The Plott Hound is a large

scent hound Franz Rudolf Frisching in the uniform of an officer of the Bernese Huntsmen Corps with his Berner Laufhund, painted by Jean Preudhomme in 1785 Scent hounds (or scenthounds) are a Dog type, type of hound that primarily hunts by scent rather than ...

, originally bred for hunting

bears Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...

. In 1989, the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

designated the Plott Hound as the official State Dog. The Plott Hound was first registered with the

United Kennel Club The United Kennel Club (UKC) is a kennel club founded in 1898 in the United States. In contrast with the American Kennel Club, which is non-profit and which only clubs can join, the United Kennel Club is a profit-making corporation, open to indivi ...

in 1946. Plott Hounds were recognized by the

American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kenn ...

in 2006 and were exhibited at the Westminster Show in 2008. Chosen for their tracking and hunting abilities, two Plott Hound puppies have been trained as K9 deputies for the

Guilford County Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population is 541,299, making it the third-most populous county in North Carolina. The county seat, and largest municipality, is Greensboro. S ...

Sheriff's Department in North Carolina.

Appearance

The Plott Hound is generally athletic, muscular, and agile in appearance, with a medium build. Unlike some other hounds, the Plott Hound's skin is not baggy. The Plott Hound is a very strongly built yet moderate hound, with a distinct

brindle Brindle is a coat (animal), coat coloring pattern in animals, particularly dogs, cattle, guinea pigs, Cat, cats, and, rarely, horses. It is sometimes described as "tiger-striped", although the brindle pattern is more subtle than that of a tiger' ...

-colored coat. Its appearance suggests the capacity for speed, stamina and endurance. May have an identification mark on it that is used to identify the dog when hunting. Such a mark is not penalized in

conformation show A dog show is an event where dogs are exhibited. A conformation show, also referred to as a ''breed show'', is a kind of dog show in which a judge, familiar with a specific dog breed, evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs ''c ...

Coat and color

The Plott Hound's fur should be fine to medium in texture, short or medium in length, and have a smooth and glossy appearance. According to the National Plott Hound Association, the dog's fur should be brindled. Brindled is defined as "Finely streaked or striped effect or pattern of black or tan fur with fur of a lighter or darker background color. Brindle shades accepted are yellow brindle, red brindle, tan brindle, brown brindle, black brindle, grey brindle, and maltese (slate grey, blue brindle)." Black with brindle trim and solid black are other acceptable alternatives. The Association dictates that while some white on the chest and/or feet is permissible, white found anywhere else is a fault.

Size

A Plott Hound should measure approximately 20 to 25 in (55 to 71 cm) at the withers for males, 20 to 23 in (53 to 63 cm) for females. Males should weigh 50 to 60 lb (23 to 27 kg). Females should weigh 40 to 55 lb (18 to 25 kg).

History

Of the seven breeds of

(UKC) registered

coonhound A coonhound, colloquially a coon dog, is a type of scenthound, a member of the hound group. They are an American type of hunting dog developed for the hunting of raccoons, hence their name, and also for feral pigs, bobcats, cougars, and bears. ...

s, the Plott Hound is the only that does not trace its ancestry to the

foxhound A foxhound is a type of large hunting hound bred for strong hunting instincts, a keen sense of smell, and their bark, energy, drive, and speed. In fox hunting, the foxhound's namesake, packs of foxhounds track quarry, followed—usually on hor ...

. The

Plott Balsams The Plott Balsams are a mountain range in western North Carolina, in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The Plott Balsams stretch from the city of Sylva in t ...

, a mountain range in North Carolina, are named for the Plott family, whose ancestor, (Johannes) George Plott (c. 1733-1815), immigrated to North Carolina in the late 18th century from Germany. The Plott Hound breed of hunting dog is also named for the Plotts. The ancestors of today's Plott Hounds were used for boar hunting in Germany. Originally from Germany, in 1750 Johannes "George" Plott emigrated to the English colony of North Carolina. He brought a few wild boarhounds (five Hanover Hounds, used for bear and boar hunting) with him. These dogs had been bred for generations for their stamina and gameness. George and his wife Margaret with their family settled in the mountains of western North Carolina. Though there is no evidence that Plott ever went to western North Carolina, his son Henry settled there around 1801 to 1810 (as the census discloses) and was responsible for the Plott Hound's later development. Plott supposedly kept his strain entirely pure, making no outcrosses. In 1780, the Plott Hound pack passed into the hands of Henry Plott.

References

Bibliography

* ''Strike and Stay: The Story of the Plott Hound'', Bob Plott, The History Press, 2007, ASIN: B0061S3YLW, pp. 25– 30

External links

Official
entry on American Kennel Club
Official
entry on United Kennel Club * {{American dogs North Carolina culture Dog breeds originating in the United States Scent hounds Symbols of North Carolina