coonhound and electric fence

Question
Hi Jill,
Our friends are fostering an approx 4 or 5 year old rescue blue tick coonhound named Leo. We met him the other day and really loved his demeanor and disposition and are considering adopting him. We have a fairly large yard, surrounded by about 5 acres of woods with lots of wildlife, which we assume will be very tempting for him. We are thinking of putting an electric fence around the perimeter of our yard, but some have expressed concern that coonhounds are so driven by their hunting instinct that they will endure the pain of 'breaking out' of the fenced in area, should they catch a scent and want to track it. We would never want to tie him up outside, and our yard is too big to put a 'real' fence around affordably. What has been your experience on how coonhounds do with electric fences?

Answer
I have no direct experience with Coonhounds and electric fences.  However, I have a great deal of experience with dogs of many breeds for which the electric fence not only does NOT work, but has caused behavioral problems.  Sporting breed dogs are not great candidates for the electric fence and, in fact, I dislike the electric fence a great deal for many reasons.  What about an over large (20 square feet) exercise pen (dog run)?  Or, you might fence a small portion of your property (as have I) around your back door.  Even with expert training, the electric fence creates more problems than it cures and I don't consider it a humane option.