Redbone Coonhound should be 22-27 inches (56-68.5 cm) at the shoulder, with females slightly shorter at 21-26 inches (53-66 cm). Weight should be proportional to the size and bone structure of the individual dogs, with a preference towards leaner working dogs rather than heavier dogs. Generally, weights will range from 45 to 70 lbs (20.5 to 31.75 kg). Males are typically larger and heavier boned than females and carry a deeper bay.
The Redbone Coonhound is an excellent companion and family pet, with some special considerations. They love to be with their owners and family, and are happy just doing things with their humans, or sitting nearby, watching them: a Redbone coonhound who has been left out of the family fun or penned up during the party is often a heartbroken one. Overall, they are very affectionate and loving: they will often leap to their feet barking loudly to greet their master upon his return home and a typical Redbone will shower everyone with love, licking the face off of family and friends if left to his own devices. However, they are also a very boisterous breed: as explained above, adult Redbones grow to a large size. They may not know how big and strong they are when young and thus may accidentally knock over elderly adults and young children if left untrained or never taught the command "heel," so basic obedience MUST be on the agenda with this breed. Very often the redbone can be dubbed an extremely vocal dog, as with many of its close relatives in the hound group, barking and 'baying' at various obstacles and individuals. It takes training to first control their excited, emotional barks, but also to help provide the hounds an outlet for their 'tracking' desires that sometimes drive their vocalizations. If not hunting with the dog, an excellent outlet is to train as a watchdog, seeing that it's a perfect alarm call as well as a highly alert and focused breed.
Redbones do not reach full physical and mental maturity until the age of two years, comparatively slower than many other breeds. Puppies and adolescents are more energetic than adults and need lots of activity or they will become destructive, with chewing furniture, chewing shoes, and snooping around the garbage as particular forms of mischief. When going through obedience training, it is notable that harsher methods will not work with this breed: coonhounds are stubborn but also very sensitive and being overbearing will only result in a broken spirit, a dog terrified of everything. Once trained (and aware of its size) it is typically very gentle with even small children, easily tolerating a curious baby tugging on its long ears.
Coonhounds are in the same group as better known breeds like the Beagle, Basset Hound, and Bloodhound:they are bred to track game both with their noses over long distances, jump over obstacles, and "sing" as they catch up with their quarry. Therefore, this breed likes to chase small animals that may wander into a back garden, like rabbits, squirrels, badgers, or even cats: a Redbone Coonhound owner should have a fence at least 7 feet high to keep the dog in so as to make sure his dog does not follow his nose into trouble and wander from home. Further, this breed, like its relatives, has a very loud baying bark that it will use fervently especially if excited or bored, and thus this breed is not recommended for prospective owners who prefer silence.
Like many hunting dogs, they require a good deal of exercise to be happy and are best suited to the countryside; urban environs are less than ideal but workable so long as they get roughly an hour and a half or more of walking per day. Redbones, especially those kept as family pets have an independent intelligence especially well suited for problem solving. This can be an issue if the problem they want to solve is their backyard fence or the dog-proof garbage. They are able to jump quite high so any fence is preferably a tall one.
The Redbone Coonhound is a relatively healthy dog with few Health Problems. They are sometimes prone to hip dysplasia. An x-ray of the hips will tell a prospective owner if the hips are good. They should be OFA certified as excellent or good. You can often look at the pedigree to see if there is a history of poor hips in a certain family.
Elderly Redbone Coonhounds also have a tendency to get arthritis. Some are afflicted with eye diseases or disorders. A regular annual checkup at your vet is recommended to prevent any Health Problems or catch them when they start. Keeping up on their vaccinations and worming will also ensure that they look good, perform well for you and live a long healthy life.
Usually a healthy breed. About 12-15 years.
