Bluetick Coonhound
A midnight-speckled songster — French hound blood gone gloriously Southern.
Vital stats
| Size | Medium-large · 53–69 cm |
| Weight | 20–36 kg |
| Life expectancy | 11–12 years |
| Energy | High — 60–90 min/day |
| Shedding | Light to moderate |
| Coat | Short, glossy coat · blue-ticked with black and tan |
| Group | Hound · AKC |
| Origin | Louisiana, United States |
Breed traits
Friendliness
Care
Mind
The Bluetick Coonhound by the numbers
The Bluetick Coonhound facts owners search for most — price, lifespan, weight, shedding and colours, in one place.
Widely bred, so you can usually find a litter from a registered breeder without a long wait. Ongoing costs run high — more food, bigger doses at the vet, and pricier insurance.
We don't quote a single figure: the real price swings with breeder, region, bloodline and health testing — and a rescue costs a fraction of a breeder's litter. Adopting is almost always the cheapest route.
Temperament
Descended from French Grand Bleu de Gascogne hounds crossed with American foxhounds, the Bluetick is a cold-nosed specialist — able to untangle old, faint trails other dogs walk past — and it pursues them with cheerful, bawling obsession. At home it's affectionate, a touch dramatic, and devoted to its people once the day's sniffing is done.
Habits & quirks
The bawl
A drawn-out, musical howl bred to carry across miles of bottomland — practised freely at home.
Cold-trailing
It happily works scents hours or days old that other dogs never notice.
Tree focus
Squirrels and cats up trees will be pointed out, loudly, until further notice.
Houndy theatrics
Baths, nail trims and closed doors are all met with operatic commentary.
Health
The Bluetick Coonhound is an athletic, hardy scenthound without a headline inherited disease, so keeping it well is mostly the ordinary care done properly. Start with the ears: the drop ears need a weekly check and clean, especially after a wet or brushy outing, since trapped moisture is what an ear infection wants. The bigger safety concern is the nose. An interesting scent outranks every command this dog was ever taught, so a tall, secure fence is essential — this is not a hound to trust off-lead in open country. Keep him lean and hard-worked; a Bluetick built for 60–90 minutes of daily effort does better on a body that gets it, and a food-driven hound left under-exercised puts on weight fast.
Nutrition
| Exercise | 60–90 minutes of hard exercise daily — trailing games, hikes and long lines beat pavement laps. |
| Containment | A tall, secure fence is essential; an interesting scent outranks every command ever taught. |
| Training | Patient, food-driven and consistent — this hound cooperates with people it likes but never blindly obeys. |
| Ears | Drop ears need a weekly check and clean, especially after wet or brushy outings. |
The Bluetick is bred for hard, sustained work — an hour and a half of real effort a day — so it eats to match the exercise it actually gets, not the exercise it might. Feed the dog in front of you: a week of trailing and hiking burns far more than a quiet one, and the ration should move with it. Weigh the meals rather than filling the bowl by eye, count any training treats in the day's total — this is a food-led hound that will happily talk you into seconds — and aim for ribs you can feel under the short, glossy coat. A lean Bluetick trails better and lasts longer.
Puppy guide
A Bluetick puppy is affectionate, sociable and a touch dramatic, and the habits you build now are the ones you keep for a decade. Two jobs come first. Teach recall as a happy, well-paid game long before the nose takes over, and never fully trust it once it does — a long line and a secure garden are the safety net a coonhound needs for life. Get him used to having his drop ears handled and cleaned from the start, so the weekly check is routine rather than a wrestling match. Socialise him widely, give the growing body sensible rather than punishing exercise, and let him meet other dogs — he is a friendly, gentle housemate once the day's sniffing is done.
Training
Train a Bluetick with food, patience and realistic expectations about recall. It is intelligent but independent, bred to work far ahead of its handler on a cold trail, so it cooperates with people it likes and never blindly obeys — and a fresh scent beats anything in your pocket. Start early, keep sessions short and rewarding, and pay recall generously every single time, because a cheap reward always loses to a trail. Train recall as if it matters and manage the rest with a secure fence rather than hoping the training holds; reward-based methods and a sense of humour get far more from this hound than pressure ever will.
Life expectancy
Bluetick Coonhounds live 11–12 years. The Bluetick Coonhound is a hardy, athletic breed, and you keep it sound into old age the same way you keep it happy: an hour and a half of real daily work, a lean weight it carries easily, ears checked and dried every week, and a secure garden so the nose never leads it onto a road. Give it a job for its body and its voice, and this cheerful cold-trailer stays healthy for years.
Similar breeds
Breeds with a similar build and background — worth a look if this one isn't quite the fit.
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Common questions
Are Bluetick Coonhounds good pets?
Yes, for active homes — they're affectionate, sociable and gentle with children. City flats and noise-sensitive neighbours are a poor match for the voice.
Why do Bluetick Coonhounds howl so much?
They were bred to report progress to hunters across miles of dark woodland, and the instinct runs deep. Exercise and company reduce it; nothing eliminates it.
Are Blueticks easy to train?
They're intelligent but independent, bred to work far ahead of their handler. Reward-based training and realistic expectations about recall get the best results.
Does the Bluetick Coonhound shed a lot?
Moderately. The Bluetick Coonhound sheds a fair amount, steadily through the year with heavier seasonal patches. A weekly brush keeps most of the loose hair off your floors and clothes.
Is the Bluetick Coonhound hypoallergenic?
Not really. No dog is truly hypoallergenic, and the Bluetick Coonhound's shedding coat releases plenty of the dander that sets off allergies. If someone at home is allergic, this isn't the easiest breed to live with — spend time around one first.
Is the Bluetick Coonhound good with children?
They can be. The Bluetick Coonhound is reasonably sociable and can be good with children in the right home, especially when socialised early. Supervise around young kids and teach dog and child to respect each other.