BlueTick Coonhound

Patches would have never made a good house pet. His need for physical exercise and his inherent gift of smell is similar to the Black and Tan Coonhound's, and like that breed, what he loves best is chasing raccoons up trees. I keep Patches confined fairly close to the house because once he catches wind of a scent he's determined to follow it and put it in a tree, especially that of a coon.

As far as tracking goes, I don't think I could have asked for a more dependable dog than Patches. He's got tremendous amount of stamina and determination and truly enjoys his work. As he has matured, Patches has proved himself very capable of being an excellent watchdog and somewhat protective of his home. He's not particularly aggressive but will certainly let us know when a stranger is approaching.

Patches has become an excellent companion for our kids to hang around with. But he prefers them even more now that they have grown up some themselves. They used to pester him just enough that he'd tire of their play and get up and go off to be by himself. He's a fairly active dog and doesn't like to sleep his day away but it's the scent of a coon that really gets him excited.

Patches has become somewhat of a local celebrity and has appeared in numerous TV commercials. He doesn't mind the attention and I think sometimes he even dreams of the bright lights of Hollywood. Then I have to remind him of his roots and take him out into the woods. No amount of stardom can replace the urges he gets when he smells a raccoon up ahead.