The American English coonhound is considered a very healthy animal and is still bred almost like working and hunting dogs. Any hereditary disease interferes with the dog’s ability to perform its duties, and therefore affected individuals are removed from the working lines as soon as they are detected. The species has extensive genetic material. Of course, representatives of the species get sick, but to a much lesser extent than some of their counterparts. The average lifespan percentage for a breed of this size is approximately 11–12 years.