All About
Plott

The Plott is described as bright, kind, confident, and courageous. He's loyal to his family and somewhat wary of strangers although he usually warms up quickly to them. He gets along all right with other dogs, but he's not as friendly toward them as many other hound breeds.You will often see a difference in temperament between Plotts bred for going after big game and those bred to tree raccoons, with the big game dogs having a sharper edge. Like every hound, the Plott has a mind of his own and requires firm, consistent guidance, but in general he wants to please his people. He's protective of his home and family and makes an excellent watchdog.Temperament is affected by a number of factors, including heredity, training, and socialization. Puppies with nice temperaments are curious and playful, willing to approach people and be held by them. Choose the middle-of-the-road puppy, not the one who's beating up his littermates or the one who's hiding in the corner.Always meet at least one of the parents — usually the mother is the one who's available — to ensure that they have nice temperaments that you're comfortable with. Meeting siblings or other relatives of the parents is also helpful for evaluating what a puppy will be like when he grows up.Like every dog, Plott Hounds need early socialization — exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences — when they're young. Socialization helps ensure that your Plott puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog.Enrolling him in a puppy kindergarten class is a great start. Inviting visitors over regularly, and taking him to busy parks, stores that allow dogs, and on leisurely strolls to meet neighbors will also help him polish his social skills.

The Plott should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

The Plott’s smooth, fine, glossy coat can be any shade of brindle (a streaked or striped pattern of dark hair imposed on a lighter background), solid black, or have a saddle or markings. It requires minimal maintenance, with just a weekly brushing with a soft-bristle brush or a hound glove to remove dirt and loose hair. An occasional bath can help keep him from having a doggy odor. The Plott’s ears should be regularly inspected for debris or excess wax and cleaned if needed with soft gauze and an ear-cleaning solution—the dog’s breeder or the veterinarian can recommend a good brand to use. The nails should be trimmed often if not worn down naturally.

Although Plott Hounds have moderately low energy indoors, they are active outside. If you don't have a several fenced acres that they can explore and sniff, expect to give them about an hour of exercise daily. You can break it up into two or three walks or playtimes. The Plott is a walking companion, not a jogger. He likes to meander along and sniff out interesting trails.Plott Hounds should remain on leash when they are not in an enclosed area and they should have a fenced yard when they are left outside. They will wander away, and they have no road sense. They'll follow an interesting trail right into the path of a car. While a Plott needs a fenced yard for safety, he's not a yard dog. When you're home, he should be there with you.Plott Hounds are fairly easy to train due to their intelligence and eager to please temperament. They do have a dominant streak and are not suggested for inexperienced or timid dog owners who are unable to consistently enforce rules and commands. They do well with positive reinforcement, and corrections should never be harsh or cruel. That will only make your Plott become stubborn or sulky.Plott Hounds must be socialized to prevent any aggression problems. Many obedience schools offer puppy socialization classes and this is a great start. Also remember to gradually expose your puppy to various stimuli within the community and in your home.Plotts can be possessive of their food dishes and will attack other dogs and animals that nose around their food. Teaching your Plott Hound to allow people to handle and remove his food dishes is an important training step that cannot be missed.Crate training your Plott Hound will assist in housetraining and protect your belongings from destruction. Crate training benefits every dog and is a kind way to ensure that your Plott doesn't have accidents in the house or get into things he shouldn't. A crate is also a place where he can retreat for a nap. Crate training at a young age will help your Plott accept confinement if he ever needs to be boarded or hospitalized.Never stick your Plott in a crate all day long, however. It's not a jail, and he shouldn't spend more than a few hours at a time in it except when he's sleeping at night. Plotts are people dogs, and they aren't meant to spend their lives locked up in a crate or kennel.Leash training is a must for this breed with its tendency to wander and lack of road sense. With proper training, socialization, and consistent rules, you will find that the Plott Hound is not only a never-say-die hunting companion but also a wonderful foot warmer at night.

Plotts are generally healthy dogs. A responsible breeder will have had the dog’s parents screened for health concerns such as hip dysplasia. Pendant ears such as the Plott’s can be prone to infection, so the ears should be checked regularly. The teeth should be brushed often, using a toothpaste designed for dogs. Regular visits to the vet for checkups and parasite control help to ensure the Plott a long, healthy life.

Recommended Health Test from the National Breed Club:

The Plott Hound descends from five Hanoverian Schweisshunds brought to North Carolina in 1750 by German immigrant Johannes Georg Plott. In Germany the dogs had been used as boarhounds, but North Carolina had bears, and that's what Plott trained his dogs to hunt. Plott's descendants continued to breed the dogs, and they became known as Plott's hounds.They spread throughout the Smoky Mountains, with each hunter adding his own touch to the breed, and eventually returned to their roots by being used to hunt wild boar in addition to bear. They were also used to hunt mountain lions and, with judicious crosses to add better treeing ability, raccoons.In the early 1900s, a cross with some black-and-tan hounds owned by a man named Blevins brought the Plotts additional scenting talent as well as the black-saddled brindle pattern. Today, most Plott Hounds trace their pedigrees back to the two legendary hounds that resulted from this cross: Tige and Boss.The breed began to be registered by the United Kennel Club in 1946. The Plott Hound became the official dog of North Carolina in 1989. He's also registered by the American Kennel Club and is starting to make his way in the show ring.He is still relatively rare, however, and is most often found in the mountains of Appalachia, the Smokies, and other wild parts of the country where his hunting skills are appreciated.