Coonhound vs Bull and Terrier - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Bull and Terrier is a blend between a number of Old English Terriers and the Old English Bulldog. It is believed that this extinct dog was the start of breeds such as the American Pit Bull Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

They were excellent for hunting rats and weren’t a true breed. The dog was popular in the British Isles and in the United States in the 19th Century. They became rare as different varieties of Bull and Terrier were bred and standardized.

Most terriers have a good deal of Old English Bulldog blood in them so as to provide them with the courage to fight and hunt prey, while the English Terrier blood provided a feisty temperament and longer legs for speed.

Around 1860, the Bull and Terrier breed split into 2 categories – the pure white Bull Terrier and the ones of color. The Bull and Terrier was never recognized as a standardized breed by any of the kennel clubs.

The Coonhound, hailing from the United States of America, is a scenthound or hunting dog of which there are 6 distinct breeds which are recognized by the United Kennel Club.

Because foxhounds were regarded as inadequate for hunting, people started looking at the developlent of other hounds who had a keen sense of smell and the ability to track and animal effectively and without necessarily a human commanding it.

Foundation dogs were selected because of their keen sense of smell and Bloodhounds were also added to the Coonhound line to provide the Coonhound with superb tracking skills. Its precise origins are unknown but it is believed that many of the European hunting hounds were involved in its development as well as the Kerry Beagle and the FrenchBleu Gascogne hounds.

It was in 1912 that the first Black and Tans were registered with the United Kennel Club. In 1945 the American Kennel followed.

There isn’t too much detail and information on the Bull and Terrier but we can be sure that with the cross between the Old English Bulldog and the Old English Terrier, he would have been a small to medium sized compact, muscular dog, standing roughly between 38cm to 50cm in height and weighing anything in the region of 11 to 22kg.

He would have had a big head, and most of the dogs had a medium to long tail. His coat was of many colors such as white, fawn, tan or brindle and would have been short and smooth.

As far as temperament goes, the Bull and Terrier would certainly be courageous, feisty, independent, strong and energetic. Socialization wasn’t available in those days but with training, this intelligent breed would be affectionate with his human family.

Known also as the Black and Tan Coonhound, the Coonhound is a medium to large dog weighing 23–34kg and standing at 53-69cm. He makes an exceptional pet.

He has a short, dense coat of black and tan in color with tan markings around the muzzle. He has long, floppy ears and a long tail. With his long, strong, muscled legs he is able to pick up speed when on the hunt. He is known for his deep, booming bark.

Temperament:

The Coonhound isn’t as jaunty as some other dog breeds but he is social, playful and friendly. He is even tempered and sensitive, and you’ll know when you’ve hurt his feelings as he gets a look about him of utter misery.

He definitely isn’t suited to apartment living and being left on his own, and is therefore not suited to an owner who works all day and leaves him on his own. They just love human companionship, and enjoy taking part in all the activities of their owner's life.

Early training and socialization will be necessary to ensure he grows up calm, obedient, relaxed and confident. When he has been socialized he makes an excellent family pet, getting on well with children as well as with other pets in the home.

Nobody seems to be 100% sure when the classic Bull and Terrier dog became extinct but it is strongly assumed that it was some time between 1890 and 1920.

People believe that there are actually surviving breeds that could be considered Bull and Terriers. One thing is sure, when you consider that the Bull and Terrier is actually made up of several breeds such as the Bull Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Boston Terrier and American Pit Bull Terrier then you can imagine the character of the dog – brave, hardy, intelligent, feisty, bold, confident and fearless. He was a dog who loved his human family and would have been both friend and protector.

These dogs have been popular around the world, and have had a strong influence in the development of a number of other breeds. Even today, breeders are always looking at ways to develop new breeds based on the descendants of the Bull and Terrier.

The Coonhound is often described as a carefree, happy-go-lucky type of dog breed who is social and who just loves to spend time with his human family.

They just love their human family, and are full of mischievous tricks, being amusing and entertaining for the family.

He is a playful, gentle dog and he seems to keep his puppy nature much longer than with other dog breeds, but this is part of his appealing nature. He isn't a dog breed for everyone as some dog owners might want a more serious breed, but when trained and socialized, he promises to turn out to be an adored family pet.

The Bull and Terrier was no doubt a robust breed with few health issues. However his owners of that time would have had to be aware of eye diseases such as cataracts that could have lead to blindness.

Other health issues they would have had to contend with would have been hip and elbow dysplasia, a disease which can cause lameness in a dog accompanied with pain. Because the Bull and terrier was mixed with the English Bulldog, the dog owners would have had to be aware of respiratory health problems, as the Bull dog is a breed that is susceptible to these problems.

Coonhounds usually enjoy very good health, but they can still suffer with any one of the more common dog illnesses there are. They’ve got long ears so they are more prone to ear infections. Also, hip dysplasia has been recorded too.

It is why so many breeders opt to have their dogs certified by the Orthopedic Foundation of America.

Ear infections in dogs with long ears are common and most dogs who suffer with an ear infection will scratch at the ears and shake their heads. There can also be redness in the ear.

Mites, bacteria and yeast are all common problems, and your veterinarian can treat it and show you how to clean the dog’s ears to keep them free from infection in the future.

Grooming:

Long ago the Bull and Terrier was developed to be a hunting dog, and because he was a blend of the English Bulldog and Terriers such as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and English Terrier, he no doubt had a short coat that would have required being brushed down from time to time.

Diet:

The Bull and Terrier dog was bred for hunting, and he would have in all likelihood have caught some of his own food. He would therefore have got a lot of protein in. His owners would also have fed him some of their own food too which would have been eggs, home-made bread, rice, fresh vegetables and meat.

He would have had a good quota of raw meat in his diet too and this would have ensured that his coat was shiny and glossy, free of rashes. Dogs such as the Bull and Terrier wouldn’t have eaten commercially produced kibble as that was only introduced in the 1930s.

Exercise:

Your Coonhound will want a lot of exercise. While you keep him on a leash when walking him or allowing him to run while you cycle, he’ll also want a place where he can run off the leash.

Grooming:

Even though the Coonhound is a short haired dog, he does shed. Making use of a rubber curry brush, brush him down twice a week to maintain his beautiful black, velvety coat.

Because he is an athletic outdoor dog, he may be more prone to picking up ticks and fleas and there are excellent shampoos available that keep these parasites at bay for a good many days.