– Breed is Sixth Coonhound to Gain Full AKC Recognition –
The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) expanded its litter of registered breeds on January 1 to welcome the Treeing Walker Coonhound, growing AKC’s family to 174 breeds.
“The Treeing Walker is a fast, hot nosed, sensible hunter with a clear, ringing bugle voice,” said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson. “The AKC welcomes this exceptional hunter to our family of breeds.”
The Treeing Walker Coonhound was bred originally — like the other five AKC recognized coonhounds (American English Coonhound, Black and Tan Coonhound, Plott, Bluetick Coonhound and Redbone Coonhound) to help put food on the table. See coonhounds recognized prior to 2012 on the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship which will be telecast on ABC Network Television on Saturday, February 4, 2012. Check local listings for airtimes.
Historically the Treeing Walker Coonhound hunted raccoon, a principle source of fur and meat during the 19th and 20th centuries. The breed assisted its owner in the hunt by “treeing” its quarry and announcing to the hunter with its bark that it had been found. In fact this coon-hunting jargon is the basis of the present day idiom “barking up the wrong tree.”
Today the Treeing Walker is known as a fast and sensible hunter with superb endurance. The breed’s coat is short, glossy and tri-colored – white, black and tan and requires minimal upkeep. Intelligent, confident and sociable with family and friends the Treeing Walker thrives with regular exercise. Be warned though, coonhounds are bred to be heard so if you are considering adding the breed to your household, be prepared for a voice loud enough to carry for miles through the woods. For more information about this breed, visit the www.akc.org.
To become an AKC recognized breed there needs to be a certain number of dogs geographically distributed throughout the U.S. and an established breed club to watch over them. Breeds waiting to gain full recognition are recorded in AKC’s Foundation Stock Service® (FSS®).