BigGameHoundsmen.com

Hi there,

My family recently adopted a dog from our local shelter and I was hoping someone here might be able to help us identify her breed. We’ve been told that she might be a TWC and based on my online research I think that’s pretty close. I’m not sure she’s purebred, though, so maybe there’s something else in there. I’ve attached a couple of photos I took on a recent walk. She walks nose to the ground and has become excited and focused when squirrels have gone by (we haven’t yet encountered anything bigger). She’s quiet as a mouse, however, and super sweet. She literally has not barked or howled once since we got her earlier this week. She’s a bit timid, but generally socializes well with other dogs. She’s been great in our house. She obviously had some humans at some point because she’s fairly housebroken and took to her walking harness instantly. Any help with her breed would be great. Just want to make sure we’re giving her exactly what she needs for the type of dog she is. Thanks for the help!

It’s great you found a good dog. I have never known a Treeing Walker that naturally does not bark. I have never known a pure bred Treeing Walker that made a good house pet. I have heard of it, but would have to see it to beleive it. Many walkers that have been trained to lead would drag you down the street if they thought they could get away with that; as in a new owner that does not know they have been taught manners. I have not personally known any pure bred treeing walkers that were colored that way. But there are hundreds of walkers I have never seen. Probably a majority of dogs would show interest in a squirrel, and any scent hound base of genetics might cause a dog to be nose to the ground. So I am not saying it can not be a Treeing Walker. But it does not fit the pure bred Treeing walkers I have known personally. But it sure sounds like it is a lucky dog to have you for it’s family and you are a lucky family to have it for a dog and I am sure you are giving it just what it needs.

Thanks for the reply, David! I agree that she definitely exhibits traits that are inconsistent with a TWC. I thought maybe she had some Foxhound in her, which I know is deep in the TWC breed line anyway but maybe she had a little more than most. Her coat has some slight ticking, which is hard to see in the photos, but I was also trying to figure out where that might have come from - my first thought was Pointer but I’m not so sure about that anymore. The shelter didn’t have much info on what her life was like before we adopted her - she was a rescue from a Western exurb of Washington, DC. They described her as shy and a little skittish, we’ve seen it as a bit introverted. Not sure how she got that way, either naturally or through life experience. But we’re assuming she has at least some Hound in her and trying to give her plenty of exercise and opportunities to express those traits. We’re headed up to the family farm this weekend where we might get a chance to observe her in a more comfortable setting. Regardless, she’s been a great dog this week and we are really happy to have her with us.

I think you and your dog will complement each other splendidly. Enjoy each other and congratulations to both of you and wish you many happy days together.

Based on the fact it looks like she has a flag tail, the color, and the shape of head and ears I would guess running walker or a mix of that. Just my guess, have fun with her and good luck.

Appears to be a foxhound bred dog to me. Glad the dog has a good home now. I would be careful letting her off a leash in the farm because her instinct to pursue game could kick in and she may disappear. I'd be careful letting her off leash until you know her better, I'd hate for you and your family to accidently loose your new pet!

They may not have much info on her background bc she was dropped off. Not saying your is but Many hunting dogs have been stolen from the field while actively being hunted by non hunters, animal rights activist, and people who hate dog hunting. These hounds have been turned loose in other areas with no collars to be caught by animal control and taken to the pound/spca/rescue agencies. Many are taken there directly by the thieves, I heard of several people who have found their dogs taken to spca with no collars after being stolen, over hundred of miles away. And this takes place in Va, Maryland and surrounding states. Many dogs may escape pen or chain without collar and end up in those places too if caught before the owner finds them.
Perk

That’s good info, Perk. Thanks! I didn’t know that about the sort of kidnapping of hunting dogs. That’s sad. I definitely will not be letting her off-leash at the farm, but we have a much longer leash for her to sort of run around on and there’s acres of ground for her to sniff.

I sort of agree that there’s a fair bit of Foxhound in her, but I don’t think she’s pure. She actually did bark today, for the first time, when it was time for dinner. I’m not super familiar with how different breeds should sound, so hearing her bark didn’t help identify her breed. So far the most aggressive she’s been on a leash is when she sees a squirrel. We live next to a giant park along the Potomac with deer, raccoon, fox, beaver and lots of squirrels. We haven’t seen anything but squirrels on our walks, but man she gets after it when she does see one. No sound - no howl, no bark - but she takes off running and it’s a fair bit of effort to get her to calm down and regain her focus on me. But that’s just who she is, I guess. I plan to start jogging with her next week - so far we’ve mostly walked about 4-5 miles a day - and we’ll just go from there. She remains incredibly sweet and docile in our home and, if we don’t see a squirrel, responsive and obedient on the leash. We feel lucky to have her and she seems to be liking her new home. Fingers crossed!

When you breed a red tick coon hound to a large mountain feist a lot of the pups finish out to look like that. If you don’t know what you have it about impossible to figure it out. I’ve guessed on sever dogs to be such and such cross and be way off when the owner that knew set me streight. I’ve hunted with some coon dogs that looked full blood hound that were 1/4 something else. It’s easy to have 1/4 liver bird dog in a treeing walker and never know it.

Theres working beagles that resemble her and as stated foxhounds. Could be a mix. Even though doubtful theres also strains of treeing walkers very similar in mexico ive seen. They arent as vocal or high energy as american bred walkers and lemon and white is very common coloration with muted hound characteristics. But given your location thats much less likely then other options.

a lot of running dogs that coyote hunters use up here look just like her.