Bluetick Coonhound

The Bluetick should have the appearance of a speedy and well-muscled hound. He never appears clumsy or overly chunky in build. He has a neat, compact body, a glossy coat and clear, keen eyes. In motion he carries his head and tail well up.

Active, ambitious and speedy on the trail. The Bluetick should be a free tonguer on trail, with a medium bawl or bugle voice when striking and trailing, which may change to a steady chop when running and a steady coarse chop at the tree.

The head is broad between the ears with a slightly domed skull. Total length of head from occiput to end of nose is 9 to 10 inches in males and 8 to 9 inches in females.
Stop is prominent.
Muzzle is long, broad and deep, square in profile with flews that well cover the line of the lower jaw. Depth of foreface should be 3 to 4½ inches.
Nose: large with well opened nostrils. Fully pigmented, black in colour.

Rather large, set wide apart in skull. Round in shape and dark brown in color (never lighter than light brown). Eye rims tight and close fitting. No excess third eyelid should be apparent. Expression is a typical pleading hound expression, never wild or cowering.

Set low and devoid of erectile power. Should be thin with a slight roll, taper well towards a point, and reach well towards the end of the nose when pulled forward. Well attached to head to prevent hanging or backward tilt.

Teeth: Scissors bite preferred, even bite acceptable. Undershot or overshot are disqualifying faults.

Muscular and of moderate length, tapering slightly from shoulders to head. Carried well up but not vertical (goose necked). Throat clean with only a slight trace of dewlap.

Legs are straight from elbows to feet, well boned and muscular, with strong, straight, slightly sloping pasterns. Legs should appear straight from either side or front view. Length of leg from elbow to ground is approximately one half the height at the withers. Shoulders are clean and sloping, muscular but not too broad or rough, giving the appearance of freedom of movement and strength.

The body should show considerable depth (extending well down toward the elbow), rather than excessive width, to allow for plenty of lung space. Forechest is moderate, fairly even with the point of the shoulder. Girth of chest for males is 26 to 34 inches, for females 23 to 30 inches. Ribs are long and well-sprung, tapering gradually towards a moderate tuck-up. Back is muscular and topline slopes downward slightly from withers to hips. Loin is broad, well-muscled and slightly arched.

Hips are strong and well muscled, not quite as wide as ribcage. Thighs have great muscular development for an abundance of propelling power. Breeching full and clean down to hock. Hocks are strong and moderately bent. Dewclaws are removed. Rear legs are parallel from hip to foot when viewed from behind (no cowhocks).

Round (cat-like) with well arched toes and thick, tough pads.

Set on slightly below the line of the back, strongly rooted and tapering to a moderate length (in balance to the overall length of the hound). Carried high with a forward half-moon curve. Well coated but without flag.

Active and vigorous, with topline carried firmly and head and tail well up.

Medium coarse and lying close to the body, appearing smooth and glossy. Not rough or too short.

Preferred color is a dark blue, thickly mottled body, spotted by various shaped black spots on back, ears and sides. Preference is to more blue than black on body. Head and ears predominately black. With or without tan markings (over eyes, on cheeks, chest and below tail) and red ticking on feet and lower legs. A fully blue mottled body is preferred over light ticking on the body. There should be more blue ticking than white in the body coat. No other colors allowed.

Height at withers for adult males, 22 to 27 inches. For adult females, 21 to 25 inches.
Weight for males 55 to 80 pounds, females 45 to 65 pounds.
Proportion (measured from point of shoulder to base of tail and withers to ground) is square or slightly longer than tall.

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

DISQUALIFICATIONS:
Mouth Bite overshot or undershot
Any color other than that described in the standard. Albinism.
Males under 22 inches or over 27 inches. Females under 21 inches or over 25 inches. (Entries in puppy class are not to be disqualified for being undersize.)