Redbone Coonhound vs Fell Terrier - Breed Comparison

The Redbone Coonhound has always had a busy life hunting bear, deer and cougar. It is thought that this dog descends from from Bloodhounds, Foxhounds and Irish Hounds.

Hailing from America, this dog has been registered with the American Kennel Club since 2009.

It was during the 18th century that many European-type hunting dogs were imported to America. Over time, Southern hunters bred with stamina and this ultimately lead to the emergence of coonhounds.

Fell terriers, known by other names such as Lakeland-, Patterdale-, Red Fell or Black Fell Terrier are small working terriers, hailing from the fell or hilly country of northern England.

Several breeds have been developed from the Fell terrier, of which the Patterdale Terrier, Lakeland are some as well as other locally developed breeds. All these particular breeds are sometimes referred to as the Fell Terrier, and in fact the National Terriers Club LLC has published a Fell Terrier standard.

It is also believed that the long legged Fell Terriers may have descended from an old type of terrier referred to as the rough-coated Black and Tan. The Black and Tan Terrier is now extinct but was drawn into The Kennel Club as the Welsh Terrier.

This beautiful, shiny red dog is medium-sized and stands at between 53 and 70cm at the shoulders and weighs between 20 and 32kg.

The dog’s coat is short and smooth with maybe just a tiny bit of white found around the feet and chest area. He is lean and muscular with strong, straight legs and a deep chest. The ears are floppy and the tail, traditionally docked, is often left long these days.

The paws are large and webbed and when the dog is excited, the tail is held high

Temperament:

The Redbone Coonhound is an affectionate dog who wants to please his owners. He just loves his human family and would be beside himself if he were locked outside day after day.

He is a social dog who should be allowed time indoors and out. They make splendid playmates for children too, and get along well with other animals in the house.

Because they’re independent and strong willed, he will need to be trained and socialized to ensure he is well mannered and obedient.

He is an active dog and will require a good bout of exercise. He is vocal, known for his baying type of bark, and training will keep this kind of baying under control. Training is also necessary as this dog is stubborn. He is intelligent enough to learn, and once trained, is gentle and calm.

Small and feisty, the Fell Terrier is a working dog used for hunting purposes. He stands at roughly 31cm to 38cm in height and ways between 6 to 9kg.

The dogs were sought after for their hunting skills as being the small dog they were, and with their narrow chests, they were able to move around in small, narrow underground tunnels.

The Fell has long legs, and his coat is shortish but with a rough texture to it. The coat is found in different colors such as white, black and tan, chocolate, red, black and bronze. The ears are medium length and floppy while the tail of the dog is traditionally docked, but these days the tail is often left long, and then he becomes less distinctive.

Temperament:

Used to having hunted in packs, the Fell Terrier has always been used to getting along well with other dogs. He makes a fantastic family pet and will get on well with children who have been been taught to respect animals. He is an independent, strong-willed dog and will certainly need socialization and training to turn him into an obedient dog.

He is energetic, fearless, strong-willed, determined and always ready for a game or some form of action.

The Redbone loves the company of his human family. He is such a friendly dog,getting on well with everyone in the family, including the children and other pets.

He is a hunting dog and always ready to be part of any activities his human family is involved in. He is gentle and easy going, and and having him in your life is guaranteed to bring in a lot of joy and sunshine.

The Fell Terrier still has dreams of the hunt in him and with his strong prey instincts, he isn’t really suited to city living, but will fit ideally into life in the country.

He is a high spirited, working dog with an endless amount of energy. He bonds closely with his human family, and for all his robust, larger-than-life attitude and boldness, when he is with his human family he can be gentle, calm and loving, just thriving on the love he receives.

Your Fell Terrier is just waiting to be your best friend and a never ending source of unconditional love.

The Redbone Coonhound is generally a healthy breed that can reach 12, 13, 14 years of age if well cared for.

There are some common dog illnesses that this do can succumb to and which are worth knowing about as they affect so many dogs. These are cancer, bloat, skin allergies, ear infections and hip dysplasia.

If you notice that your active dog is subdued and lethargic, it is your responsibility to get your 4-legged child to the vet to be looked over.

Caring for your Fell Terrier requires knowing what do do with him when he develops certain common dog illnesses. He is a robust dog and is not likely to get any serious illnesses, but still you want to know about some of the more common ones.

If you suspect an illness, get your pet to the vet who can provide you with a treatment plan for your dog.

Dental Disease:

Your Fell Terrier can easily fall prey to dental disease if you don't brush his teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week. Unfortunately bad teeth isn't just a case of losing a tooth or two, bad teeth can cause serious diseases such as kidney disease. Tarter build-up progresses to infection of the gums as well as roots of the teeth. So serious is dental disease that your dog can actually have his life shortened.

Obesity:

Your Fell Terrier is a small dog and obesity can easily creep up if you don't control your pet's diet. Obesity is a serious illness that can increase problems with the joints and digestion.

Exercise:

Hunting dogs such as the Redbone Coonhound will need a good deal of exercise to stay happy and healthy. The breed is best suited to the countryside or suburbs as opposed to city dwelling.

He won’t be content with just a walk every day but is the kind of dog that will want to be free from a leash and be running far and wide. When at home, involve him in some rope- and ball games.

Grooming:

The Redbone Coonhound isn’t going to be a dog that you have to fuss over. His short coat can be brushed twice a week to keep him looking beautifully shiny. When you brush him, make sure you check for any unusual lumps.

He has floppy ears, so look inside his ears for signs of redness and discharge. This could be an indication of an ear infection. Also check inside his mouth as he could have a rotting tooth which could be causing him a lot of pain and also be poisoning his body.

Diet:

You want to ensure your beautiful Redbone Coonhound stands every chance to enjoy good health. Every dog owner should try to feed their dog the best food there is.

There are some good commercially manufactured foods on the market and these are wonderfully convenient to use for your dog. However, you want to provide him with some good homemade food too.

Dogs thrive on simplicity and consistency with their diets because then it prevents upset stomachs. Some home-cooked food such as boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach will be perfect for him.

Chop the food up finely and add it into the dry kibble once or twice a week. Raw meat can also be added in occasionally to promote good skin health. Make sure your pet is never without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

Your Fell Terrier is an active dog who won’t thrive if he is cooped up and ignored. He thrives on action and will need to be taken on walks with you and involved in all your games and sports, such as when you go jogging, swimming or cycling.

Diet:

Feed your Fell Terrier the best quality commercially manufactured foods if you opt to feed your pet this way. Include cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken into his kibble from time to time and always ensure there is cool, fresh drinking water available to him.

Grooming:

It depends on whether your Fell Terrier has a short, smooth coat, or the longer-haired coarse coat. He will certainly need brushing twice a week and sometimes, with the longer coats, he may require professional trimming or stripping.

Always check nails, in and outside the ears and remember to brush his teeth with canine toothpaste and toothbrush twice a week at least.