The harrier is one of Britain's most popular hunting dog breeds and is often confused with the Beagle and Beagle Harrier, although one of its closest relatives is the English foxhound, being a "reduced version" of it. The harrier dog stands out as a bloodhound for its incredible and powerful sense of smell, which has currently made it one of the most qualified detection dogs for odorous substances.
In this new breed file on our site we will explain everything about the harrier dog breed, including history, characteristics, character or care among others. Are you thinking of adopting a harrier dog? Not sure if it's the right one for you? We solve all your doubts below:
Origin of the harrier dog
The harrier breed of dog was developed in the UK with the aim of creating a skilled and athletic dog that would be fit for hunting hares in packs There are many stories and myths surrounding the breed, but the truth is that the first group of Harriers on record dates back to the year 1260, thus, it is a question of an especially ancient dog breed. However, the origins remain uncertain and it is currently considered to be a reduced version of the English foxhound, something that has been achieved thanks to selective breeding
During colonial times the breed became popular in the United States, where it stood out as a hunting dog, thanks to its attributes. Finally the breed was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1949, by the Federation Cynologique Internationale in 1974 and by the American Kennel Club in 1988.
Characteristics of the harrier dog
As we told you in advance, the Harrier is a smaller version of the English Foxhound and is a medium to large-sized dog, strong and light, distinguished and powerful bearing. It has a fairly wide head, a long and pointed snout and a well-developed black nose. The eyes are dark and medium large. The ears, in the shape of a "V" are flattened, slightly crooked and short, set high. The neck is long and slightly arched. As for the body, we observe a straight and muscular back, a rather deep chest and flat and arched ribs. The tail is moderately long, spiky to the tip and, around the tail, long and thick hairs. Noted for its agile and steady gait
The harrier dog's coat is smooth, flat and not excessively short and is generally white with all shades of black to orangeThe breed in France is usually tricolor, with a black coat that covers the upper part of the back. The size of the harrier dog breed is around 48 and 55 centimeters at the withers maximum.
Harrier dog character
The harrier dog breed usually stands out for its character extroverted, sociable and friendly, both with people and with other dogs, because temperament is one of the characteristics of the breed that was taken into account during its development and creation. In addition, after generations of breeding for hunting in packs, a certain predisposition has been achieved to obtain a friendly and sociable character, naturally predisposed. However, if it has not been properly socialized, the Harrier may show a tendency to hunt small domestic or wild animals.
In any case, it is worth remembering that each individual's character is unique and will depend largely on the education received and, to a lesser degree, of the lived experiences and genetics of its parents, details that must be taken into account if a specimen with a good temperament is sought. Also, it is usually a dog affectionate with children
Harrier dog care
The harrier dog, thanks to its short and smooth coat, will not need excessive care as far as its coat is concerned. We can carry out one or two weekly brushings, in order to remove dead hair and dirt, using a soft rubber brush. The frequency of bathing is around 2 or 3 months, although it can vary depending on the physical activities carried out and the dirt it may contain.
Bearing in mind that this is a particularly active breed, the Harrier will need to make between three and four walks a day, combining at least a couple of them with physical exercise, either through toys or simply with activities that can develop their muscles, such as jogging or hiking. It is especially important that we exercise this dog, otherwise behavioral problems may appear, such as stress and destructiveness, among others.
We will offer you a quality food, either through homemade diets (always supervised by a veterinarian) or balanced dry feed, with water fresh and clean at your disposal 24 hours. Nor can you miss a comfortable bed to rest on, quality toys specifically for dogs, accessories (such as harnesses or collars) made of good materials, etc.
Harrier dog education
The optimal adoption of the harrier dog is around 2 and a half months, at which time its period of socialization with its mother and siblings has already begun, which will allow it to learn the canine language and appropriate behaviors between members of the same species, such as bite inhibition Then, it will end its socialization with its new family, thus adapting to its new environment and household members. We must make sure that in stage stage he experiences positive situations and begins to carry out a stable routine
Once his first vaccination cycle is over, we will begin to teach him to urinate outside, a fundamental behavior for his well-being, because apart from relieving himself, going for a walk is an activity that allows him to develop marking behaviour, socialization with other dogs and their habituation to the environment in which they live. Later, once he has fully assimilated this part of learning, we can begin to teach him the basic obedience commands, essential for proper control of the dog and communication with the dog. owner. It should be noted that if we have adopted an adult dog of this breed we can also train and educate him, although the process may be somewhat slower.
Once the dog has learned the rules of basic education and standard obedience, we can introduce him to more complex commands, dog sports (such as Agility) or in exercises of mental stimulation, essential for adequate well-being. Being a dog with such a prodigious sense of smell, it may be interesting to focus its stimulation towards smell exercises for dogs starting, for example, with searching or seeding.
Harrier dog he alth
To guarantee good he alth, it is essential that the harrier dog has an adequate preventive medicine plan, which includes veterinary visits every 6 or 12 monthsand monitoring of the dog's vaccination schedule and internal and external deworming schedule. Through this routine, we will be able to promptly detect the appearance of any pathology in the dog, which notably improves the prognosis of the treatment.
The most common diseases of the Harrier breed are:
- Cerebellar abiotrophy or ataxia
- Idiopathic epilepsy
The harrier dog places its life expectancy between 10 and 12 years.
