Fun Bluetick Coonhound Facts For Kids

Moumita Dutta
Jan 24, 2024 By Moumita Dutta
Originally Published on Aug 05, 2021
Edited by Natalie Rayworth
Fact-checked by Shikha Sharma
Read these Bluetick Coonhound facts to learn more about this dog breed.



Bluetick Coonhounds are fascinating American dogs known for their hunting ability and sensitive noses. They were bred to chase racoons and hence developed the ability to track by following scents.

They were developed from different dogs, namely American foxhounds, Grand Bleu de Gascogne, cur dogs, black and tan Virginia foxhounds and English foxhounds. They look a lot like English Coonhounds.

Their blueticks are thought to have been inherited from the Grand Bleu de Gascogne. It is possible for these dogs to be obedient and have a moderate temperament (after all, they often compete in many Coonhound competitions), but training can be a hassle for the Bluetick Coonhound since they tend to be stubborn.

They can even get distracted by the smallest of things, like a sudden foreign smell.

Their curiosity is endless and on top of that, their energy is through the roof. But, they have a great temperament so training them when they are a puppy is probably the best method.

They were considered to be part of the hound group at first, and then were put in the coonhound dog breed. Coonhound dog breeds have a few genetic health problems that can shorten their life span.

If you want to learn more facts about this amazing dog breed, such as their amazing sense of smell, bluetick pattern, and other characteristics, then read on. If you like this article about Bluetick Coonhounds, you may also like to read up on mini labradoodle and French Brittany.

Bluetick Coonhound Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Bluetick Coonhound?

Bluetick Coonhounds are a breed of dog. They are a hound and look very similar to an English Coonhound.

What class of animal does a Bluetick Coonhound belong to?

Bluetick Coonhounds belong to the class mammalia.

How many Bluetick Coonhounds are there in the world?

Bluetick Coonhounds are Not Listed on the IUCN Red List, so it is not possible to determine a specific number of how many Bluetick Coonhounds exist in the world. However, since these dogs are bred actively, it is safe to say that there are many Bluetick Coonhounds existing in the world as of now.

Where does a Bluetick Coonhound live?

Bluetick Coonhounds generally live in homes with their humans. Since they are energetic and have hunting abilities, Bluetick Coonhound dogs prefer to live in homes that have a large yard where they can run, track and burn off their energy if needed.

What is a Bluetick Coonhound's habitat?

Bluetick Coonhound dogs live in a house and they prefer temperate weather which is neither too hot nor very cold. However, while they can adapt to a diverse range of temperatures, it is best if owners keep them warm when the weather gets chilly.

A light blanket is enough to keep the Bluetick Coonhound warm and cozy. This will help their health stay in top shape.

Who do Bluetick Coonhounds live with?

Bluetick Coonhound dogs love to live with human beings. They can also live with other dogs too, although it is not advisable to leave Bluetick Coonhounds alone with smaller dogs.

This is because Bluetick Coonhounds can try and assert their dominance over the smaller dog, leading to aggressive behavior. Smaller animals can also be at risk because Bluetick Coonhounds are natural hunters, and small animals can activate their high prey drive. This comes naturally to Bluetick Coonhounds, and they are not to blame for it.

How long does a Bluetick Coonhound live?

Bluetick Coonhounds can have a life span of between 11 to 12 years. However, they can be prone to certain health problems, so their owners should always keep a close watch on their health to see if any health problems crop up.

How do they reproduce?

Bluetick Coonhounds reach sexual maturity when they are 11 to 12 months. Like most other dogs, the females are fertile during their heat.

Generally, the heat cycle will last for  around 18 to 21 days. During this period, if male and female Bluetick Coonhounds mate, then there could be offspring. Generally, a Bluetick Coonhound can give birth to around seven puppies.

If the owner breeds two Bluetick Coonhounds, it is important for them to look at the genetics of the dog. The aim should be to breed dogs with minimal genetic defects with the purpose of improving the quality of the breed.

What is their conservation status?

Bluetick Coonhounds are quite a popular dog breed. Because of this, the IUCN does not have them in their database and hence they are under the Not Listed section.

However, this American dog is quite popular and you may be able to find them in abundant numbers. So, according to their conservation status Bluetick Coonhounds are not threatened and can be found in abundance.

Bluetick Coonhound Fun Facts

What do Bluetick Coonhound look like?

Since Bluetick Coonhounds are a hound, they tend to have a muscular structure. Their sharp eyes match their muscular body and hence completes the appearance of the dog.

Their broad head looks similar in shape to a dome and they have cute, drooping ears. Their coat has a certain shine to it along with black and tan markings.

Bluetick Coonhounds have a short coat that is not too rough and grooming their coat is quite easy. As they are strong dogs, their legs and shoulders should have ample muscles. These muscular parts help in propelling the dog when they speed up or play any sports.

The coat is replete with black spots present on the back ears and sides of the dog. The blue-black markings on the white coat give these dogs their blue appearance.

How cute are they?

Bluetick Coonhounds are very cute pets. They can be really loyal, and love to be emotionally connected with their owners. All of these characteristics make this breed really cute. Bluetick Coonhound puppies are also really cute and have goofy characteristics.

How do they communicate?

Bluetick Coonhounds, like most other dogs, tend to bark or bay. Their barks have their own kind of language.

Since Bluetick Coonhounds were originally bred as a hunter dog, they do have a propensity to bark and be loud. These barks are often a signal of alerting the owner that a stranger is nearby. They may also bark when they are pursuing any target.

This kind of bark tells the prey to be on their toes. Their baying is often referred to as musical, especially by raccoon hunters. In general, Bluetick Coonhounds have strong instincts which are a result of their hunting genes.

Oftentimes, this pet greets their guests with a howl. As with all dogs, they also sniff strangers to find out if they are a possible threat.

How big is a Bluetick Coonhound?

Bluetick Coonhounds are quite big. They measure at an average of 21-27 in (53-68 cm). As a hound, they are just slightly smaller when compared to Bloodhounds.

How fast can a Bluetick Coonhound run?

Bluetick Coonhounds are muscular dogs, and they have a lot of energy. However, they are not really the fastest dogs around.

They may enjoy a good sprint but tire themselves out very quickly. They would often enjoy jogging rather than going for a full-blown sprint with their owner.

Bluetick Coonhounds love to hike and they can spend their entire day hiking. However, you should keep them on a leash at all times, since they are hunting dogs and any kind of scent may result in them trying to figure out the source of the smell.

Of course, you should let them burn their energy as much as possible in order to keep their health in good condition. Exercise is really important for the health of your hound.

How much does a Bluetick Coonhound weigh?

Bluetick Coonhounds weigh an average of 45-80 lb (20-36 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific male and female names given to Bluetick Coonhounds. However, like all other dog species, Bluetick Coonhound males are referred to as a dog, and Bluetick Coonhound females are called a bitch.

What would you call a baby Bluetick Coonhound?

While there is no specific name for a baby Bluetick Coonhound, Bluetick Coonhound offspring can be referred to as a puppy.

What do they eat?

Like any other energetic hound, Bluetick Coonhounds should be provided with high-quality food that is high in protein and low in calories. Since these dogs require food that promotes muscles, a good intake of protein is necessary.

Of course, it is important for owners to check with their vet and give appropriate amounts to adults, senior dogs, and puppies. If you give your dog calorie-rich food, then they can become overweight quickly, so it is important to keep a check on their weight and calories.

Owners may train their dog using treats, but ensure that these treats do not have too many calories. To keep Bluetick Coonhounds hydrated, they require a bowl of fresh water at all times.

Generally, it is recommended that Bluetick Coonhounds should be given around two and a half cups of dry food each day. Keeping a regular feeding schedule would also be beneficial.

Are they slobbery?

In general, Bluetick Coonhounds drool moderately. When these dogs are hungry and smell food, then they tend to start drooling.

This kind of drooling is common among all dogs. When Bluetick Coonhounds are very excited, they can start drooling then too. Drooling can also occur when the dog is stressed, however there are certain unnatural cases when Bluetick Coonhounds drool a lot.

If a Bluetick Coonhound has dental or stomach issues, they can start drooling a lot. Excess drooling can reveal certain underlying health conditions, so if their drooling patterns change it is recommended to take the dog to a vet.

Would they make a good pet?

Bluetick Coonhounds are great dogs and very popular among the hunting community. They are really affectionate towards their owners and even love children.

They are loyal, sensitive and understand human emotions. They are a working breed and need loads of exercise in order to get their excess energy out.

There could be nothing better for this dog than agility tests and tracking exercises. Due to their short coat, they do not shed much and grooming is not too much of a hassle either, so for owners who prefer clean spaces these dogs are perfect.

Bluetick Coonhounds are social animals who love attention. But, they can stay alone for between seven and eight hours if they need to, which is perfect for families who work or go to school.

However, if you do not want to disturb your neighbors with barking and baying, this dog may not be the right one for you. They can be stubborn, like most hounds, and as a result they may not listen to their trainer.

Since they are hunting dogs, they have a very high prey drive. They have been trained to track animals using their nose, so they can often wander away if any unusual smell comes to them.

Bluetick Coonhounds can turn out to be quite rowdy. They are also not very well suited to apartment life due to their high energy levels.

It is best if owners have a yard in which the dog can burn off their energy. During the puppy stage, it is best to engage your puppy in socialization exercises.

Did you know...

Bluetick Coonhounds are known to have cold noses. A cold nose refers to the ability of a dog to pick up an old scent and follow it. Even if a trail has gone cold, Bluetick Coonhounds can still be capable of picking up the scent and following it.

Bluetick Coonhounds are named so because of the blue ticks that are present on their white body. These ticks do not appear when they are a puppy and they are only small markings.

However, experienced breeders can determine how many ticks a Bluetick Coonhound will have when they grow up just by observing the puppy. The black marks on the white coat give the dog their blueish appearance.

Bluetick Coonhounds have appeared in many movies and series such as ‘Wild River’,  ‘Homeward Bound II: Lost In San Francisco’ and ‘Airwolf’. While he may not look like it, the beloved cartoon character named Huckleberry Hound from ‘The Huckleberry Hound Show’ is a Bluetick Coonhound.

Bluetick Coonhounds are often referred to as 'out-and-out American dogs'. Their origin lies in Louisiana and Bluetick Coonhounds are very deeply embedded in southern culture. They are even the mascot of the University of Tennessee.

Bluetick Coonhounds were not recognized as their own separate breed until 1946. Before this, they were just considered as a kind of common hound, such as a foxhound or an ordinary Coonhound.

The first Bluetick Coonhound that was allowed to register under the American Kennel Club was as recent as 2009. Bluetick Coonhounds were the main focus of the children’s book, ‘Savage Sam’, by Fred Gipson. Fred Gipson has also written a lot of things about this dog's characteristics and temperament.

How to train a Bluetick Coonhound?

Bluetick Coonhounds were bred as hunting dogs so naturally their hunting instincts would always take up a dominant role in shaping their nature as dogs. These dogs require significant training from their owner as Bluetick Coonhounds are a very intelligent breed of dog.

The best thing about intelligent dogs is that they can pick up cues from their trainers and can immediately learn from them.

However, on the flip side, intelligent dogs can also try to trick or outsmart the trainer.

Bluetick Coonhounds are very well known for being stubborn. They can start learning easily when they are willing to, but it would be really difficult for trainers to make Bluetick Coonhounds comply with their requests.

Simple requests like sitting down or not jumping may be enforced, however it will be quite a huge and difficult task to try and change their nature. For example, Bluetick Coonhounds are known to be quite loud.

Now, owners may be able to train them to bark at certain intervals, but you may find that the dog will bark for no reason on several occasions.

Positive reinforcement can be a great way to train Bluetick Coonhounds. Getting aggressive with your dog and treating them with a very stern reaction will not really help.

In fact, it can result in the dog avoiding you completely and may even make the dog respond negatively to your requests. So, owners and trainers should start becoming a lot more patient with Bluetick Coonhounds.

It is essential that owners understand their dogs properly. Bluetick Coonhounds are agile and love sports, so engaging them in agility sports and tracking to hone their hunting skills would be very beneficial.

Plus, since they are a bundle of energy, these exercises can really help them expend their energy and keep them from getting obese. Hunting lies in the genetic makeup of Bluetick Coonhounds.

Hence, their noses can be incredibly sensitive to different kinds of odors.

They are easily distracted when engaged in training, especially if any odd smell waft towards them. Generally, Bluetick Coonhounds will start following the scent and keep at it till they find the source.

If you are keeping Bluetick Coonhounds in an open space, they can often get lost while tracking a smell, so it is incredibly important that there is early socialization done for this dog. Early socialization can help this dog recognize their environment, will encourage them to be friendly with other dogs that they may live with.

This is because Bluetick Coonhounds are generally not friendly when they are kept with other dogs. But, socialization can help.

Keeping these dogs on a leash is quite important. Since Bluetick Coonhounds are quite a difficult dog breed to train, they might not be the best dog breed for a novice trainer or owner.  

Is a Bluetick Coonhound a good family dog?

Bluetick Coonhounds can be wonderful family dogs. Bluetick Coonhounds are great with kids and can be really adorable. However, at times, Bluetick Coonhounds can tend to be a little rowdy.

Since they are quite large dogs, they can unconsciously topple a child if they get too excited while playing. But they can be really playful and energetic when playing with older children. When it comes to living with other dogs, Bluetick Coonhounds can start showing their dominance through aggression.

This is why it is not really a great idea to have small dogs around this breed. However, proper socialization can really help the dog become a better family dog. Bluetick Coonhounds cost around 300 USD to 700 USD.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including australian shepherd lab mix, or czechoslovakian wolfdog.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one of our Bluetick Coonhound coloring pages.

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Written by Moumita Dutta

Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management

Moumita Dutta picture

Moumita DuttaBachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management

A content writer and editor with a passion for sports, Moumita has honed her skills in producing compelling match reports and stories about sporting heroes. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta University, alongside a postgraduate diploma in Sports Management.

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Fact-checked by Shikha Sharma

Bachelor of Commerce

Shikha Sharma picture

Shikha SharmaBachelor of Commerce

Shikha has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Delhi. She also holds a Diploma in Information Technology, which has helped her acquire technical and design skills.

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