Scottish immigrants brought handsome red foxhounds to America in the late 1700s, and Red Irish Foxhounds were imported before the Civil War. By the late 18th century, some coon hunters began breeding for hotter-nosed, faster dogs that were swifter at locating and faster at treeing raccoons. They used the hot, swift Irish hounds in their breeding programs and the Redbone Coonhound evolved into a recognized, respected breed well before 1900.
While other coonhound breeders selected only for function, Redbone breeders, for a period of several years, concentrated on breeding a nearly solid-colored, flashy, red dog. As soon as the eye-catching color bred true, these serious hunters once again selected for performance. Today both attributes are well established in the breed.
Widely-used and acclaimed for its speed and agility from lowlands to steep, rocky hills, the Redbone Coonhound is an adaptable hunter with a good, cold nose. An excellent swimmer with a pleasant, if not constant voice, the Redbone is an excellent choice for the hunter who wants an honest, versatile and capable trailer. From the beginning, the Redbone has been bred for the purpose of treeing game, and the treeing instinct is natural, as it has been bred into the Redbone for many generations.
