Black and Tan Coonhound

OFFICIAL NKC BREED STANDARDS FOR THE BLACK & TAN COONHOUND

THESE STANDARDS WERE ADOPTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVING THE BLACK & TAN COONHOUND. REFINEMENTS IN STANDARDS ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF THIS HOUND THE SAME WORLDWIDE. THESE STANDARDS OFFER THE BREEDER, HUNTER, JUDGE, AND OWNERS A MODEL TOWARD STRIKING, TRAILING, AND TREEING DESIRED GAME.

GENERAL APPEARANCE AND COAT POINTS 10

A SMOOTH HAIRED GLOSSY COAT OF 85 TO 90 PERCENT TAN. TAN ON HEAD, CHEST AND LEGS WITH TAN SPOTS OVER EYES ROOT OF TAIL, FEET AND LEGS. A LITTLE WHITE ON CHEST ACCEPTABLE BUT NO WHITE ON FEET OR TAIL. A DOG THAT STANDS PROUD WITH HEAD AND TAIL HIGH, SHOWING SIGNS OF INTELLIGENCE, STRENGTH, AND ENDURANCE.

HEAD AND NECK (TEETH, JAWS, MUZZLE, EARS AND EYES) POINTS 15

HEAD BROAD BETWEEN THE EARS, SLIGHTLY DOMED AND CARRIED WELL UP. NECK GRACEFUL AND STRONG, NEITHER TOO LARGE NOR TOO LONG, TEETH SCISSOR BITE PREFERRED WITH SMOOTH BITE ACCEPTABLE, BUT NO OVERBITE OR UNDERBITE. JAWS AND MUZZLE BROAD AND WELL BALANCED, GIVING A MEDIUM SQUARE APPEARANCE. NOSTRILS LARGE, BLACK IN COLOR NEVER LIGHT. EYES PROMINENT, CLEAR, BROWN OR BLACK ERECTILE POWER, REACHING NEAR END OF NOSE WHEN EXTENDED, HANGING GRACEFULLY, TIPPING TOWARD MUZZLE, SOFT AND VELVETY.

FRONT QUARTERS (CHEST, SHOULDERS, FRONT FEET AND LEGS) POINTS 15

CHEST DEEP AND MODERATELY WIDE WITH AMPLE LUNG SPACE. SHOULDERS BROAD AND SLOPING GRACEFULLY INTO LEGS. STRAIGHT MUSCULAR FORE LEGS WITH WELL ROUNDED, SOLID WELL PADDED FEET SET DIRECTLY UNDER LEGS.

HIND QUARTERS (BACK, HIPS, BACK LEGS AND FEET, AND TAIL) POINTS 15

BACK SLIGHTLY ARCHED AND MUSCULAR HIPS ROUNDED, SMOOTH, WELL PROPORTIONED, GRACELY ARCHED, SHOWING SPEED, STRENGTH, AND ENDURANCE. BACK LEGS STRONG AMD MUSCULAR ABOVE HOCKS WITH FEET WELL PADDED, ROUNDED SHOWING SPEED AND DRIVE. TAIL HEAVY AND STRONG TAPERING TOWARD END WITH NO BRUSH OR CURL.

SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BREED POINTS 15

MALES 23 TO 27 INCHES MALES 50 TO 75 LBS

FEMALES 21 TO 26 INCHES FEMALES TO 40 TO 65 LBS

DOG SLIGHTLY UNDER WEIGHT FROM HARD HUNTING NOT TO BE PENALIZED. OVERWEIGHT IS A SLIGHT FAULT. BODY SLIGHTLY HIGHER AT SHOULDERS THAN AT HIPS. BODY LENGTH FROM ROOT OF TAIL TO SHOULDERS SHOULD BE ABOUT SAME AS HEIGHT AT SHOULDERS. DOG SHOULD APPEAR COURAGEOUS, CONFIDENT, ACTIVE AND INTELLIGENT, WITH A STRONG DESIRE TO HUNT GAME. THE DOG SHOULD HAVE STRONG VOICE, AN OPEN TRAILER, A STEADY TREE BARK, PREFERRED A CHOP IN THE TREE BUT A CHOP OR BAWL ON TRAIL.

GAIT AND MOVEMENT POINTS 15

DOG SHOULD MOVE IN A FREE SWINGING GATE, INDICATING SPEED, STRENGTH, AND ENDURANCE. HEAD AND TAIL SHOULD BE CARRIED ERECT. AWKWARD OR JERKY MOVEMENT IS A SERIOUS FAULT. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IN A HUNTING DOG.

TEMPERAMENT POINTS 15

BOLD, CONFIDENT, TRUSTING AND LOVING, NEITHER TOO SHY NOR TOO AGGRESSIVE. FIGHTING OR EXTREME SHYNESS IS A MAJOR FAULT. THE BLACK & TAN COONHOUND IS HUNTED ALONE AND IN A PACK. DOG MUST BE ABLE TO WORK WITH OTHER DOGS AS A PART OF A PACK.

TOTAL POINTS 100