Treeing Tennessee Brindle

Grooming Tips

This coonhound has a smooth, easy-care, tricolor coat that needs only a weekly brushing with a rubber curry. A bath every three months or as needed doesn’t go amiss.The rest is basic care. Trim the nails as needed, usually every few weeks. Brush the teeth regularly (daily if you can) with a vet-approved pet toothpaste for good overall health and fresh breath.Check the ears weekly for dirt, redness or a bad odor that can indicate an infection. If the ears look dirty, wipe them out with a cotton ball dampened with a gentle, pH-balanced ear cleaner recommended by your veterinarian.

Exercise Tips

Treeing Tennessee Brindles need regular exercise to keep them healthy and fit, both physically and mentally.Options for exercise include play time in the backyard, preferably fenced, or going for walks several times a day.Exercise can also come in the form of indoor activities, like hide-and-seek, chasing a ball rolled along the floor, or learning new tricks. Certain outdoor activities like swimming, hiking, or retrieving balls or flying discs can provide a good outlet for expending energy. Training for dog sports like agility, obedience, and rally can also be a great way to give your dog exercise.

Feeding Tips

Given that the Treeing Tennessee Brindle is a fairly large and naturally active breed, you should consider providing him with a dog food formulated for active dogs, particularly one with high protein content.You should also make sure that the food is formulated to meet the needs of large-breed dogs. If your dog does not receive daily exercise, be careful not to overfeed him or he may become obese.Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior).Treatscan be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about whichhuman foodsare safe for dogs, and which are not.Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet.Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

Health Tips

For the most part, the Treeing Tennessee Brindle is a healthy breed. These dogs are at risk for ear infections, however, due to their low-hanging ears, and it is recommended that you perform routine dental checks as well.As is true with many large-breed dogs, the Treeing Tennessee Brindle may also be prone to developing hip dysplasia or patellar luxation. Responsible breeding practices can greatly reduce the risk for these and other congenital diseases.

Trainability

The Treeing Tennessee Brindle is an intelligent breed that does extremely well when trained for hunting. It is important to note, however, that this breed is more sensitive than other dogs so you need to be careful about what training method you choose – positive reinforcement training is recommended.Though a firm and consistent hand in training is required for this breed, the Treeing Tennessee Brindle will not do well if punishment plays a role in training. Once you break this dog’s trust, you are unlikely to ever earn it back. The Treeing Tennessee Brindle has a tendency to bark, so you may want to train him to respond to a “hush” command.

In the words of Treeing Tennessee Brindle Breeders founder, Rev. Earl Phillips: “our original breeding stock came from outstanding brindle tree dogs from every part of the country.” Many came from the Appalachian Mountains, Ozark Mountains and the places in between.In the early 1960s, Rev. Earl Phillips wrote a column for a national hunting dog magazine. By way of his magazine column, Rev. Phillips gathered a wealth of information about these brindle-colored Cur dogs and the people that had or knew about them. Those people who corresponded with Rev. Phillips commended these brindle Cur dogs on their hunting and treeing abilities. There was a group that were trying to promote Cur dogs of different colors but none were trying to exclusively find, preserve and promote the brindle Cur dogs.Early in 1967, Rev. Phillips contacted many of the people that he had corresponded with about brindle Cur dogs. He suggested the formation of an organization to preserve and promote these dogs. On March 21, 1967 the Treeing Tennessee Brindle Breeders Association was formed and recognized as a legal organization by the State of Illinois. The purpose of this Association is to breed a dog brindle in color, smaller in size, with a shorter ear and different in conformation than the Plott. The dog may have dew claws and white feet and breast. By selective breeding, this dog can have great scenting power, be an open trailer with good voice, and retain the great uncanny ability of the Old Brindle Cur dog to tree all kinds of game.