Collection: Personalised Bluetick Coonhound Gifts

The Bluetick Coonhound is commonly white with a black ‘ticking’ pattern, which gives it its bluish appearance. Its most prized feature is its big black nose because it can sniff out prey from miles away. They are classed as cold-nosed dogs, which means that they can track an animal's trail days if not weeks after it has disappeared! Its home state Louisiana is proud of its pooch as it has contributed significantly to its history. Today, they remain as tracking dogs, but they are also affectionate companion pets.

The ancestors of this breed are the Virginia Black and Tan Foxhound and the Grand Bleu de Gascogne. Famously, the French gifted a few of this breed to George Washington. He compared their unique bark to the bells of Moscow. The Bluetick Coonhound descended from these pooches in Louisiana, where it was developed to hunt racoons. They would use their unique baying howl to alert hunters once they had trapped their prey. Because of this, they are a vocal breed. A new owner should begin vocal training early on, or this hound will howl at every stranger that it meets! In 1946, the breed was recognised by the United Kingdom kennel club, and in the same year its breed standard was finalised.

The Bluetick Coonhound is full of energy and is at its happiest when it has a job to do. Whether this is hunting racoons or learning new tricks, it’s important to keep this dog mentally stimulated. They can be wary of strangers, but once they are comfortable with someone they are sociable and love to play. They often howl when meeting someone new, and this can come across as aggressive, but normally, it is just a sign of curiosity.