The Treeing Walker Coonhound is a beloved dog – so beloved that she has been given the nickname “The People's Choice.” You may recognize her as the dog that looks like a larger version of a Beagle.
Treeing Walker Coonhound Temperament and Personality
The three most notable traits of the Treeing Walker's temperament are:
Active Temperament
Don't be fooled by the “walker” in her name. Because she has a higher energy level, the Treeing Walker loves to exercise.
The “hound” in the Treeing Walker Coonhound's name means she also loves to hunt. So if you are into hunting, then this is the ideal breed for you. She is a hard worker who hunts both large and small game.
Incidentally, the Treeing Walker changes her bark when she’s on the hunt to resemble a kind of baying. This is to alert her hunter-master so the latter can find and follow her to the prey.
Intelligent Temperament
It goes without saying that you can expect a dog bred for hunting like the Treeing Walker Coonhound will be smart.
She Can Climb Trees
Yes, you read that right. The Treeing Walker Coonhound can climb trees! With this breed, it’s not enough to have a high fence. She can climb tall fences, and she can climb the trees surrounding the fence to get over it anyway.
The best way to keep her in the yard is to always keep her on a leash when you’re outside with her, no matter what. Don’t trust this monkey-dog not to climb the trees in your yard for a sniff at freedom!
She Loves to Bark
Her barking may become a problem for you, especially if she's barking at everything that moves. But, because she's so smart, this is something you can easily train her to control.
She’s Amiable
The Treeing Walker has no problem getting along with other dogs. However, this depends highly on the individual dog’s temperament. Some Treeing Walkers will be bossy and pushy with other dogs to better determine where they fit in the overall marching order.
As for smaller animals, remember, she is a hunter at heart. Some Treeing Walkers can get along with cats just fine, though they are more likely to stalk smaller animals. So, you may want to refrain from having a Treeing Walker around, say, a hamster or ferret.
She Likes Kids
When it comes to children, the Treeing Walker gets along just fine with them. Like most other Hounds, it takes a lot to push a Treeing Walker to her limit, so even small children are okay around the Treeing Walker.
Just be sure to supervise any younger children (under 6 years old) to prevent either the dog or the child from suffering an injury due to a misunderstanding or the child playing too rough.
Need a true sign that this dog has a good deal of energy? She can go out hunting all day and still have enough energy to enjoy a full play session with the kids upon her return.
She’s Smart
It probably goes without saying since she’s a hunting dog, but the Treeing Walker is also a very smart dog. Her favorite activity, hands down, is hunting because she gets to use up her physical energy while challenging herself mentally as well.
She Hates Alone Time
The Treeing Walker is one of those breeds you can’t leave alone for too long, else she can develop separation anxiety. If you tend to be away from home for long periods of time, then the Treeing Walker is not a good match for you.
A Brief History of the Treeing Walker Coonhound
The Treeing Walker Coonhound breed came to be as a result of the efforts of two breeders in Kentucky.
The dogs the breeders initially bred – Walker Hounds – were bred for the purpose of hunting raccoons.
One day, a stolen dog of unknown origin was bred with a Walker Hound, and the stolen dog’s traits dominated the traits of the Walker Hound, leading to the Treeing Walker Coonhound that we know today.
The breed was not recognized as its own breed, however, until 1945.
How Do You Train a Treeing Walker Coonhound?
The Treeing Walker is eager to please. However, she also has a stubborn streak that may affect your ability to train her.
In order to keep her interest, you may want to vary up your training methods. Make a game out of it, and be sure to heap on the praise.
You can use treats but use them sparingly. It's important to keep an eye on your Treeing Walker's weight, and treats, just like junk food, can pack on the pounds quickly.
Something important to remember with the Treeing Walker is that, as a hunter, she’s naturally good at finding ways to outsmart her prey…and she’ll do the same with you.
She is not the kind of dog who will just do what you say because you tell her to. You must remain consistent, positive, and persistent, and she’ll eventually come around.
Helpful Dog Training Resource:
For help with training your Treeing Walker Coonhound dog, you should take a look at The Online Dog Trainer by Doggy Dan. Doggy Dan is an expert Dog Trainer based in New Zealand. His online resource contains Hundreds of Excellent Dog Training Videos that will take you step-by-step through the process of developing a healthy, happy well-behaved dog.
Caring for a Treeing Walker Coonhound
With the appropriate amounts and types of grooming, exercise, and food, you can keep your Walker Coonhound happy and healthy into his senior years.
How Do You Groom a Treeing Walker Coonhound?
Grooming a Walker Coonhound is a dream. Because of her short coat, it's easy to brush off any dirt she may roll around in with just a damp towel.
She doesn't require frequent baths – only occasionally. You'll notice her coat stays shiny with little maintenance.
Trim her nails when you notice they're causing her discomfort.
Clean her ears regularly to prevent infection. Your Walker Coonhound will love the attention and closeness with you that cleaning her provides.
If you tend to develop allergies around dogs, then the Treeing Walker Coonhound is not for you. While no dog is truly “hypoallergenic,” this is not one of those breeds you can bring home anyway despite your allergies. She has a short coat, but you can still suffer allergies from her saliva and/or dander.
Do Treeing Walker Coonhounds Shed?
You may be surprised to learn how much a Coonhound can shed, despite their short coats. So yes, they do shed…a lot.
There’s also something you need to know regarding how a Coonhound smells. Coonhounds have a smell that some call particularly “doggy.” You may find this smell to be overpowering to the point where this breed may not make for a good match for you.
Exercise
The Walker Coonhound is an active breed and, as such, she loves to run.
However, this breed won't keep you on your toes all day like a Husky would. She is just as happy lounging around as she is chasing after a ball.
Never forget that she’s a born hunting dog. This means she will still have a good amount of energy she needs to burn off daily. And she’ll be happy to do that in any way you show her.
She loves hiking, swimming, and jogging, to name a few. If you take her jogging, stick to softer ground or grass, rather than concrete.
Remember, because she's a hound you'll definitely want to leash her up for walks – especially with that climbing ability of hers. Once she catches a good whiff of potential prey, she's more likely to be off and running.
Bottom line is to make sure you and she both get a chance to exercise daily, the benefits are tremendous.
Food
As with any other breed, high-quality dog food is ideal for the Treeing Walker.
And, of course, the dog's diet should be appropriate to her age. Puppies get puppy food, while adults get adult food.
As mentioned in the training section, be careful with treats. Just like people, she shouldn't eat too much “junk food.”
The Treeing Walker Coonhound Appearance
If you’re concerned about the size of a Treeing Walker Coonhound, you should know that, on average, they weigh between 50 and 70 lbs. They stand between 20 and 25 inches tall for a female, and between 22 and 27 inches tall for a male.
As far as colors go, the Treeing Walker Coonhound comes in black, white, or tricolor.
Health of a Treeing Walker Coonhound
For a slightly larger dog, the Treeing Walker has a remarkably long life expectancy of, on average, 12 to 13 years.
Overall, Treeing Walkers are generally healthy. You only really need to keep an eye out for hip dysplasia and ear infections.
She is particularly prone to ear infections due to the size of her ears and the fact that they hang down, thereby trapping any potential moisture inside.
If you take your Treeing Walker hunting, you'll also want to keep her as safe as possible from injuries. Being the hunter that she is, she's not likely to back down from a fight.
Helpful Dog Health Resource:
Note: Our Health is #1 Priority. It should be no different for your dog. But you need to help him. The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health is the answer. This handy guide will help you recognize the symptoms of the health problems above. Get the knowledge to stay ahead of these terrible issues that can rob your lovely dog from vigor and life. Help your friend make it to 14 yrs+ without pain and suffering.
Finding the Perfect Treeing Walker Coonhound Puppy
Whether you choose to adopt or shop, it's important to have some information in advance before you purchase a Treeing Walker Coonhound.
Always do your research, especially before you spend your hard-earned cash.
Make sure you are getting a healthy dog from a licensed breeder who has completed the necessary certifications before putting his or her puppies up for sale.
How Much is a Treeing Walker Coonhound?
It may surprise you that typically, Treeing Walker puppies for sale cost between $400 and $600. Not a bad price.
Interested in purchasing a Tree Walker Coonhound puppy of a higher pedigree? Then you should expect the puppies' price to be between $2,000 and $6,000. Big difference.
Treeing Walker Coonhound Rescue and Adoption
Before adopting a Walker Coonhound, it is important to make sure that the puppy has received all of the necessary shots before you bring her home.
Most adoption centers will also neuter the puppy before authorizing the puppy's release.
Adoption fees, when compared to what you would pay at through a breeder, are significantly lower. Typically, for adoptions, you would pay about $150 to cover shots and neutering.
Treeing Walker Coonhound Breeders
You should thoroughly vet a Treeing Walker breeder, just as you would with any other breeder before you spend a dollar of your money with them.
The breeder should have a license, as well as the necessary physical copies of certifications to prove they have had the dog checked and cleared for the conditions that plague his breed.
In this case, you would want to see a certification clearing the Treeing Walker of hip dysplasia, as well as any ear infections she may have at the point of purchase.
Of course, with this breed ear infections can always pop up later on. But you don’t want to have to shell out extra money paying to fix something the breeder should have been on top of.
The AKC has a Puppy Finder on its website that allows you to search for licensed, reputable breeders of a specific breed within your area.
The Puppy Finder is also helpful for finding groomers, dog sitters, and dog walkers that come highly recommended.
Check out this complete guide to choosing a dog breeder before you go further in your search for Treeing Walker Coonhound.
Treeing Walker Coonhound Mixes
If a mixed breed is what you’re after, you’re in luck. There are several Treeing Walker Coonhound mixed breeds out there for you to choose from. Here are a select few:
- BT Walker (Boxer mix)
- English Bull-Walker (Bulldog mix)
- Walker Greyhound (Greyhound mix)
- Treeing Walker Coonoodle (Poodle mix)
A Final Word about the Treeing Walker Coonhound
The Treeing Walker Coonhound temperament is active and she lives to please.
She's easy to groom and fairly easy to train, though she can lose sight of the target if she gets bored.
Refrain from giving her an abundance of treats, but do heap on the praise when she does a good job.
Whether you choose to adopt or shop, make sure you research the organization or breeder thoroughly before you take that puppy home. Make sure she has all of her shots and that she is free of any problems that typically plague the breed.
Kailyn has worked as a professional freelance writer since 2012, and during that time she has written about nearly every dog breed imaginable. Her mother loved Collies, and so Kailyn grew up with three of them throughout her childhood – including a blonde one who was half-blind! Now her home belongs to her first official dog, Macho, a Dogo Argentino rescue.