Treeing Walker Coonhound

The Treeing Walker Coonhound is a dog breed of hound descended from the English Foxhound and American Foxhounds. They were first recognized as a separate breed in 1945. Thomas Walker had imported the English Foxhound to Virginia in 1742. The breed originated in the United States when a stolen dog of unknown origin, known as the "Tennessee Lead", was crossed into the Walker Hound in the 19th century. The Treeing Walker Coonhound was recognized officially as a breed by the American Kennel Club in January 2012.The Treeing Walker Coonhound was bred to hunt small game, particularly raccoons and opossums. Some hunters use them for large game such as bear. They are a fast, alert, hot-nosed hunter with superb endurance, treeing ability and the desire to perform. They are vocal with a distinctive bay that allows their owners to identify their hounds from great distances. It has a clear, ringing bugle voice or a steady clear chop with changeover at the tree. These hounds are affectionate as family pets and enjoy living indoors, but they were bred for a life of action, and require a great deal of outdoor exercise.