Anybody on here own coonhounds?

I've gotta say, the blueticks and the American English are my absolute favourite dog breeds! Here's the thing though, I've got a question for anyone on here who has/had coonhounds: what's your take on having them in the same household as cats?

The reason I ask is because I've been wanting a dog for some time (basically since my last one passed) and I'd really love to get a coonhound, but I've been reading that because of the breed's strong prey drive, mixing them and cats can be a really bad idea. I'm basically trying to decide whether to try and get one now (I have two cats) or wait until I'm on my own (the cats are staying with the 'rents) and whether or not I want to have to commit to never owning cats while I have the dog. Do you think the breed's bad rap with cats is legitimate, and do you think I'd be able to get by if I introduce it as a pup to a household that already has cats, or should would a cat-free household definitely be better?

Thanks guys! (I hope what I wrote made sense, I'm really tired at the moment haha)

My favorite is the Red Bone Coon Hound. The ones in the book and movie "Where the Red Fern Grows".

I actually saw one in Petsmart last year. I had to talk to it's owner when I saw it because they are so rare to see around. I wish I'd had someone take a picture of me with it. They are so majestic looking.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/redbonecoonhound.htm

I believe any dog can get along with cats if you get it as a puppy.

Edit: as with any hunting or herding dog (I have herding dogs) that have a high prey/chase drive, I think they should be raised from pups so you can properly train them. Otherwise they are likely to have a lot of bad habits you don't want if you adopt one as an adult. Especially a hunting dog. Unless you're willing to invest the time, energy, and money into training an adult with bad habits. One thing you always need to watch with coon hounds is their chase drive. They are more likely to run away off lead so either way, some good training is needed. They are awesome dogs though :)

I currently have a Redbone mix right now and have had German Shepherds and Dutch Shepherds for years. My best advice is to get your hound as a puppy, and introduce it to your cats while it is young. Teach it the boundries with the cats while it is young and reinforce them as the pup grows. Also if you are just wanting to have a hound as a pet and not for hunting, if you go to a good breeder you should be able to get a puppy who has a lower drive level than one who is hunting dog level. A good breeder will be able to pick out the puppy that would most likely be calmer. If you are planning to recsue a puppy than you could contact a local Dog Trainer to help you learn about how to test a puppy for lower levels. I do this with my clients who are looking into getting a new puppy and need help finding the right level of energy for their home.

i second what they're all saying, get the new dog as a puppy, train it well & believe me when i say the only time a cat might not be able to defend itself properly is if it's front claws are removed but even then they still have their back claws & teeth. adult cats already established in a home do not appreciate the intrusion of a bounding, yapping ball of craziness so they'll be a little harsh with the puppy at first but they will also be your helpers in training said puppy how to act around them. a few good well placed smacks from the cats & that puppy will start respecting those cats a little more. :gj:

The first thing you should do when selecting any breed is to know what their purpose is. Hounds make great pets but they need alot of outdoors stimulation. I have owned black and tan coon hounds, redbones, blueticks for hunting and pen hunt trials. Now i own trackers. I have a pair of bloodhounds that i have registered with the state for tracking. They as with other hounds are great dogs. They are well acclimated as family pets as well as working hounds. Very loyal and very smart. They need to work to be happy. If you are looking for a house dog i would stay away from hounds. They need space to do their thing. As far as cats go i dont think its a good idea for hounds and cats to have free roam in the house with eachother or you may have the cats getting treed in your living room lol.

I have a bloodhound/redbone coonhound cross, and he's a great dog, but cannot be trusted around cats. My previous dog was very protective and gentle with "her" cat, but would go after any other cat she saw. If you start with a pup, I would expect that with training and patience the pup will be fine with the cats you have. I would not trust the pup with any other cats or small animals, though. This includes rats, birds, ferrets, bunnies, etc.