Treeing Walker Coonhound

Personality

Treeing Walkers are friendly, sensible hounds with an engine that never quite shuts off outdoors. The AKC calls the breed smart, brave and sensible, and describes an openhearted dog that welcomes everyone, kids and household pets included. Indoors, many are mellow, comfort-loving companions once the day's work is done.

There is a strong-willed side. The AKC mentions a stubborn, independent streak and a very high prey drive: once a Walker locks onto a scent, it may stop listening. Expect a vocal dog, too. The United Kennel Club standard describes a voice that is a ringing, bugle-like call or a steady chop, with a noticeable change when the dog trees its quarry. That voice delights hunters and can try the patience of neighbors.

Walkers are sociable dogs that enjoy company, human or canine. They like to be where the action is, and the AKC notes that play with human and canine friends helps keep them healthy.

History

The name tells the story. The AKC explains that "treeing" means trailing a scent until the quarry climbs a tree, with the hound waiting below and barking for the hunter. A "coonhound" is a dog developed to tree raccoons and sometimes bigger game. "Walker" honors Thomas Walker of Virginia, a pivotal figure in the breed's early development in the mid-1700s.

The United Kennel Club says Thomas Walker imported English hounds in 1742, and these Virginia hounds fed into the Walker hound. Two Kentucky breeders, George Washington Maupin and John W. Walker, are credited with developing the Walker Foxhound. A 19th-century outcross to a stolen dog from Tennessee, known as Tennessee Lead, added game sense, speed and a clear, short voice.

The UKC at first listed Walkers under the English Coonhound, then gave them their own registry in 1945. The AKC recorded the breed in its Foundation Stock Service in 1995 and fully recognized it in 2012. Fans nickname it "The People's Choice."

Appearance, coat & colors

The Treeing Walker is a lean, long-legged hound built to cover ground. The AKC lists 22 to 27 in (56 to 69 cm) for males and 20 to 25 in (51 to 64 cm) for females, with weights of 50 to 70 lb (23 to 32 kg). The look is swift and graceful: long, muscular legs, powerful hindquarters, a deep chest and a streamlined frame.

The short coat is smooth, fine and glossy. Tricolor, which is white, black and tan, is preferred, with white or black as the main color and spots or trim in the others. Bicolor black and white or tan and white dogs are also accepted by the United Kennel Club.

The head is broad with a rather long muzzle, and the soft ears hang gracefully. The AKC describes a sweet face with a gentle, pleading expression. The tail is carried high with a graceful forward curve, like a saber.

Training

The AKC rates Walkers as highly intelligent and keen to learn, and they enjoy pleasing their people, yet a stubborn, independent streak can frustrate trainers who do not understand the "coonhound brain." Keep lessons fun and brief, and reward good work with treats and plenty of praise.

Scent beats everything. A Walker with its nose on the ground can tune out your voice completely, so teach recall early, practice in fenced areas and use a long line elsewhere. The AKC advises a leash for all walks and hikes, because the breed can find an interesting scent impossible to ignore.

Also teach calm greetings, a settle cue and a "quiet" signal for the baying. Scent work and tracking games satisfy the hound's instincts in a way that helps training. A puppy class and a consistent daily routine will make your life easier.

Exercise

This is a high-energy breed. The AKC says a Walker makes a fine running or hiking partner and needs long walks every day as a bare minimum, even though many coonhounds happily turn into couch potatoes at home. Backyard romps, ball chasing and play with human or canine friends help keep it mentally and physically healthy. Our guide to how much exercise a dog needs can help you plan.

Because the prey drive is very high, the AKC says a Walker should be leashed on walks and hikes. A secure fence matters at home, too, since a hound that follows a scent can cover a lot of ground quickly.

Add nose work: scatter treats in the grass, hide toys or teach a tracking game. Ask your vet when a growing puppy is ready for long runs or hikes.

Grooming

The AKC calls the Treeing Walker a very low-maintenance dog whose short, sleek coat sheds dirt and mud easily, so an occasional bath is enough, and wiping the dog with a damp towel or hound glove keeps it shiny. Expect moderate shedding.

Trim the nails every couple of weeks, since long nails can cause discomfort and structural problems. The AKC also says to clean a hound's ears regularly to remove wax and debris and to check for signs of infection. Floppy ears are a tick magnet, so check them whenever your dog comes in from outside.

Brush the teeth several times a week; our guide to brushing your dog's teeth shows how. Grooming sessions are also a good time to look over the skin for ticks, cuts and thorns.

Feeding

A Treeing Walker should do well on a complete and balanced diet for its life stage, whether store-bought or home-cooked under your vet's guidance, says the AKC. It also warns that a hound that isn't hunting tends to gain weight, so monitor calories and weight, especially for pet dogs that get less activity than a hunting dog.

Measure meals instead of free-feeding and count treats as part of the daily total. Our dog food calculator gives a starting estimate, and your vet can adjust it for your dog's activity level.

Training with a scent-driven hound often involves treats, so use small pieces. Fresh water should always be available, especially after long runs. Ask your vet which puppy formula suits a large-breed hound and when to switch to an adult diet.

Health

The AKC calls the Treeing Walker a fairly healthy breed overall and lists a lifespan of 12 to 13 years. Responsible breeders screen for hip dysplasia and eye anomalies, and the parent club's recommended tests are a hip evaluation, an eye exam by a veterinary ophthalmologist and a thyroid evaluation.

The everyday health job is the ears. Floppy hound ears can trap wax, moisture and debris, which can lead to infection, and the AKC says ticks love to burrow beneath them. Check the ears whenever your dog comes in from outside and clean them at least weekly. Ask your vet about tick prevention in your area; our page on Lyme disease explains why it matters.

Weight is the other issue, since a pet hound can easily gain weight. Keep your dog lean, and schedule yearly checkups.

Health conditions to know about

• Hip dysplasia — Joint malformation that responsible breeders screen for with a hip evaluation.
• Eye anomalies — Breeding dogs should be examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist.
• Ear infections — Floppy ears trap wax and debris; the AKC advises regular cleaning and checks.
• Thyroid disease — The parent club recommends a thyroid evaluation of breeding dogs.
• Overweight — A hound that isn't working is prone to gaining weight, so monitor calories.

Health tests to ask a breeder about

• Hip evaluation
• Eye exam by a veterinary ophthalmologist
• Thyroid evaluation

Written from veterinary sources by the Pawsplained editorial team. Not yet reviewed by a veterinarian; this is general information, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. Updated Oct 30, 2026. Editorial policy

Living with a Treeing Walker Coonhound

A Treeing Walker is not an apartment dog. Its voice carries, it needs a lot of exercise, and the AKC notes a very high prey drive. The best match is an active household with a securely fenced yard, a taste for running or hiking, and neighbors who can tolerate baying.

Indoors, many Walkers relax readily. The AKC describes them as gentle, loving and good with kids and family pets. The prey drive still deserves respect around small animals that roam free, so supervise introductions.

Plan for company. Walkers are social dogs that enjoy playing with people and other dogs, and a bored hound will find ways to keep itself busy. Give the dog daily scent games and exercise, and keep a leash on any time you leave the fence.

Puppies, breeders & rescue

Ask any breeder for a hip evaluation, an eye exam by a veterinary ophthalmologist and a thyroid evaluation on both parents; those are the parent club's recommended tests, according to the AKC. The AKC recognized the breed in 2012, and the United Kennel Club has registered it far longer, so you may see dogs from either registry.

Many Walkers come from hunting lines bred for performance, so ask what the parents do, how they behave in the house and what the breeder expects from the home. Meet the mother, see where puppies are raised and look for a written contract. Prices vary widely.

Coonhounds also turn up in shelters and breed rescues. Ask the rescue about the dog's behavior around small animals, strangers and other dogs.