ear infections and must have his ears cleaned regularly.  His owner must handle the dog liberally from day one or risk being bitten.

Feeding:
Recommended feeding for this breed is 1 ½ – 2 ½ cans (13.3oz) of branded meaty product with biscuit added in equal part or 5 cupfuls of a complete dry food.

Ideal Home:
A house with a fenced yard or a kennel is essential.  This breed does not make a good family pet because he does not understand and will not tolerate children.  He does much better if owned and used by a hunter on a regular basis.  He is a working hound that needs regular exercise as well as supervision and firm no-nonsense leadership.  Obedience training and socialization from day one are necessary for the Black and Tan Coonhound.

The American Foxhound

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History and origin of the American Foxhound

This breed is said to have been derived from a pack of Foxhounds taken from Britain to the United States in 1650. This scent hound was used in packs or individually for fox hunts. He is now mostly used as a competitive field trial dog and a showdog.

Description: The American Foxhound stands 21 to 25 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 55 and 75 pounds. He has a large, strong, athletic body and a short, dense, shedding coat that is stiff to the touch and requires regular brushing with a hound glove. The coat color is black, white, and tan.

About the American Foxhound:

This breed is friendly, lively, and full of stamina. He is a first-rate hunter and does not usually make a great house pet. His high-energy level can drive you nuts. He can be very stubborn and is easily distracted by a scent. He is happiest when doing a task such as tracking, hunting, or doing some other type of field work. The American Foxhound is suspicious of strangers and makes a good watchdog, but he can be dog-aggressive. He is good with your children, but he may knock them down and hurt them while playing. He does not normally exhibit the type of non-thinking aggression common to Bloodhounds and Coonhounds. If left alone, he can be very noisy, restless and destructive. Training and socialization should begin early. As with all hounds, the “Come” command is hard to teach this breed. He is also inclined to be disobedient.

Feeding:

Traditionally, pack members were trenched-fed with horse meat and an oatmeal mash called a “pudding.” They are not fed the day before a hunt. Present day feeding include about 1 ½ cans (13.3oz) of high-quality meaty product with biscuit added in equal part or 5 cupfuls of a complete, dry dog food.

Ideal home for the American Foxhound

The English Foxhound is the perfect breed for a hunter or a very active person. A house in the country with a fenced yard or kennel is important. Children are fine as long as no roughhousing and teasing is allowed. Plenty of directed exercise is needed to avoid restlessness, barking, and digging. The owner must be a firm no-nonsense leader who has time to train, socialize, and exercise the dog. The American Foxhound is not a lap-dog and will not do well with an easygoing, elderly, or disabled owner.

Why Should You Get A Dalmatian?

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The Dalmatian makes wonderful family companions. This is a type of dog that will fit  nicely to whatever your way of life.  His medium size  is suitable for apartment living, while at the same time a true sporting dog at heart, therefore a great addition to your country or suburban home.  In addition, the Dalmatian is an excellent guarddog who is very sensible and alert but not a hysterical barker.  He is therefore a dog whose bark is to be respected and investigated!  If your Dalmatian sounds a “danger alarm,” you can be sure that there is a good reason for it, such as the approach of a stranger.  He is initially cautious of strangers and not automatically everyone’s friend.  Often referred to as courteous dogs, he greets visitors to your home with quiet dignity but at the same time with reserve.

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Classifying Dalmatians as Non-Sporting Dogs is inaccurate.  He is actually an excellent bird dog, has strong scent hound tendencies, and an efficient retriever.  Being the one and only true coach dog, the Dalmatian is a hardy dog who is capable of many miles in “road work”  and in early days were often used for herding duties.  In addition to being a wonderful companion, a Dalmatian is an elegant dog with his clean lines and spotted markings that gives him a smart and charming appearance.  If you and your family loves spending time doing things with your dog, this is an excellent breed to have.  He is very intelligent, a fast learner, and very anxious to please his owners. The Dalmatian is fond of children and enjoys playing with them.  With early training and socialization, this breed gets along well with other animals.  If you are interested in showing your dog, the Dalmatian is a suitable choice of breed.  He enjoys being in the dog show limelight and is seldom difficult to teach show routine.  His short coat is easy to care for and requires low maintenance grooming.

There is one special concern to watch out for before you purchase a Dalmatian puppy: this breed has a tendency towards deafness.  This is a concern to which reliable breeders are making every effort to correct within their breeding programs, and something that one should be aware of in selecting the new family member.  Therefore, it is especially important that you purchase your Dalmatian from a reputable Dalmatian breeder.   When you shop for your dog, be alert for signs of deafness.  Test for keenness of hearing by talking to the puppy, snapping your fingers, chirping at him from behind or off to the side to make sure that you are being heard and reacted to properly.  It is not difficult to ascertain the Dalmatian puppy’s hearing is normal, but be alert and watchful as you make your selection.

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