It’s recommended that Treeing Walker Coonhounds get about a mile of exercise a day. Of course, it might be more convenient to pack some of these miles into the end of your weekend on long, relaxing strolls than during the busy week. But this dog should get some form of exercise every day; it’s not a dog that will fare particularly well if left at home with no one to play with.
If you live in a space without a huge deal of room — or a backyard — a Treeing Walker Coonhound may not be the most sensible option for you. This dog will fare best in a place
where it has enough space to roam but also where it’s at slightly less risk of annoying nearby neighbors with its bark, which can be quite loud.
This dog’s coat is low-maintenance, not requiring much in the way of brushing. Brushing it once a week isn’t a bad idea. Also pay attention, of course, to its teeth and nails, which should be brushed and trimmed respectively; aim for once a week for teeth and about once a month for nails, depending on what’s happening with your individual dog’s nails.
Because of this breed’s vulnerability to the ear condition otitis externa, checking and cleaning your dog’s ears is important. You may want to keep the hair around their ears nice and trim, to make ear infections a little less likely — and spotting them a little less difficult.
Treeing Walker Coonhound health risks
It’s a strong dog, but the Treeing Walker Coonhound isn’t invincible. Sometimes it will fall ill or simply have inherited an unfortunate condition. Here are some problems that will be more likely to affect the breed:
Polyradiculoneuritis
So associated with this kind of dog that it’s sometimes known as coonhound paralysis, acute canine polyradiculoneuritis is a condition that affects a dog’s legs and, consequently, other areas of the animal’s life like muscle tone, pain sensitivity, and ability to go to the toilet.
It’s possible that polyradiculoneuritis is caused by contact with the saliva of a raccoon, but other potential causes include a reaction to a vaccine; an autoimmune reaction; or a toxoplasma gondii infection. While treating your dog, your vet will want to closely monitor them in hospital, where they may need help with oxygen and with consuming enough liquid.
Hip dysplasia
Affecting almost every single breed of dog, hip dysplasia is one condition that parents of Treeing Walker Coonhounds need to look out for in particular. It’s an issue that’s often diagnosed more frequently in larger dogs. This is when the ball and socket of both hip joints are malformed in some way, causing the head of the dog’s femur to grind in the socket of the joint, not glide smoothly. It can be caused by malnutrition, injury or weight gain and will be noticeable as a result of your dog not moving smoothly, not jumping, or having lameness in the hind legs.
Otitis externa
A very common condition, otitis externa affects the outer canal of your dog’s ear. If you notice your dog is irritable around their ear, has discharge there, or is generally irritated and depressed, they may have this problem, which gets more serious the further into the ear it goes. Generally, this isn’t a hugely serious condition. Otitis interna, by contrast, can be, because the irritation, swelling and discharge is occurring closer to vital nerves and the brain.
Make sure you look after your Treeing Walker Coonhound’s health as best as you can. Is your pet covered for all of the above conditions on your pet insurance? Compare top pet insurance providers in seconds.
A typical Treeing Walker Coonhound lifespan is 12-13 years, so look after this precious dog - consider investing in a wellness plan so that it is as well cared for as possible.
Feeding a Treeing Walker Coonhound — what’s the best diet?
Our friends and online partners at Dog Food Advisor can offer you a wealth of advice about specific types of food and exactly what they contain. But, because they get tons of exercise, Treeing Walker Coonhounds definitely need to be fed enough good-quality, protein-rich food.
Try around two, maybe three cups of food a day.
