jackbob42
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Oct 2003
Location: mid-michigan
Posts: 4437 |
" History of the Treeing Walker Coonhound Breed
The development of the Treeing Walker Coonhound is credited to Thomas Walker and George Washington Maupin. The history of most coonhounds recognized by the UKC is deeply rooted in the lineage of the dogs imported by these two men. Thomas Walker of Albemarle County, Virginia imported the English foxhound to Virginia in 1742. George Washington Maupin, from Kentucky, also imported several hounds from England in 1770. These dogs became the foundation for the Virginia hounds that were developed into the Walker hound. Sometime in the 1800s, the lineage of the Walker hound split from the ancestry they share with other coonhounds, when “Tennessee Lead” was crossed into the Walker Hound breed. Tennessee Lead was a stolen dog from Tennessee of unknown origin. Lead was a powerful dog with excellent drive, speed, and hunting skills. He didn’t look like the Virginia strain of English foxhounds either, notably different was his clear, short mouth. Initially registered with the UKC as part of the English coonhound breed, the Walkers were registered of their own right in 1945, first as Walkers (Treeing) and later as Treeing Walkers. The Treeing Walker breed excels in its ability to run and tree game. Some Treeing Walkers can literally climb the tree after its prey, however it can be trained to simply howl to let its owner know that the prey is cornered. "
Well , let's see.........
It says Thomas Walker imported foxhounds from England in 1742. And then the sign says it was 1852 ( 90 years later ) when Lead ( a black & tan hound ) was stolen out of a " deer chase " ( running dog ) and sold to Maupin.
So , the way I figure it , Walker was at least 18 when he imported the hounds from England , so that would have made him at least 108 years old when Lead became the foundation sire. Possibly still alive , but not likely , so I don't see how he could have had anything to do with developing these hounds into coonhounds.
It wasn't until Lester Nance and friends started breeding them running dogs ( in the 1930's ) into tree dogs and for the the tri-color , that you see today , that they were developed into the Treeing Walker coonhound of today.
And it was Lester Nance who first got them registered as " Treeing Walkers " with the Full Cry Kennel Club. UKC didn't register them as such until 1978.
If they were coonhounds in the 1700 & 1800's , why were they still called " foxhounds " in the 1930's?
" Some Treeing Walkers can literally climb the tree after its prey, however it can be trained to simply howl to let its owner know that the prey is cornered. "
I've never see a walker dog that could climb any better than any of the other breeds , so this statement has me wondering about the author and just how much he really knew ! LOL
__________________
Bob Brooks /
Jordan Tyler (grandson)
BackWoods River Walkers/Beagles
Just all 'round , meat gettin' hounds.
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07-04-2008 11:07 PM
Sorry...): still, i didnt mean THE 1st. i ment 1 of the 1st.
