Collection: Personalised Redbone Coonhound Gifts

Nicknamed Saddlebacks originally because of the black colouring in their backs, the Redbone Coonhound is an American breed developed to hunt racoon. An amalgam of several hunting breeds, this is a medium-sized working dog with the most beautiful red chestnut coat colour and long, velvet ears.

The name doesn’t come from the colour but some think from Peter Redbone who lived in Tennessee and was a huge promoter of the breed. Some quarters credit Redbone with creating this hound but others believe it was his contemporary, George F. L. Birdsong. The breed was immortalised in the famous film, “Where the Red Fern Grows” which featured two Redbone Coonhounds. This hound is an agile and multi-purpose hunter, courageous against larger predators and one of the few hounds with webbed feet so is also a powerful swimmer.

The Redbone Coonhound is thought by many including the United Kennel Club to be the brainchild of one man called George F.L. Birdsong from the State of Georgia. It is thought he used Foxhounds and Bloodhounds to create the breed and had his own pack.

Originally saddlebacks, the solid red colour found greater favour and the nickname disappeared along with the black marking; the red colour came from Red Foxhounds and Irish Setters that came to America alongside Scottish and Irish immigrants and were used to influence native stock.

In 1902, the breed was recognised by the United Kennel Club and then by the American Kennel Club in 2010.

Despite their working bloodlines, the Redbone Coonhound is one of the most laidback of all the different types of coonhound. Great family pets, this breed thrives on the hustle and bustle of a busy household and are good workers and hunters. They are trainable within the parameters of training a scenthound which may have its challenges and also tolerant of other small furries in the home which is unusual for a working breed.