Harrier

Harehound

Originally catalogued specifically for hare hunting, the Harrier breed has never really succeeded in crossing the borders of Great Britain as this specialty has been detrimental to the popularization of the breed. Even his name categorizes him for hare hunting, his English name being Harehound. He is a good player, friendly, cheerful, gentle and affectionate. Unfortunately, he suffers from his specialization, because the breed has become increasingly rare, even in his home country.

Height 48 to 55 cm
Weight 25 to 30 kg
Life expectancy 10 to 12 years
Home country United Kingdom (UK)

Quick Overview of the Harrier

Temperament

  • Lively and docile
  • Active and enduring
  • Dynamic and kind
  • Cheerful and great player

Appearance

  • Strong and very light
  • English general aspect
  • Silhouette adapted for hunting
  • Well carried tail and spiky

Health

  • Robust and very solid
  • Rarely ill
  • Usually in excellent health
  • No particular pathology

Temperament of the Harrier

Lively, docile, active, enduring, dynamic, kind, cheerful and a great player, the Harrier is a pleasant and very sociable dog. He hates solitude and prefers company.

He requires a firm education as well as early socialization.

Hating solitude more than anything else, he loves the company of his family members and must be able to benefit from frequent contact with them.

He makes an excellent playmate for children, whom he simply adores.

Rather sociable with everyone, he has a certain reserve towards strangers which sometimes makes him an excellent guardian, taking his role very seriously.

Since he tends to be slightly stubborn, his education must be undertaken early and in a firm and adequate manner to counter this potential slight stubbornness.

The puppy's socialization is also essential so as not to exacerbate his natural distrust of strangers.

Breed Appearance

harrier

Strong and very light, the Harrier is however more distinguished than his ancestor the Foxhound, but he is less powerful.

His general appearance is very English and his silhouette is perfectly adapted to allow him to become an excellent hunting companion.

Height

Between 48 and 55 cm (18.90 to 21.65 inches) for the male
Between 48 and 50 cm (18.90 to 19.69 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 25 and 30 kg (55.12 to 66.14 pounds) for the male
Between 25 and 30 kg (55.12 to 66.14 pounds) for the female

Color

The coat color has a white background, with all possible shades of black and orange.

Outside his country, it often happens that he is tricolour with a black coat covering the entire upper back.

Hair

The smooth hair of his coat is flat but not too short, called "English style".

Morphology

His skull is completely flat. His dark eyes are of medium size.

His ears are v-shaped and almost flat. They are set high, rather short and slightly turned.

His nose is black. His medium length tail is well carried and slightly spiky (corn-shaped).

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 6, section 1 and is #295

Tips About this breed

An excellent hunter of furry game, he specializes in hunting hare and fox.

This too pronounced specialization greatly hindered the expansion of the breed.

This cheerful, intelligent, smart, lively and energetic dog is an excellent, tenacious and very active hunter.

He can live anywhere and with all kinds of owners, as long as he can benefit from daily exercise and frequent contact with people.

He's a sportsman and a family dog, not a lonely sedentary.

Health of the Harrier

Robust and very strong, this dog is rarely sick and usually enjoys an excellent health.

No particular pathology affects the breed, and no congenital defects are listed. The longevity of the numbers is often quite appreciable.

GROOMING

His flat ears, well pressed against his cheeks, require regular checking and maintenance.

His smooth coat should be brushed regularly to keep it clean and healthy. However, no other special care is necessary.

History of this breed

Although he officially originated in Great Britain around the 13th century, the Harrier apparently came from French dogs that landed under William the Conqueror's reign in 1066.

The Harrier, originally designed for hunting foxes and hares on the run was later improved by the addition of Foxhound blood, increasing his hunting skills with wild boar and deer.

The Harrier is a magnificent hound that can chase wounded or unwounded game by smell. He is effective in packs as well as alone, especially when hunting hare and fox.

Unfortunately, the breed is becoming increasingly rare and is used today mainly for the crossbreeding of the Beagle Harrier and the Anglo-Français de Petite Vénerie.

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