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General Appearance
The Black and Tan Coonhound is first and fundamentally a working dog, a trail
and tree hound, capable of withstanding the rigors of winter, the heat of
summer, and the difficult terrain over which he is called upon to work. Used
principally for trailing and treeing raccoon, the Black and Tan Coonhound runs
his game entirely by scent. The characteristics and courage of the Coonhound
also make him proficient on the hunt for deer, bear, mountain lion and other big
game. Judges are asked by the club sponsoring the breed to place great emphasis
upon these facts when evaluating the merits of the dog. The general impression
is that of power, agility and alertness. He immediately impresses one with his
ability to cover the ground with powerful rhythmic strides.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Size measured at the shoulder--Males 25 to 27 inches;
females 23 to 25 inches. Oversized dogs should not be penalized when general
soundness and proportion are in favor. Penalize undersize. Proportion--Measured
from the point of shoulder to the buttocks and from withers to ground the length
of body is equal to or slightly greater than the height of the dog at the
withers. Height is in proportion to general conformation so that dog appears
neither leggy nor close to the ground. Substance--Considering
their job as a hunting dog, the individual should exhibit moderate bone and good
muscle tone. Males are heavier in bone and muscle tone than females.
Head
The head is cleanly modeled. From the back of the skull to the nose the head
measures from 9 to 10 inches in males and from 8 to 9 inches in females. Expression
is alert, friendly and eager. The skin is devoid of folds. Nostrils
well open and always black. The flews are well developed with typical hound
appearance. Penalize excessive wrinkles. Eyes
are from hazel to dark brown in color, almost round and not deeply set. Penalize
yellow or light eyes. Ears are low set and well back.
They hang in graceful folds, giving the dog a majestic appearance. In length
they extend naturally well beyond the tip of the nose and are set at eye level
or lower. Penalize ears that do not reach the tip of the nose and are
set too high on the head. Skull tends toward oval
outline. Medium stop occurring midway between occiput bone and nose. Viewed from
profile the line of the skull is on a practically parallel plane to the foreface
or muzzle. Teeth fit evenly with scissors bite. Penalize
excessive deviation from scissors bite.
Neck, Topline, Body
The neck is muscular, sloping, medium length. The skin is devoid of excess
dewlap. The back is level, powerful and strong. The dog possesses full, round,
well sprung ribs, avoiding flatsidedness. Chest reaches at least to the elbows.
The tail is strong, with base slightly below level of
backline, carried free and when in action at approximately right angle to back.
Forequarters
Powerfully constructed shoulders. The forelegs are straight, with elbows turning
neither in nor out; pasterns strong and erect. Feet
are compact, with well knuckled, strongly arched toes and thick, strong pads. Penalize
flat or splayed feet.
Hindquarters
Quarters are well boned and muscled. From hip to hock long and sinewy, hock to
pad short and strong. Stifles and hocks well bent and not inclining either in or
out. When standing on a level surface, the hind feet are set back from under the
body and the leg from pad to hock is at right angles to the ground. Fault--Rear
dewclaws.
Coat
The coat is short but dense to withstand rough going.
Color
As the name implies, the color is coal black with rich tan markings above eyes,
on sides of muzzle, chest, legs and breeching, with black pencil markings on
toes. Penalize lack of rich tan markings, excessive areas of tan
markings, excessive black coloration. Faults--White on chest or other
parts of body is highly undesirable, and a solid patch of white which extends
more than one inch in any direction is a disqualification.
Gait
When viewed from the side, the stride of the Black and Tan Coonhound is easy and
graceful with plenty of reach in front and drive behind. When viewed from the
front the forelegs, which are in line with the width of the body, move forward
in an effortless manner, but never cross. Viewed from the rear the hocks follow
on a line with the forelegs, being neither too widely nor too closely spaced,
and as the speed of the trot increases the feet tend to converge toward a center
line or single track indicating soundness, balance and stamina. When in action,
his head and tail carriage is proud and alert; the topline remains level.
Temperament
Even temperament, outgoing and friendly. As a working scent hound, must be able
to work in close contact with other hounds. Some may be reserved but never shy
or vicious. Aggression toward people or other dogs is most undesirable.
Note--Inasmuch as this is a hunting breed, scars from honorable wounds shall not be considered faults.
Disqualification
A solid patch of white which extends more than one inch in any direction.
Approved December 11, 1990
Effective January 30, 1991
For More information visit AKC.org