Crimson Dawn Redbones

The Redbone Coonhound

The Redbone Coonhound is a robust, friendly breed that makes a fine family or show dog as well as a hunter, tracker, or field competitor. While individual dogs can vary a bit in their requirements, they usually do best with active owners and adequate space. Because of their loud bawl--and willingness to use it--they often do not do well in apartments. If bored, they can become destructive and loud, but with adequate exercise they are calm and easy to live with in the house. These dogs appreciate an activity to remain well-adjusted and happy--but they excel at numerous things to fill this requirement. With proper attention from its owner, a Redbone will become a fantastic family pet and loyal companion.

 

Origin                                                                                               

The Redbone is an American breed that, and as its name implies, was created to track and tree raccoons. Since then, the breed has also adapted well to hunting larger animals, and it has been used very successfully on big game throughout the United States.

 

Much of the breed's development was done in the South prior to the Civil War. While there is some disagreement and speculation about the exact breeds of dogs used to develop the Redbone, most people agree that Bloodhounds and Foxhounds brought over by Scottish immigrants, as well as some red Irish Foxhounds,  played large roles. In fact, to this day there are Redbones that show signs of a dark saddle across their backs--lingering evidence of its Bloodhound ancestry. Likewise, white areas on the chest and feet of many Redbones are attributed to the Foxhound roots. Occasional white seems to appear in just about every Redbone line. Even in the same litter, one pup will be solid red, while a littermate has a white spot on its chest. While there are many adult Redbones with white chests and/or feet, these spots often fade and disappear entirely during the dog's first year. In other cases, a white spot will merely shrink in size but still remain.

 

There is also some disagreement about the origin of the name "Redbone." Some believe it simply refers to the gorgeous red coat color of this hound. Others think the name refers to the Redbone people ("Redbones" were a distinct people of mixed race in the South, particularly Louisiana, where they settled from South Carolina following the Louisiana Purchase), who might have hunted early examples of the breed. Yet another theory is that the name is a tribute to Peter Redbone, an early breeder of these dogs. Regardless of the accuracy of these various theories, most breed historians agree that the breed's roots and development mostly occured in the southern state of Georgia.

 

Breed Popularity                                                                               

The Redbone Coonhound is a rare breed. Many dog enthusiasts fail to accurately name the breed when they see one, usually guessing they are Vizslas, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, or chocolate Labradors instead.

 

Many Americans became acquainted with this dog from the book Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. This classic is a favorite in the curriculums of many schools throughout the country. Rawls tells the story of Billy, a young boy growing up in a poor family in the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma. He dreams of one day owning a pair of Redbones to hunt and works hard to make this dream a reality. His two dogs, "Old Dan" and "Little Ann," have resulted in many Redbones being named "Dan" or "Ann." 

 

Both of the two main dog registries in the United States (AKC and UKC)  now offer special programs and activities for Redbones and their owners. Although this American breed dates back to pre-Civil War days, it only recently gained AKC breed recognition, in 2010. The UKC was much earlier at embracing the breed and has recognized and promoted it since 1902--quite a time difference! This recent acceptance in the AKC as an "official" breed will undoubtedly increase the Redbone's popularity with the public. 

 

Show Dogs                                                                                          

In 2010, these dogs became eligible to compete in the AKC all-breed conformation ring (mainstream "dog shows"), and since then numerous AKC Champions (CH) and Grand Champions (GCH) have gone on the books.

 

Both UKC and AKC registries also offer bench shows for the breed. This type of conformation competition differs from the all-breed ring. Among the most obvious differences, the dogs are stacked for examination on benches rather than on the ground. The titles earned reflect which type of conformation competition the dogs competed in, as well as which registry.

 

While the Redbone can adapt well to the show ring, it is merely another activity in which they excel. Redbone breeders strive to retain the natural hunting and tracking ability of these dogs. To most of today's breeders, hunting ability ranks higher in importance than show ribbons. There is a valid concern that without diligent efforts to retain the breed's natural traits, a "watered down" show version of this dog will result. Fortunately, many of today's show champion Redbones are also very capable of treeing raccoons and other game. They do well at "switching hats," and many compete in conformation and hunting contests on the same day. Many examples of the breed carry multiple show, field, and hunt titles, proving they are true multi-purpose hounds.

 

Because of the importance for this breed to do something to remain happy and healthy, let's review some of the competitions and activities available to them.

 

First, as a hunting dog, the Redbone is used throughout the country to track and tree raccoons. Both the AKC and UKC have special coonhound divisions that sponsor and organize coon hunts. These competitions can have large entries and expensive prizes. Redbones also excel at hunting big game, although the game they can legally hunt is often dictated by state laws. For instance, in Virginia and California they are used for bears, while in the snowy Rockies, mountain lions are the primary big game animal. In the West and South the breed is sometimes used to track and bay wild pigs. Bobcats are another commonly hunted game animal, and these hounds have also proven themselves effective at exterminating nuisance coyotes.

 

Field and water competitions are very popular for this breed--and for good reason. Redbones take to water very naturally (remember, the raccoon is a highly aquatic animal), and most of them can develop into powerful swimmers. Many of them hit the water with great gusto. Field and water race competitions are usually held in the warmer spring and summer months. Tracking competitions are also events in which the Redbone excels.

 

Your Redbone will love any outdoor activities, and the competitions can be lots of fun. The main challenge will be deciding what type of event to train for first!

 

The Redbone as a Companion Dog

Although tenacious in the field, many Redbones make excellent companion dogs. We believe in the saying that "even competition dogs are companions a majority of the time." The most important thing for those who keep this breed as companions is to provide ample exercise and room to run, as well as teaching basic commands that will keep Redbones good citizens indoors.