BLUETICK COONHOUND GENERAL APPEARANCE OF THE
BY AMY THOMAS, PRESIDENT BLUETICK COONHOUND ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
T he Bluetick Coonhound is a smart and active breed that thrives in an environment where they have a job. They are full of person- ality and are quickly gaining popularity as a companion, coming out of years of their traditional work of trailing game. With the gain in popularity comes heightened interest in the breed and opportunity for newcomers to enter and present them to judges nationwide. Clarification for judges on the General Appearance of the Bluetick is neces- sary, as many judges encounter the breed for the first time in their ring. When casting your eyes upon the Bluetick Coonhound for the first time, the overall impression would be of an athletic hound with bone and sub- stance that has the ability to hunt long distances over a variety of terrain. The Bluetick is neither sloppy nor loose in the body. He is built to run and he is well-boned proportionally to the overall size of the hound. In profile, the Bluetick is square or slightly longer than tall. At a glance, the head, bone, and body style all depict that of a hound. Upon closer inspection, the Bluetick has a broad head with parallel planes, a prominent stop, and ears set on near eye level. The ears reach to nearly the end of the nose, and the muzzle is deep and square. The chest is medium in width when viewed from the front, giving strength to handle rough terrain. When viewed from the side, the chest extends down toward the elbow. The topline is strong and level when viewed in motion and is never high in the withers or rear. The rear has ample width of thigh for strength in pursuit of wild game and is balanced with the angle in the shoulder. A promi- nent feature of this breed beyond the athleticism, bone, and substance is the well-sprung rib cage. As noted in the standard, the spring of the ribs should be wider than the width of the hips when viewed from the rear. Finally, in motion, the tail can be carried out parallel to the ground or in a half moon position. It is never held tightly over or extending down toward the back, or tucked between the legs. Balance is key, with all parts coming together to form the whole. For more information regarding the Bluetick Coonhound, please visit the parent club’s website at https://nationalblueticks.com.
“THE BLUETICK IS NEITHER SLOPPY NOR LOOSE IN THE BODY. HE IS BUILT TO RUN AND HE IS WELL-BONED PROPORTIONALLY TO THE OVERALL SIZE OF THE HOUND.”
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2021 | 225
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