Description

The Harrier dog doesn’t require a lot of care. They are a short haired breed. You will want to brush them once a week so that their coat can stay healthy and clean. You also want to check on their health during this time, plus this is a good time for you to strengthen your bond with your dog. These animals are minimum to average shedders. You only need to bathe them if they need it.

It is important that you check their ears on a regular basis. You also want to make sure that you check and trim their nails on a regular basis because they grow fast. Their hind feet will grow at a slower rate than their front feet will. The best type of trimmer is a guillotine. Brush your dogs teeth twice a week with toothpaste approved for dogs and a brush approved for dogs. This will remove plaque and tarter as well as prevent periodontal disease.

Coat Description

The Harrier dog has a short, dense, hard and glossy coat. You won’t find that it is too flat or too short, and they will have a finer texture on their ears then they do on the rest of their body. You want notice that they have on the underside of their tail a brush of hair.

The color of these dogs is not considered to be important and there really is not set standard when it comes to their color. You can colors that can include: black, red and white, white and tan, black and tan, tan and white, lemon and white, and many other colors. In the United States you will usually find a Harrier dog that is tan, black and white with a back that is black, tan on the head, ears and legs. Their feet, muzzle, chest, underside, blaze and the tip of their tail will be white.

History

The Harrier is believed to have been bred from the English foxhound through selective breeding. They are similar in appearance to the Foxhound but they are smaller. It is said that these dogs are cousins to the Talbot and the Old Southern Hounds. They may have contributed to the Small Game Anglo-French Hound. Their name, Harrier means hound in Norman Saxon. This is why it is believed that they traveled to England side by side with the Normans.

These dogs are used in Fox hunting but they were originally developed for hunting hares. In 1260 the first pack of Harriers in England were known as Penistone and were established by Sir Elias de Midhope. They held together for at least five centuries. In the British Isles hunting was very popular probably because the pack could be followed on foot. A pack could contain a hundred or more dogs; most of them are scratch packs.

A scratch pack is a group of Harriers that are owned by different people. This was done so that the people who were poor could participate. These animals were owned mostly by the poor people in the 17th and 18th century. The wealthy class of people owned the Foxhounds. The breeds were adapted to hunt fox in front of a group of riders mounted on horses, although most of the packs could hunt hare and fox.

The Harrier dogs have been around since Colonial times in the United States. From 1936 – 1938 there was a pack of these dogs that was known as the Cobbler Harriers and they were owned by General George S. Patton who was the Master of this pack. The last known pack was in the 1960s before everyone wanted foxhounds and foxhunts. This breed of dog was admitted for the first time into the AKC Stud Book in 1885. They are rare in the United States. There were two Harriers that were shown in the first Westminster Kennel Club in 1877. Today you will find that these dogs are kept as house pets but there are some that are shown. There is only a handful left that are still used in hunting hares because hares are too fast for Beagles.

Temperament

If you want a dog that loves to play than these friendly, outgoing animals are the perfect choice. They are sweet tempered, gentle and affectionate in nature which makes them great companions for children. They are the kind of dog that will put up with almost anything. They don’t like to be alone but instead to be with people or other dogs or even both. If you raise these dogs from puppies then they will be able to get along well with other animals such as cats and other small pets.

These dogs love to explore and with their keen nose they will trail any scent they find so you want to always make sure they are on a leash or in a backyard that is fenced. They make great watch dogs because they will bark at anything that is unusual but this means they won’t make good guard dogs. They are the kind of dog that loves everything and everybody, which means that they will let anyone into your house.

These animals are not hyperactive, just lively and energetic. They are known for their endurance. When the Harrier pursues prey, the prey has been known to collapse from pure exhaustion. One of the things that most people love about these dogs is that they will always make you laugh. In other words, they are known as complete clowns that always want to play though their entire lives, not just as puppies. They need to be a part of the family and will always greet you with joy even if you have only been gone for five minutes.

This breed of dog is a working dog that can work all day but they are also used because they know how to think for themselves and they will never give up. So if you want t dog that always needs your attention for everything then this is not the right breed for you. This breed is independent and can entertain themselves though you don’t want to leave them unsupervised because they are known for getting into mischief. Some of these dogs like to bay in a low, deep voice. They are known for hunting hare, fox, deer and wild boar.

Health Problems

Harriers are one of the healthiest dog breeds around. The reason for this is because they are a rare breed and are not in high demand. Some of the health problems that these dogs can encounter are:

[-]Hip Dysplasia – This is where the hip joint is loose and this can lead to lameness or arthritis.[/-]

[-]Epilepsy and jaw malformations are another common problem with these dogs.[/-]

There have not been any known eye problems with this breed but you are still encouraged to buy your puppies from parents that are both CERF and OFA certified (OFA tests for hip dysplasia).

Genetically this is a healthy breed but this doesn’t mean that they can’t get viruses, diseases such as cancer or other illnesses.

Grooming

The Harrier dog doesn’t require a lot of care. They are a short haired breed. You will want to brush them once a week so that their coat can stay healthy and clean. You also want to check on their health during this time, plus this is a good time for you to strengthen your bond with your dog. These animals are minimum to average shedders. You only need to bathe them if they need it.

It is important that you check their ears on a regular basis. You also want to make sure that you check and trim their nails on a regular basis because they grow fast. Their hind feet will grow at a slower rate than their front feet will. The best type of trimmer is a guillotine. Brush your dogs teeth twice a week with toothpaste approved for dogs and a brush approved for dogs. This will remove plaque and tarter as well as prevent periodontal disease.

Exercise

The Harrier is a very energetic breed so they have to have a sufficient amount of exercise or they can quickly become bored and destructive. Also, without exercise they will become overweight and lethargic. These dogs love the outdoors and would be a good companion for jogging, bicycling, hiking, camping, boating and other activities. When you introduce them to water as puppies, they could very easily enjoy swimming too.

You have to watch these animals because they have a tendency to follow their nose and wander off. So don’t leave them outside alone unless they are secured in your yard.

Once these dogs have had a good amount of exercise, you will find that they will be very calm animals. Many times they will lay in your lap, play quietly with kids or their toys. They are really good dogs to have for companions but are usually too much for elderly or disabled people to handle because of their energy.

If you live in an apartment than you shouldn’t have one of these dogs because they are the breed of dog that does best living in a rural environment that has a securely fenced in yard. These animals can live outdoors if they have a warm dog house and bedding. They are the most happy when they are with their family (you). This is because they are very social animals and are people oriented. If your animal will be alone most of the day then you may want to consider getting them another dog because if left alone they can become very destructive.

Training

It is highly recommended that you get them obedience training when they are puppies because of their independent and stubborn nature. These dogs are very intelligent so it will be easy to train them. They love agility and tracking, which this breed can pick up easily.

If you want an animal that is constantly with you then this is not the right dog for you. They love to be with you but they are not dependent on you for their entertainment. You have to make sure when you first get them that you show them who is in charge. These animals require consistent discipline.

The Harriers love food and will try and swipe food off the counters and other places. They are also very vocal and love to bay in a deep low voice. Some of them like to dig because they are looking for critters underground but usually they do it because they are bored. All of these traits can be fixed if you train them early. You have to teach them not to do something and don’t give any leeway or give in because if you do then they will never stop.