Emily
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Feb 2004
Location: West Kill, NY
Posts: 2047 |
Most coonhounds, foxhounds and curs are good with other dogs (there are individual exceptions). Other breeds do sometimes misunderstand the loud voices of hounds and curs, so you do want to read up on introducing a new dog to the existing dogs. But, basically, do it on relatively neutral territory--not next to the food bowls. No bones or other treats until everyone gets along.
Sounds like you're planning on keeping the new hound in the house. That works fine, but be aware that hounds will follow their noses and will go way farther than a boxer or a yorkie. If your yard is fenced, a fence that will keep in a boxer or a yorkie may not be adequate to contain a hound. Curs are more likely to stick relatively close, but they will also hunt what wanders through and follow it for a distance. The neighbors' cats won't be safe, and if there's no fence, your hound or cur may end up crossing roads (risky) and treed a mile or more from home.
To contain a hound, you will need a fence at least five feet high and reinforced around the bottom to prevent digging under. Otherwise, you will have to kennel or tie it. And, it you live in a suburban-style neighborhood, within town limits, etc., you should look at your town's noise ordinance before geting a hound. Hounds are bred to be loud. If you tie a hound out near neighbors, there will be complaints until you get it trained, and some hounds are hard to cure of kennel barking.
An older, trained hound or cur is definitely the most fun for a new hunter. My first hound taught me more about coon hunting than any person did.
Not sure what part of the country you live in or what you are planning to hunt. A foxhound is fine for game that does not tree--foxes, coyotes, deer (where that is legal), but if you are after raccoons, bobcats, bear or mountain lions, you want a coonhound or a cur. All three are great with kids--the only problem being size and enthusiasm. A hound is big enough to knock over a small child or elderly person if it is excited. You'll need to train it to stay calm. However, with a boxer, your girlfriend should already know how to do that.
If you are planning to keep the hound in the house, don't worry about house training. I have taken in several older hounds and there was no problem housebreaking them, even though they had only lived outdoors before. With two already housetrained dogs, the new dog should figure out housetraining almost immediately. The big problem will be teaching it not to steal food from counters. Mostly, you need to keep food put away.
Curs are famously easy to handle, but there are far more competition events for coonhounds than for curs or foxhounds. If you want to meet other hunters and have fun at hound gatherings, coonhounds are the way to go. The UKC upcoming coonhound events list is here:
http://www.ukcdogs.com/Upcoming.nsf...ound&Type=M
You can go to one of these to meet some other houndsmen and see what its about. The people there will be eager to help you find a suitable hound or cur. The times in the listings are entry deadlines. There are no fees for spectators. There's usually a kitchen offering basic items like hot dogs and hamburgers, and the events are very family-friendly. No alcohol or firearms are allowed, and no animals are hurt at competition events.
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07-05-2013 03:07 PM
