Dog
Group:
Hound 
Harrier Champions
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Pronunciation:
har-ee-er
Breed Description:
The Harrier breed of dog is a medium sized breed that should be well-balanced and athletic. The overall look should be of a strong dog with plenty of stamina and they should be well-formed and have good proportions. The head of the Harrier should be broad and the large ears should hang down the side of the head. The top line is level and the tail is long and carried high.
The coat of the Harrier should be smooth and should lay against the dog. It should cover the dog completely and there should be a medium hardness to the texture. The hair should be short and should be glossy. The color of the Harrier can be any of the hound breeds but the more common are red and white, black, white and tan, tan and white or lemon and white.
Temperament:
The Harrier breed of dog is a happy breed that is known for being very intelligent and outgoing. This is an active breed that thrives when they have something to do. They are usually very playful and often described as a sweet tempered breed. The Harrier is usually outgoing and does well with children of all ages. They are usually gentle and have a seemlingly endless well of patience. The breed can do well with other dogs but they usually have a high prey drive and are not recommended for homes with small non-canine pets. The breed can be reserved with people, especially with strangers, but they often bond with their owners and have been known to suffer from separation anxiety if left alone too long.
Height:
The average height of a Harrier is between 19 to 21 inches.
Weight:
The average weight of a Harrier is between 40 to 60 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Harrier breed of dog is a very hardy breed and hip dysplasia is the only known health problem at this time.
Living Conditions:
The Harrier breed of dog is not recommended for apartments since they have high energy needs. The breed is better suited to a home with a large, fenced yard and a fence if very important since the Harrier does have a high prey drive and will run off after other animals.
Exercise:
The Harrier breed of dog is a very active breed and requires between 45 to 60 minutes of exercise each day. The breed should be exercised on lead since they will run away after other animals. In addition, exercise is a must with this breed since they will become very destructive if they are bored.
Life Expectancy:
10 to 12 years
Grooming:
The Harrier breed of dog does not require a lot of maintenance and can be kept tidy with only one brushing each week. In addition, the Harrier only requires a bath every few months and can do with only one or two baths a year. In between baths, the Harrier can be kept clean with a damp cloth. Ears should be cleaned on a weekly basis and nails should be trimmed once or twice a month.
Origin:
The Harrier breed of dog has unknown origins and while there are many different theories on what went into the breed, namely the Basset Hound, Bloodhound, and Talbot Hound, where the breed was developed is unclear. There is evidence that the breed was developed in either France or Belgium but further evidence has shown that the actual origins of the Harrier may have been England. Even if the breed did not come from England, there is ample evidence to show that the breed was refined in England into what we know today. In addition, evidence has placed the Harrier back several centuries and the breed may have been established over 800 years ago. Despite not knowing the actual origins, we do know that the Harrier came into prominence under the ownership of Sir Elias Midhope, who owned the first notable pack in the 1700`s. The breed was used for hunting and the most common prey hunted by the Harrier was the hare, however, in the 1700`s, the breed began to be used for foxhunting and quickly adapted to the new sport. The Harrier was imported into the United States sometime in the 1700`s, and while they have remained fairly uncommon, the breed has the distinction of being the 13th breed recognized by the AKC. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
