The American English Coonhound evolved from Virginia Hounds, descendants of English Foxhounds.
Originally these hounds were used to hunt fox by day and raccoons by night and were named the English Fox and Coonhound.
Today's American English Coonhound is a wide-ranging hunter that possesses tremendous speed and endurance, and excellent voice.
A strong and graceful athlete, he needs regular exercise to stay in peak shape.
The breed's hard, protective coat is of medium length and can be red and white ticked, blue and white ticked, tri-colored with ticking, red and white, and white and black.
The breed is pleasant, alert, confident and sociable with both humans and dogs.
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The AKC recently allowed this breed to show and a lovely one was in Westminster this year.
As long as a breed type is set and maintains that type for a certain amount of time, it may go on to be recognized as a distinct breed.
In fact, that's how all breeds came to be.
The Chinook is a Mastiff/Husly mix that is now an official breed.