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Ending up with the best dog breed is important. That only happens when you can understand the difference of one dog breed from the other. Today, we want to focus on Coonhound vs Bloodhound. Some might confuse them more often, but once you go through this guide, you should have enough information about each dog breed.
Let us get into the comparison coonhound vs bloodhound below already.
History
Coonhound
The first part of coonhound vs bloodhound is looking at the history of both breeds. Coonhound might not be as famous as other breed, but it has been around for a while now. We can trace the origin of these dogs to the European settlers who brought their foxhounds in 17th and 18th century to America. The descendants of the foxhounds are what led to the coonhounds we know today.
These dogs were bred to work as hunting dogs. However, the dogs found the American terrain being harder to adapt to as compared to the European terrain. As a result, several breeders worked on making the breeder better.
Over the years, the breed has seen more improvement to become better at hunting that the dogs are now categorized as hot-trailing hound. This means that the dogs are bred to catch their hunt rather than just tracking.
Bloodhound
When comparing coonhound vs bloodhound, we find that the bloodhound breed is a very old dog breed than the coonhound. It is too old that tracing when it was first created is hard. Even the origin of this dog breed is not clear. Some speculate that it comes from Belgium.
What we can be sure is that bloodhounds have been bred in England since the 1300’s.
The bloodhound is known for its overall hunting prowess. Most owners used it for hunting deer and boar. It is not just used for tracking animals, but also humans. In Scotland, you will find it being used to track thieves.
Size and Appearance
Coonhound
Coonhounds have a size varying from 23 to 26 inches tall. You might find females being smaller than males, but sometimes vice versa.
As for the weight, these dogs will weigh from 45 to 65 pounds, depending on the age and other factors.
Since it is a breed good for endurance and speed, you will find that these dogs will be muscular and lean. The broad chest and well-defined muscles make them some of the desired dog breeds to own.
Most will come with a red and white ticking for the coat color. It is why sometimes you get them being referred to as redtick coonhounds.
Bloodhound
Bloodhounds unlike the coonhound can grow into big and sturdy dogs that you can all love. A bloodhound dog can even weigh up to 110 pounds. They also have visibly strong and powerful limbs to carry the extra weight.
As for the size, a grown bloodhound can stand between 23 to 27 inches in height.
As for the coat, you will find bloodhounds having up to 3 recognized colors of their coats. Such colors include red, liver and tan, and black and tan.
So, depending on what color you might like, the bloodhound coats have so much variety for you to choose from.
Temperament
Coonhound
Before picking a coonhound, you would also want to see how coonhound vs bloodhound temperament compare. We can confidently state that a coonhound dog is a laid-back and friendly canine to own right now. These dogs are very social and will tend to make great family dogs.
Since they are pack-centered, these dogs will be ideal for both the children and other dogs in the home.
We must mention that they have a high prey drive. This means that they are likely to chase after other pets in your home such as cats and small dogs.
Being too friendly makes the coonhound the worst guard dogs to have at home. However, the loud howls they make can still make them good watchdogs. For a coonhound to be a watchdog, you need to ensure it is properly trained.
Yes, they like to howl more often, but with proper training, you will find that they can remain calm and quiet.
Coonhounds are also quite the nesters. As such, it is hard to keep them off your blankets and furniture.
Bloodhound
Bloodhounds have always stood out as diligent workers whenever you put them to work. During this period, they can also be intense. When they are just relaxing, bloodhound dogs are found to be generally easygoing and sweet.
There are times when they can be stubborn and independent. With the right training, it should be easy to control the bloodhound to behave as you want.
With the intense streak in their overall personality, sometimes it is hard to predict how it might behave. For this reason, consider monitoring the interaction of the dog with your kids. The last thing you would want is for the dog to become aggressive towards your kids.
Bloodhounds cannot be left to play alone in the open without a leash. They might get distracted by a scent and they start following it. The worst is when it was playing close to a road where it might easily end up being injured.
How about barking? That is something that might be on the mind of anyone who is looking to own a bloodhound. Well, bloodhounds are not big barkers and thus not the best watchdogs to own.
People do not even bother training them as watchdogs as they cannot even bark. They produce a distinct sound called bay, which is the sound between a howl and bark.
Health and Care
Coonhound
Coonhounds are usually healthy, which should be good news for those who might be looking to own them. You might experience a few health problems with this dog breed.
The most common health issue with coonhounds is the pulmonary histoplasmosis. This condition is where the dog gets infected by a non-contagious fungus. When you notice that your dog has a fever, loss of appetite, sudden weight loss, or depressed, then it could be the reason.
Still on health care, this breed is also likely to end up with some inherited conditions. Being a large dog, it is likely to experience cases of hip and elbow dysplasia. It is good to take your dog to the vet for regular screen to catch the condition early before it becomes a problem.
Coonhounds are also prone to cases of pupillary membranes. This is a disorder where the eye does not develop correctly on the insider. The result is that you end up with a dog that has vision problems. The level of vision loss will depend on the disorder severity.
Bloodhound
When comparing coonhound vs bloodhound, we also have to look at the bloodhound’s health needs. Once of the things you will notice about bloodhounds is the loose skin. As a result, you should consider keeping the areas around the droopy eyes and ears clean. You can use a cotton swab to keep the areas clean.
The bloodhounds will also likely to have eye problems. This is because of the hanging eyelids that are likely to expose the conjunctiva. When it gets to this point, the dog develops conditions such as entropion and ectropion.
The two conditions mentioned above can be uncomfortable to the dog. It is something many breeders would want to avoid. If your dog faces these eye problems more often, a vet would recommend using antibiotic treatments to deal with them.
Another common condition to watch out for is bloat. This condition has always been prevalent in large dogs. With this condition, a dog ends up with a lot of accumulated air in the stomach. The stomach then twists, making it hard for the air to escape. When the condition is not treated on time, it can lead to damage of other organs and sometimes death.
Training and Exercising
Coonhound
Still on coonhound vs bloodhound, we also have to look at what kind of training and exercising you should consider giving your coonhound.
Coonhounds are known for being loyal and mostly eager to please the owner. As a result, it should be easy to train such a breed. We recommend that you begin with crate training then followed by potty training. These types of training are recommended when the dog is still in its early stages.
Consider socializing and interacting with your dog more often and early when it is still young. Also, introduce it to smaller animals and other pets such as cats to make it get used to them. This helps it to stop chasing these small animals around the home.
Since coonhounds are bred for endurance and hunting, you will find that they need a lot of exercises to keep them active. You are advised to walk the dog more often at least one hour a day should be fine.
When performing these exercises, make sure they are done with a leash. Whenever a coonhound gets onto a scent, it becomes hard to control it without a leash.
Since coonhounds love to run off the scents, they are prone to be attacked by other predators such as bears and wolves. You should now see the importance of having your dog on a leash.
Bloodhound
Bloodhounds also need the right training and exercising if you hope to keep them active all the time. The bloodhounds have high energy levels, meaning you need to exercise them more often. When training the bloodhounds, you have to consider training it about how to track and trail its target.
Such training requires that you hire a professional with the experience on how to train bloodhounds.
Tracking and trailing involves the right identification of a human scent and the subsequent tracking.
The best part is that bloodhounds are quick learners so it might be easy for you to train them faster.
Each time you are walking it, make sure it is on a leash. The last thing you want is for the bloodhound to start following a scent and you cannot control it.
Feeding
Coonhound
When comparing coonhound vs bloodhound, we still have to look at the feeding program you should keep in mind with each breed.
Coonhounds do not each much in comparison to other dog breeds. The amount of food a dog eats depends on the metabolism, age, and the overall activity rate.
A typical 65-pound coonhound will need an average of 1600 calories each day. For a heavier 110-pound coonhound, it will need 2400 calories daily to maintain the same activity level. The daily dietary protein intake should not go under 18 percent.
It is recommended that you feed the dog food rich in proteins such as chicken, turkey, and red meat. Using taurine is also recommended as it is good for their heart. Omega fatty acids are also recommended to build a healthy coat and enhance the overall look of the skin.
Bloodhound
To feed a bloodhound dog, it is recommended that you maintain discipline and focus to prevent the occurrence of bloat. Space the meals correctly to ensure that your dog gets the best meals and at the right interval.
It is okay to feed it twice a day. You might want to use three meals a day only if it is a puppy.
Consider using anywhere from 4 to 8 cups of kibble per day for your dog. Meat should always be the main ingredient. The Omega fatty acids should also be great to improve the skin and coat. To keep their heart health better, consider using taurine in the meals.
Leave your bloodhound dog with plenty of fresh drinking water. This helps to keep the dog well hydrated all the time.
In Summary
The comparison of coonhound vs bloodhound should give you an idea of what to expect with each of the breed. If you were not sure which one to choose for your home, now you have an idea which will be best. There are many things that people consider when choosing a dog for their homes, so look at the characteristics of each before making up your mind. Both are high energy dogs, so you might have to consider exercising them more often to keep them fit and healthy.
