Behaviour training with an American English Coonhound

I get to meet all kinds of dog breeds in my work and have recently been training an American English Coonhound. This breed has an interesting history, an American dog with English ancestry. The English colonials brought their foxhounds to America in the 1600s to pursue their sport of fox hunting. The foxhounds mated with the local hounds, who were more suited to hunting raccoons. The resulting American English Coonhound is one of the most popular dog breeds in America but rarely seen in the UK. They are still used in the US to hunt in packs, usually for foxes and possums. This history tells you one thing – they are hunting dogs. They can make good companions but they need a huge amount of exercise and have a very strong prey drive.

Stanley (she’s a girl) is 21 weeks old. Her owners have never had a hound-type dog before and they are finding Stanley a huge challenge. She is headstrong and doesn’t listen; she lunges on the lead and of course, because she is a hound, constantly has her head down. What this type of dog needs is consistency. Unfortunately, the owners are giving mixed signals, talking too much to the dog and overpraising. In response, Stanley’s behaviour is dominating and controlling.

I’ve seen Stanley five times now; she is still only a puppy and there is a lot of work to do with her if she is to become a suitable dog for her owners’ lifestyle. They knew she would be a challenge but hadn’t expected the problems they are experiencing. The lesson here is, remember to choose your breed with care when considering a new dog. If you are looking for a dog to walk down to the shops and back with, most working dog breeds are not the best choice.

Posted: April 16, 2019