Harrier breed guide

Outgoing and friendly, Harriers are loving, amiable and people-oriented. Like many hounds they have an independent nature and may be stubborn, so training takes consistency, patience and an understanding of scent hound temperament.

They respond well to calm, loving but firm leadership.

Harriers live 12 to 15 years. AKC says there are several health and genetic screening considerations specific to the breed and responsible breeders test their stock and share results with other dedicated breeders.

The short glossy coat needs minimal maintenance: a weekly brushing with a soft-bristle brush or hound glove, with an occasional gentle-shampoo bath to avoid a doggy odor.

Harriers were bred to spend hours in the field chasing prey, so they need ample exercise every day or may become bored and destructive. With all the activity they need they adapt to a range of homes.

Among the AKC's rarest breeds, the Harrier probably has more theories about its origin than there are Harriers in the United States. Agreed facts include that it was bred to hunt hare, which the name echoes and that the first packs appeared in England sometime in the 1200s.

Harriers have been in America since Colonial times and sportsmen like George Washington and his Virginia neighbors may have used them in creating uniquely American hounds.