Treeing Walker Coonhound

The Treeing Walker Coonhound has a very high energy level and requires a long walk or jog every day. Treeing Walker Coonhounds also enjoy swimming. Their favorite activity is chasing a scent. As they have a strong tendency to follow a scent at a high speed, Treeing Walker Coonhounds should be walked on a leash or exercised in a fenced-in yard to prevent them from running into traffic. Some are capable of jumping fences as high as six feet, so proper precautions should be taken. Treeing Walker Coonhounds are not recommended for apartment life due to their high energy level.

Moderately Easy Training: The Treeing Walker Coonhound is easily trained as it can learn by example. It is highly intelligent and can learn to manipulate simple household objects, sometimes to its own purposes. The Treeing Walker Coonhound has a strong natural instinct for treeing and will disregard most commands when on a scent.

Few things can quicken a coon hunter’s pulse like the sight of this swift tricolored hound in full stride—the long, muscular legs, the powerful and propulsive hindquarters, and the streamlined frame all working to cover maximum ground with minimum effort. Later, basking in the warmth of a campfire after an honest night’s work, this sweet-faced hound will look up and stir your soul with his gentle, pleading expression. Mercy, what a pretty picture! No wonder Treeing Walker Coonhounds are called the People’s Choice.

The Treeing Walker Coonhound is friendly, confident, and very energetic. It is devoted to its master and eager to please. Treeing Walker Coonhounds thrive on attention and require a large degree of human companionship. They love to cuddle. Treeing Walker Coonhounds tend to bark and howl frequently and may drool. They are considered to be among the finest Coonhounds for treeing competitions due to their quick speed and excellent scenting ability. The Treeing Walker Coonhound gets along well with children and other dogs. It will become mischievous if not given proper exercise.

The Treeing Walker Coonhound was developed in the Colonial era from crosses of English Foxhounds. Two breeders from Kentucky, John W. Walker and George Washington Maupin, are given credit for the breed's initial development. The dogs they bred were referred to as Walker Hounds, and were used to hunt raccoons. In the 1800s, a stolen black and tan dog named Tennessee Lead was crossed into the Walker Hound. Tennessee Lead was of unknown origin, but he greatly influenced the Walker. The Walker Coonhound, Treeing, was first recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 1905 as a part of the English Coonhound breed, at the request of breeders. The name was later changed to Treeing Walker Coonhound, and it was fully recognized as a separate breed in 1945. It was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in January 2012, making it the AKC's 174th recognized breed.