# What can you tell me about Treeing Walker Coonhounds?



## Papa Deuce (Mar 26, 2007)

Not that it matters much, but when we got our rescue, we were told she was a lab / hound mix... but now we are told that she is specifically a Treeing Walker Coonhound , most likely mixed with a border collie. ( Life is going to be very "interesting" for the next dozen years or so.... )

I looked up some info about the coonhounds, but I am looking for more along the lines of personal experiences. 

Would love to hear some stories, good and bad. 

Thank You.


----------



## Candydb (Jul 16, 2011)

O we had one for a few months when I was a kid (well 14 or so-- we would have up to 5 dogs at a time people were always dumping dogs at the state park near us and he was abandoned as a pup) -- he was black and white with some "ticking" coloration, big old hound ears and droopy face-- a local farmer told us we had an old time Treeing walker **** hound-- we had to give him away as he wandered as he grew into adulthood and began to harass the cattle (we didnt have a fence and did not occur to us to get one LOL)-- we tried tying him out but he had quite the voice and was LOUD would bay and bay. So my dad found him a home some miles away-- at least 50 I think... Poor baby, he tracked his way home and was promptly returned. We never saw him again. I hope it was a good placement for him... My parents seem to have selective memories these days and can never remember what happened to our pets....


----------



## Papa Deuce (Mar 26, 2007)

Anybody else? I know this is not a real common breed.


----------



## +two (Jul 12, 2011)

I wish I knew! I have a Bloodhound mix and I can assure you that your next few years will definitely be 'interesting'. What part of the country is he from?


----------



## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

In my experience, they're stubborn, loud, messy, dirty, lacking brain cells. Cat aggression and food aggression seems to be common amongst them.

That's just my experience from the dogs we get in the shelter from the south. Whether or not they're purebred is another story, but they look like it to me. Certainly not my cup of tea, they're some of the worst dogs in the kennel at any given time.


----------



## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

Papa Deuce said:


> Not that it matters much, but when we got our rescue, we were told she was a lab / hound mix... but now we are told that she is specifically a Treeing Walker Coonhound , most likely mixed with a border collie. ( Life is going to be very "interesting" for the next dozen years or so.... )
> 
> I looked up some info about the coonhounds, but I am looking for more along the lines of personal experiences.
> 
> ...


I love Walker Coonhounds!

Good with kids and dogs, not so much with cats or other small animals. They're a working-style dog so you will need to always provide lots of tasks/training, else they can get a bit neurotic. They were originally involved in hunting so the lines usually need a lot of outdoor activity, which could be said for a million other breeds as well though. 

Unlike the poster above me who said they "lack brain cells", I strongly disagree. This breed has a strong working-class intelligence, which does not make them stupid or dense at all.. it means they learn with more repetition but what they learn should stick with them, and if you give them lots of tasks during the learning phase, training will be easy. 

These dogs are actually very affectionate usually, and I think that leads people to embrace the loving nature and let the training slide.. that may be why these dogs end up in shelters appearing "dumb"  But in reality, these dogs are problem-solvers, and you'll want to make sure the dog is secure in whatever area they're in because I've heard interesting stories of escape by these craft animals 

As mentioned, they do have a strong prey drive ("cat aggression" -- it isn't cat aggression, it's just a strong prey drive and can click in with a lot of things), but with good solid training, even this can be worked around.


----------



## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Sendiulino said:


> I love Walker Coonhounds!
> 
> Good with kids and dogs, not so much with cats or other small animals. They're a working-style dog so you will need to always provide lots of tasks/training, else they can get a bit neurotic. They were originally involved in hunting so the lines usually need a lot of outdoor activity, which could be said for a million other breeds as well though.
> 
> ...


These are puppies being dumped, they're turning out "dumb" on their own. I'm not saying they are literally stupid, but they do not pick ANYTHING up. They don't learn to stay clean in their kennels, they don't learn how to run outside instead of sitting in their cage looking like a fool, the mosey around. They're just silly dogs that have no sense of where they're at or what they're doing at all. I would certainly NOT describe these dogs as problem solvers. They may learn if you teach them repetitively, but they aren't figuring out anything on their own. They are VERY different from most breeds/puppies.


----------



## crimsondave (Aug 26, 2011)

DJEtzel said:


> These are puppies being dumped, they're turning out "dumb" on their own. I'm not saying they are literally stupid, but they do not pick ANYTHING up. They don't learn to stay clean in their kennels, they don't learn how to run outside instead of sitting in their cage looking like a fool, the mosey around. They're just silly dogs that have no sense of where they're at or what they're doing at all. I would certainly NOT describe these dogs as problem solvers. They may learn if you teach them repetitively, but they aren't figuring out anything on their own. They are VERY different from most breeds/puppies.


I'm new, so I won't get snippy, but I don't think it's very fair to judge all Walkers by shelter dogs. Being from the south, I've been around lots of Walkers. They are not smart dogs compared to German Shepherds, but they're very trainable. They make great deer dogs, and great family pets.

They need a lot of room to run around, and they don't do well with other small pets other than dogs. Never saw one that was Dog Aggressive. They are MASTERS of escape. It becomes a real pain if you live in an urban area.


----------



## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

crimsondave said:


> I'm new, so I won't get snippy, but I don't think it's very fair to judge all Walkers by shelter dogs. Being from the south, I've been around lots of Walkers. They are not smart dogs compared to German Shepherds, but they're very trainable. They make great deer dogs, and great family pets.
> 
> They need a lot of room to run around, and they don't do well with other small pets other than dogs. Never saw one that was Dog Aggressive. They are MASTERS of escape. It becomes a real pain if you live in an urban area.


I'm sure it is not fair to judge them based on a dozen shelter dogs, but it is a common thing with them, so while they are trainable and great at this and that, it must be a breed trait to be silly and goofy and pay NO attention to what they're doing at all unless they're under strict training/orders. Because the ONLY dogs we have issues with conforming to our routine at the shelter are these dogs. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with them, they just do their own thing and have FUN doing it, but it's extremely annoyying.


----------



## oldhounddog (May 31, 2010)

I can give you a real life perspective on the Walker Hound. I own and hunt/train **** hounds, mostly Redbone coonhounds. Over the years I have hunted and cared for many hound breeds including The Treeing Walker Hound. One of my neighbors has a male/I Walker Hound and a female/N Redbone Coonhound that I help care for when he is away. There is much to be said for the breed, to start with let us show them in a true life setting. The Walker is a tracking machine and has a hot nose like few others, I have seen a Walker on sent after a **** and would stay with the sent of that **** even when crossing the sent of others. A Walker can tell what direction the **** is traveling and at times come to a creek the **** crossed , stop smell the air in a sort of circle and jump to the other side of the creek and find the sent again and be off. If this is not problem solving, I don't know what is b/c in my 40 plus years of hunting and dog work I have seen this many times. As for being clean , they are a clean dog with the usual hound smell that is by no means bad and prefered by many hunters.
They thrive on attention and need a good place to run and perhaps a little exercise . The Walker lives to hunt and track and will do so at every opportunity , and if there is a down side to the breed it is this very strong drive that will make then run off sometimes or jump over the fence to chase a deer, however , is this really bad, the dog is a hard core hunter and it is the responsibility of the owner to keep the dog safe. It is this very special drive that makes them a wonder of nature in it's truest form , just doing what they were born to do...........

I will not make negative comments about any breed as I just love dogs and I would never refer to any dog as dumb. Walker's can be loud and this is mostly wanting the attention of the owner as most dogs do, I find no fault here. Food aggression can be a problem with any breed and can be fixed. Cat aggression is not a problem that is limited to Walker Hounds and can be trained out.

( stubborn ) Well , I am at a loss here as most of the Walker hounds I have had experience with are extremely intelligent and are a great companion dog with a lot of creativity to solve problems. I know of one that wanted to be with the owner so much, it learned how to unlatch his gate by watching the owner and would meet him walking back to the porch and sit there with pride knowing that he figured out how to get to the owner he loved........................................................



I would say the the description given by Sendiulino is very accurate...............................

Best , oldhounddog


----------



## jenz (Aug 20, 2010)

A lot of hound breeds get labeled as 'dumb', and it's really not fair. I don't have experience with scenthounds, but sighthounds routinely make the 'dumbest dog breeds' lists that go around. Just because a dog has it's own agenda and priorities doesn't mean that it's stupid. Personally, I have more respect for an independent thinker than a robot breed that does what you tell it to, but that's just my own preference. 

Papa Deuce, would love to see pictures of your new dog!

Jen


----------



## MegaMuttMom (Sep 15, 2007)

jenz said:


> A lot of hound breeds get labeled as 'dumb', and it's really not fair. I don't have experience with scenthounds, but sighthounds routinely make the 'dumbest dog breeds' lists that go around. Just because a dog has it's own agenda and priorities doesn't mean that it's stupid. Personally, I have more respect for an independent thinker than a robot breed that does what you tell it to, but that's just my own preference.
> 
> Papa Deuce, would love to see pictures of your new dog!
> 
> Jen


This, exactly. We think my dog is a mix of scenthound (probably coonhound), possibly sighthound, and maybe even some husky mixed in (among a few other breeds) and he is definitely independent and strongly driven by the agenda of his nose and eyes. He is very smart but it is not obvious to people who have dogs that are more people oriented (especially not to the german shepherd owner in agility class who has virtually told me she thinks my dog is dumb and hers is the smartest creature on earth). He never misses a motion I make and he reads my every move, that is unless his nose is down, then I could do the polka around him and he may not notice. But, if I have his attention, he will do anything I ask of him. He is a really great dog and I wouldn't trade him for any other dog in the universe!


----------



## Papa Deuce (Mar 26, 2007)

+two said:


> I wish I knew! I have a Bloodhound mix and I can assure you that your next few years will definitely be 'interesting'. What part of the country is he from?


She was a rescue from NC, that we adopted in PA.


----------



## Papa Deuce (Mar 26, 2007)

Well, if she is a dumb hound, then that should be well offset by the Border Collie in her.  

I'll say this... she is stubborn. But she is very easily trained with food. She also took 3 weeks to get housebroken, but now, by and large, if she wants to go out to pee she will slap the door with her paw and make some noise. 

*Most pictures are on my wife's camera.... let me see what I can come up with. *One thing I love about her is that she is already well socialized. She handled a party of 30 people like a champ.... people picking her up and hugging her for about 5 hours straight. We have 2 other dogs and she loves both of them, tho my lab doesn't especially return the love.  But they at least get along "OK". And she has play dates with a neighbor's puggle. 

And she walks on a leash like it's the best thing she could ever do.... until she gets tired. Then she just lays down. But she is only about 11 weeks old.


----------



## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

I just don't see it as them having their own agenda or priorities. It is them having NO idea what's going on and paying NO attention to anything around them. I'm not calling them stupid, but they are very goofy, simple dogs. Hounds may very well get labelled "dumbest dog" and maybe it's because of the way they act. I know that because of the way they act, no one wants to adopt them. They don't want dogs that appear stupid or hard to train like these guys. 

And really, it's not all hounds. We get bassets and beagles all the time and they fit into our routine great, but these Treeing Walkers cannot figure out with way to go to get outside and can't stay clean or quiet to save their lives. They're just VERY, VERY different.


----------



## jiml (Jun 19, 2008)

In my experience, they're stubborn, loud, messy, dirty, lacking brain cells. Cat aggression and food aggression seems to be common amongst them.>>>>

I have a coonhound. I cant totally disagree. Food ag was present since puppyhood. I can train most dogs in half the time with better compliance. Her bark is literally going to give someone a heart attack someday. She has a HOUND smell that takes some getting used to. Love her but shes a pain in the a%$.


----------



## Papa Deuce (Mar 26, 2007)

OK, we have had her almost a month....

My impressions.

1. Stubborn, but smart.

2. Will work for food. 

3. Loves all dogs she has met since we have had her - so that would be 5 dogs.

4. Seems to be figuring out what she can and can't do in our house.

5. No smell that I can tell.

6. Seems INCREDIBLY fastidious in the clean department. 

7. Her bark ( just 3 months old ) is about as welcome as a crochet needle being pushed in my ears, I imagine. It is so high pitched it hurts my eyes. 

8. Affectionate, but not overly so. Like to be petted and then moves on. 

9. *She is a mix*, so I don't know how this holds up if she was a PB. She like to POUNCE on my Golden Retriever. She literally sneaks up on her, jumps up in the air, and lands on her. Fortunately, my GR has finally accepted her and has started playing with her. My yellow lab doesn't like her, and growls at her a lot, but walks away. 

Overall, I like her. She's not my favorite dog ( that was my Australian Shepperd or my previous yellow lab ), but she is growing on me as she is starting to behave more like I want her to.

Still can't figure out how to get pictures off my wife's camera... 

ETA +two, she came from a shelter in NC. We adopted her at a rescue in PA.


----------



## oldhounddog (May 31, 2010)

I like you post ( My impressions. ) , and your description is very accurate IMO .

Like you said : >> she is growing on me as she is starting to behave more like I want her to. <<

I love hounds and you hit the grand prize with number two. >> 2. Will work for food. <<

Hounds are very food motivated and this is the secret to training....................... working for food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! congrats


As I stated earlier , I will not make negative comments about dogs especially Hounds , people just do not understand how to train these wonderful dogs.

However I very much understand that folks may have a fav breed and that is fine , I just don't like condescending statements or attitudes directed towards poor animals that are locked up and not loved. 

Humans do not do well under these conditions either.............................................................


----------



## meggels (Mar 8, 2010)

I have what I believe to be a bluetick coonhound mix that came from Arkansas, but almost everything I've read about her in regards to personality and training doesn't seem very "houndy" to me, so I'm not sure lol...

Would love to see pics of your dog


----------



## oldhounddog (May 31, 2010)

I miss the little Bluetick female that I had at one time. Very sweet personality, great family pet, unique bay, beautiful ears and that heartbreaking sad look as she came to me every morning with her buried in my side wanting to be loved. A true Blurtick will need to be leashed if around roads and traffic. b/c the drive to hunt and track will get them in trouble.

>>I have what I believe to be a bluetick coonhound mix that came from Arkansas, but almost everything I've read about her in regards to personality and training doesn't seem very "houndy" to me, so I'm not sure lol...<<

Could be your dog will be world class companion with just a splash of "houndy". The high pitch of the Bluetick bay is music to my ears.


----------



## meggels (Mar 8, 2010)

oldhounddog said:


> I miss the little Bluetick female that I had at one time. Very sweet personality, great family pet, unique bay, beautiful ears and that heartbreaking sad look as she came to me every morning with her buried in my side wanting to be loved. A true Blurtick will need to be leashed if around roads and traffic. b/c the drive to hunt and track will get them in trouble.
> 
> >>I have what I believe to be a bluetick coonhound mix that came from Arkansas, but almost everything I've read about her in regards to personality and training doesn't seem very "houndy" to me, so I'm not sure lol...<<
> 
> Could be your dog will be world class companion with just a splash of "houndy". The high pitch of the Bluetick bay is music to my ears.



I imagine she's not all bluetick. She's reliable off leash. She doesn't bay, she does have a deep bark though, she sounds like a huge rottweiler lol. She's VERY VERY VERY easy to train, it's almost scary. Very willing to please, not stubborn. Very smart and intuitive. 

This is her the other day, she just turned 2


----------



## TheSeaWithin (Sep 6, 2011)

I don't know much about Treeing Walkers other than a friend who has one and it a great dog. I have a coonhound mix as well. I got him from a shelter a little over a month ago. He is about 2 years old and was at the shelter for 8 months. While we have had stuff to work on, he's a great dog. I could not be happier with him. I love coonhounds! I'm sure yours will be fantastic!


----------

