A coonhound is a type of working dog that people use to catch and retrieve raccoons. Coonhounds are social dogs that can serve as companions or be used primarily for hunting and retrieving purposes. Either way, coonhounds do have basic care requirements that you must uphold in order to give them the best possible life.
Crate Training
Not every breed will benefit from crate training, but the coonhound is a breed that will benefit. They are a curious breed that can get into things easily. Coonhounds are large enough to get on kitchen counters and tables, into cabinets and cause other trouble, making crate training a necessity. Crate training will ensure the safety not only of the coonhound but also of your belongings, as well.
Obedience Training and Asking
Many breeds respond well to orders and commands, but coonhounds in general benefit better from a calm demeanor, positive reinforcement and treats rather than flat-out commands and being ordered around. Coonhounds do not like to be bossed around, but you can teach them the necessary obedience commands through professional training. It is important to keep in mind, however, that your dog will likely put his own spin on the commands that you teach him.
Healthcare
From puppy age, you need to take care of the health of your coonhound. Vaccinations need to be kept up to date and supply your dog with heartworm preventative on an annual basis. Coonhounds do not have many inherent health issues but, because they have large ears, ear infections and other issues can arise. It is important to monitor the ears and to keep them clean consistently to prevent health issues from arising.
Containing
When you are not involving your coonhound in a hunting activity or some other activity, the dog should be kept in a closed environment such as indoors or in a fenced in yard. The fence should be at least 5 feet tall, otherwise the dog can likely leap over it. As your coonhound grows, it is important that you keep an eye on how it behaves around the fence, as it may eventually be able to escape over the fence. When coonhounds are in hunting mode, they have a tendency not to listen well, so it is important that they are properly contained within a yard or home at all times.
Caution
It is important to consider that a coonhound is a hunting breed, especially if you have other pets in the home. If you have a rabbit, cat, ferret or another small animal, your coonhound may treat this pet as prey, putting it in danger. If you have other pets in the home, you need to consider whether a coonhound is the right breed for you. If you do bring a coonhound home, you must keep it separate from other pets in the home in order to keep everyone safe.
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