Kyi-Leo vs American English Coonhound - Breed Comparison

The Kyi-Leo first came about in the 1950s in San Francisco, USA, with the crossing of two dog breeds – the Lhasa Apso and the Maltese.

Because this is a mixed-breed dog, it isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club, but it is recognized by some of the other dog associations such as the American Rare Breed Association or ARBA as it is known. Today the dog is looked upon as a designer breed.

The American English Coonhound was developed in the Southern part of the United States from the variety of English hunting dogs that came to the States with the early settlers. At one point they were known as the Virginia Hound. This breed is well known for its prowess in hunting raccoons and her endurance and speed. Of course as a hound dog he loves to howl during the hunt and at home with the family. He can be frustrated and destructive if his energy and need for a job are not satisfied.

The Kyi-Leo is a small dog standing at 20 – 30cm in height and weighing in the region of 4 – 6kg.

He has a long, silky coat which is essentially black and white or grey/silver and white or even gold and white. He has frail legs which can become injured or broken in vigorous rough and tumble games.

Temperament:

You can certainly describe the Kyi-Leo as a sweet, quiet, non-aggessive playful dog, and for anyone who wants a splendid pet and companion, this dog makes a great family pet and he won’t cost you an arm and a leg to feed either.

He also has an acute sense of hearing and this turns him into an excellent ‘alarm’ watch-dog. It is also a dog, that while he will love to join you on a walk, he isn’t a dog that is going to demand a lot of exercise.

He responds well to his human family, is easy-going and gentle, tending to be cautious around strangers. You can trust him to be an awesome playmate for children. In this instance, it’s the children who should be warned when playing with a dog like this as, because of his fragile build, he could easily be injured by children who haven’t been taught to respect animals.

Even though he is such an amicable pet, it will still be of benefit to you and him to have him trained and socialized. Then he responds well to basic commands such as sit, stay and lie-down.

Dogs who spend time with their family, pick up on the ‘culture’ of the family and they learn how to behave. Dogs who are left on their own and never socialized can become nervous and aggressive towards people as they never got to learn how to behave – they weren’t socialized.

The American English Coonhound is an athlete with a deep chest and cute face. They have broad heads, domed skulls, dark eyes and soft, low ears. They are as fast and athletic as they look. These are highly athletic dogs with long legs and a slim but muscular body. They are so well built for their hunting role, that any deficiencies are quickly identified and bred out of the breed.

The Kyi-Leo is everything you want in a family companion – active, playful, loving, gentle, happy and balanced.

He loves his human family but tends to be a little bit wary around strangers, gradually warming to them.

He may be small, but he is robust and alert, and he is also capable of making you a good watchdog.

The Kyi-Leo is an all-round great little pet to have.

The American English Coonhound knows how to relax just as much as he knows how to work. He is mellow after work and tenacious in the chase. This is not the dog for a first-time owner. They are stubborn and hard to train. They howl and bark at home as much as they do on the hunt. They need a strong pack leader, especially when living in the city or neighborhoods.

They are outgoing and friendly and very sensitive. They mature later than most other breeds their size. They are about 2 when they mature.

Your Kyi-Leo is such a feisty, robust little dog who is not likely to cost you much in terms of health care. With his frail legs, it is a good thing to know that you need to be careful with him in terms of back-and joint problems.

There are actually knee joint issues which are fairly common in small dogs, one of which is patellar luxation.

Patellar Luxation:

This is where the kneecap pops out of the thighbone, causing the dog to skip or hop. Some joint issues are genetic and may require surgery. Make sure to keep your pet’s weight under control to remove additional stress on the joints.

Pancreatitis:

This is another dog illness you want to be careful with. Acute pancreatitis -inflammation - is when the condition comes on suddenly while chronic pancreatitis is when pancreatitis occurs over a period of time.

With acute pancreatitis in dogs you’ll see symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, tremors and reluctance to eat. Pancreatitis can be brought on by too much fat, especially rancid fat, some anti-biotics, a low protein diet or a sickness such as diabetes.

If you suspect pancreatitis in your dog, get him as quickly as possible to the vet.

If kept active and happy, the American English Coonhound has very few health problems. The benefit from a large gen pool but do have some health concerns including elbow and hip dysplasia, ear infections, cataracts, bloat, and Progressive Retinal Atrophy. They do have a tendency to gain weight as they age. These issues will be addressed in more detail below. DNA testing is available for the dysplasia and eye issues.

Exercise and Interaction:

The Kyi-Leo doesn’t require vigorous exercising. One walk a day will keep them happy. There are pet owners who believe dogs can be permanently outside dogs where they can do their own exercise.

Everybody who knows dogs, knows they are social creatures who will simply lie at your backdoor just waiting for some response from their beloved human family. Every dog, regardless of breed or size, needs exercise and interaction with their humans every day.

Dogs left alone in the yard day after day are loney, frustrated and bored, and when they start digging or barking, irresponsible owners will ill treat them. These kind of people should never own a dog.

Diet:

The Kyi-Leo has a sensitive stomach so he’ll need good quality food to avoid digestive problems. Ideally home-cooked food such as softly boiled chicken, brown rice and raw or cooked vegetables added into top quality kibble is the preferred diet.

Fresh, cool water needs to be constantly available.

Grooming:

Brush the long, silky coat at least twice a week to ensure it remains free of knotting. Brushing keeps the coat shiny too.

As a long eared dog, ears should be checked and cleaned regularly too. Air doesn’t reach the inside of their ears and the warm dampness in the ears are a breeding place for infection.

Nails should also be trimmed when they become long because left uncut they can hook onto things causing injury ad pain.

Small dogs are more prone to tartar formation and loss of teeth. You’ll notice that something isn’t right because your lively little dog will be lethargic, he may not want to eat his food and his face may be swollen. When you suspect dental problems, get him to the vet.

Feeding

your working American English Coonhound needs different food than one who is not working. So, if you hunt with your dog remember he really needs the calories to keep his energy up. However, they can get obese as they age so cut back with less activity and more years. Watch the number of treats when training.

Health issues mentioned earlier include

Elbow and Hip Dysplasia – the joint issues prevent the bones from connecting and functioning properly. Any good breeder of American English Coonhounds will do tests for both.

Eye issues range from cataracts to PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) Again there are tests available for these conditions.

Bloat is a condition many medium to large size dogs can experience when their stomach can become inverted and intestines distended. The is a situational issue and can’t be predicted. Don’t allow your coonhound to wolf down food right before exercise and feed him more than once a day in a smaller meal.

Exercise and games

The American English Coonhound needs a lot of exercise and has an extremely strong work and prey drive.