The Bluetick Coonhound is a stunning breed with a unique set of colors. Their coat can range from a rich chestnut to a dark blue speckle, with or without white markings.
Bluetick Coonhounds typically have a distinctive ticking pattern on their coat, which is where they get their name. This pattern is created by small, rounded spots or flecks of color.
Their coat can be a solid color, with or without white markings, or a combination of colors with a predominantly blue or black background.
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Bluetick Coonhound Colors
The Bluetick Coonhound's coat is a beautiful sight to behold. Their smooth, glossy coat is dark blue, with a thick, mottled pattern of black spots on the back, ears, and sides.
Their head and ears are mostly black, with tan markings over the eyes and on the cheeks. The Bluetick Coonhound's dark red ticking is visible on their feet, lower legs, chest, and below the tail.
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Coat Color Variations
The Bluetick Coonhound's coat color is quite striking. The dark blue coat is thickly mottled with black spots on the back, ears, and sides.
Their head and ears are mostly black, with tan markings over the eyes and on the cheeks. This distinctive coloring is a hallmark of the breed.
Dark red ticking is a notable feature on the feet, lower legs below the body line, the chest, and below the tail.
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Color Genetics
Color Genetics plays a significant role in determining the Bluetick Coonhound's coat colors.
The genetics of coat color in Bluetick Coonhounds is influenced by multiple genes, each controlling different aspects of color production.
The interaction of these genes results in the wide range of colors seen in the breed, including the distinctive blue and ticked patterns.
The genetics of the black color in Bluetick Coonhounds is controlled by a dominant gene, which means that only one copy of the gene is needed to express the trait.
The interaction between the black gene and the gene controlling the ticked pattern results in the characteristic black and white ticking seen in the breed.
The genetics of the blue color in Bluetick Coonhounds is a result of a dilution of the black pigment, which is caused by a recessive gene.
The dilution gene must be present in both parents for the blue color to be expressed in their offspring.
The combination of the dilution gene and the ticked pattern gene results in the distinctive blue-ticked pattern seen in many Bluetick Coonhounds.
Coonhound Appearance
The Bluetick Coonhound is a muscular and speedy breed, with a head that's carried up and a tail that's carried over the back without any signs of fear or nervousness.
Their coat is moderately coarse and glossy, with a distinctive "blue" coloring that comes from black ticking on a white background, giving the impression of a navy blue color.
The ticking covers the body and can be interspersed with variously-shaped black spots on the back, ears, and sides, with a preference for more blue than black on the body.
Black should predominate on the head and ears, and Bluetick Coonhounds can come either with or without markings.
With markings means they'll have brown markings above the eyes, along both sides of the muzzle, on the chest, and down all of the legs.
Females are generally smaller than males, with an average weight of 45 to 65 pounds, while males weigh approximately 55 to 80 pounds.
Their feet should be cat-like, rounded with well-arched toes, and their paws are larger than those of nearly all other breeds of dogs.
Rear legs should have a moderate bend at the hocks, and all legs should be straight from the dog's body to the ground when viewed from the front or rear.
Gascon blues, a variation of the Bluetick Coonhound, are larger than standard Blueticks, with males a minimum of 27 inches and a maximum of 30 inches tall.
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Sources
- Bluetick Coonhounds - Dog Breeds (embarkvet.com)
- Bluetick Coonhound Dog Breed Information (akc.org)
- "Registration Info - AKC Coonhounds" (akccoonhounds.org)
- The New Complete Dog Book: Official Breed Standards and All-New Profiles for 200 Breeds- Now in Full-Color (google.com)
- Foxhounds, Coonhounds, and Other Hound Dogs (google.com)
- Bluetick Coonhound Breeders of America (bluetickbreedersofamerica.com)
- Bluetick Coonhound Rescue (rescueme.org)
- Bluetick Breeders of America (bluetickbreedersofamerica.com)
- National Bluetick Coonhound Association (nationalblueticks.com)
- Bluetick Coonhound Dog Breed Information & ... - DogTime (dogtime.com)
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