Redbone Coonhound

The Redbone Coonhound is a medium to large scenthound bred in the United States to hunt raccoon and bigger game. It is the only coonhound with an all-over red coat, which sets it apart from the other American coonhound breeds. Males generally stand 56 to 69 cm at the shoulder and weigh 20 to 32 kg.

The breed is friendly and even-tempered in the house, yet it keeps a strong working drive once it picks up a scent. Redbones hunt by nose, work well in a pack, and bay or bark to mark a find, which is normal working behaviour rather than a fault. They are affectionate towards their families and usually good with children who grow up alongside them.

This is an active dog. Without proper exercise and something to occupy its mind, a Redbone gets bored and noisy fast. Owners who hunt, hike, jog, or do scent work tend to bring out the best in the breed, and here that often means smallholders or people with access to open ground rather than a small suburban garden.

Who it suits

The Redbone Coonhound suits people who want a sociable, active dog and who can commit to exercising it every day. It works well for hunters and households that enjoy long walks, running, or dog sport. The breed is vocal and follows its nose without much hesitation, so it needs a securely fenced garden and a solid recall. It is a poor match for flat living or for owners who are out at work all day.

The Redbone Coonhound goes back to red-coloured foxhounds brought to North America by Scottish and other European settlers in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Breeders crossed these dogs with imported hounds, including stock from Ireland, to produce a hound suited to American game and terrain.

Through the 1800s, breeders in the southern United States worked towards a hound that tracked fast, held a scent with certainty, and could tree raccoon and bigger quarry such as bear and cougar. The name is often traced to early breeders who shaped the line, and over time the breed settled into its distinctive solid red colouring.

Selective breeding gradually bred out the black saddle markings common in earlier red hounds, leaving a hound with a clean red coat. This focus on a single colour, alongside working ability, set the Redbone apart from the other American coonhound types.

The American Kennel Club recognised the Redbone Coonhound in 2009, placing it in the Hound Group. Locally, the breed is registered with the Kennel Union of Southern Africa (KUSA) under the Hound Group, though numbers here are small and most dogs trace back to relatively recent imports rather than an established local line.

The Redbone Coonhound has an athletic, well-balanced frame with a deep chest, straight legs, and a body slightly longer than it is tall. The overall impression is one of speed and stamina rather than bulk. The head is moderately broad with a clean muzzle, and the long, low-set ears hang close to the cheeks. The expression is soft, almost pleading, which is typical of scenthounds.

Coat and colours

The defining feature is the solid red coat, ranging from a light red to a deep mahogany. A small white marking on the chest or feet is allowed under the breed standard but should stay minimal. The coat lies short and smooth against the body and gives some protection against thorn bush and bramble during a day's work. The nose is dark, and dark pigment around the eyes adds to the breed's alert, even expression.

The Redbone Coonhound is an even-tempered, good-natured dog that bonds closely with its family. Around the house it is affectionate and often content simply to lie near its people once the day's activity is done. The breed is generally good with children and tends to be patient, though its size and energy mean play with young children should be watched.

With strangers, Redbones tend to be friendly rather than wary, so they make poor guard dogs, though a loud bay will alert the household to visitors. They come from pack-hunting stock and usually get on well with other dogs. Cats and smaller pets are a different story, since a strong prey drive can switch on around anything that runs, so introductions need care.

The breed is vocal. Baying and barking are part of how a coonhound works, and a Redbone left alone or under-exercised will make its feelings known. A scent on the ground can pull a dog off in an instant, so a secure garden and a trained recall matter more with this breed than with most.

The Redbone Coonhound is easy to keep clean but demanding when it comes to activity. The short coat asks little of an owner, while the body and the nose ask for a great deal.

Grooming

• Brush weekly with a rubber curry brush or hound mitt to lift loose hair and spread natural oils through the coat.
• Bath only when needed, since the coat carries a natural hound smell that returns soon after washing.
• Check and clean the long drop ears often, as their shape traps moisture and can lead to infection, especially in humid coastal areas.
• Trim nails every few weeks and brush teeth several times a week.

Exercise

• Give at least 60 to 90 minutes of activity a day through walks, runs, or fieldwork.
• Use scent games, tracking, or trailing work to satisfy the working drive.
• Keep the dog on lead or inside a fenced area in open ground, since a scent can override any amount of recall training.
• Add short training sessions and puzzle feeders to tire the mind as well as the legs.

Environment

A Redbone does best on a property with a securely fenced garden and room to run, which suits smallholdings and larger suburban gardens better than a townhouse complex. It copes with the country's range of climates thanks to a practical working coat, but needs shade and water on hot Karoo or lowveld days and a warm spot during highveld winters. Owners in bushveld and lowveld regions should keep tick prevention current, since ticks in these areas carry canine biliary (babesiosis), a serious and sometimes fatal illness in dogs.

Feed a complete and balanced dog food formulated for a large, active breed. Working and hunting dogs need considerably more calories than a pet kept mostly at home, so weigh up the individual dog and its workload rather than following a label blindly. Protein and fat levels should support muscle and stamina without tipping the dog into excess weight. Split the daily ration into two meals to lower the risk of bloat, a serious stomach condition that deep-chested breeds are prone to.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to around 10 percent of daily calories so they do not throw the diet out of balance. Good options include small pieces of plain cooked meat or a commercial training treat. Most Redbones on a complete diet need no supplements, though a vet may suggest joint support for an older or hard-working dog. Keep fresh water available at all times, particularly around exercise and during the heat of a highveld or lowveld summer.

The Redbone Coonhound is a hardy working breed that typically lives 12 to 15 years. Like most large dogs it carries a handful of conditions worth watching for, and responsible breeders screen breeding stock to cut the risk of passing these on. Routine veterinary care, tick control, and a healthy weight all go a long way towards a long, active life.

Preventive care

• Keep vaccinations and parasite control up to date, including flea, tick, and heartworm prevention; tick-borne biliary (babesiosis) is a real risk in bushveld and lowveld areas and calls for vigilant tick control.
• Book a yearly veterinary check-up, with more frequent visits once the dog reaches its senior years.
• Clean and dry the ears regularly to head off infection.
• Keep the dog at a healthy weight to protect the joints.
• Ask the breeder about hip and eye screening on both parents.

The Redbone Coonhound is clever and willing, but it carries the independent streak common to scenthounds. A dog that picks up an interesting scent may switch off from commands entirely, so training calls for patience and consistency. Start early, keep sessions short and varied, and build a solid recall before trusting the dog off lead. Redbones respond badly to harsh handling and do far better with food, praise, and play as rewards. Their strong nose can be put to good use in tracking and scent work, which also burns energy and cuts down on nuisance baying.

Basics

1. Socialise the puppy early with people, places, dogs, and other animals.
2. Teach name response and a marker word, such as "yes", to mark the right behaviour.
3. Build sit, down, and stay through short, frequent sessions.
4. Train a solid recall, starting in a fenced area and rewarding generously.
5. Work on loose-lead walking, since a Redbone will pull hard towards a scent.
6. Add scent or tracking games to give the working drive an outlet.

Breeding a Redbone Coonhound should be planned around health and temperament rather than convenience. Dogs are best bred once they are physically mature and have cleared health screening, usually from one to two years of age, rather than at the first season. Hip and eye screening of both parents helps cut the risk of inherited problems in the litter.

Pregnancy in dogs runs about 63 days. Litters in this breed commonly fall between 6 and 10 puppies, though the number varies with the individual female. The pregnant dam needs good nutrition, a calm environment, and veterinary care right through gestation and whelping.

Newborn puppies are blind and deaf and depend entirely on their mother for warmth and feeding. Eyes open at around two weeks, and weaning usually starts near four weeks. Early handling and gentle socialisation from a few weeks old help puppies grow into stable, friendly adults. Puppies typically go to new homes at around eight weeks.

Redbone Coonhound registration and microchips in South Africa

When a Redbone Coonhound lands at an SPCA branch, the scanner comes out first, and everything then rides on what the number returns. Make sure it returns you. Register your dog free with United Pet Club and the profile answers every scan with your name and number, from now until the end of his days.

The chip is a number; the registry entry is the story behind it. Capture your Redbone Coonhound's 15-digit number in a free United Pet Club account and the story reads: this dog has a home. Every brand is accepted, updates never cost a cent, and the record stays searchable here and abroad. Microchip registration plus a free account does it.