Plott Hound Labrador Dog Breed

The Plott Hound and Lab mix, as a crossbreed, is not an official member of any breed group. Neither does any info exist about these hybrids' true origin; while a Plott Hound mixed with Lab has probably existed naturally for a long time, no breeder or breed club has claimed its creation. It's likely this Lab-Plott Hound mix has been favored by hunting enthusiasts for decades. That said, these friendly, active hybrids make excellent hunting companions; they make good pets for active families too, especially those living in homes in rural areas.

A few Plott Hound-Labrador mix facts: they're medium- to large-sized, averaging 23 inches at the shoulders in height and 65 pounds in weight; they have short, thick, double-layered coats that shed seasonally; and they're extremely energetic and will need a lot of exercise.

Some advantages and drawbacks to owning a Labrador-Plott Hound mix:

The Labrador-Plott Hound mix is the offspring of two athletic hunting breeds--so you can be sure a Plott-Lab mix will be fast and strong as well. They have lean yet muscular bodies and usually excel at all types of canine sports, agility, swimming, and more.

A Lab and Plott hound mix will also be a fantastic hunter, no doubt--and the dog may even excel at hunting different types of game. The Lab originated as a water retriever, while the Plott Hound is mainly a large game hunter, so this hybrid's hunting skills may be diverse. One issue that may result from the Plott's hunting instincts--they track and fight bears, mountain lions, and other predators--is that the dog may be a bit aggressive and dominant with unknown animals. This might be offset by the Lab's sweetness, however, so it's not a huge concern. And these hybrids will do best in a multi-dog household, as the Plott is a pure pack animal; they also thrive better in homes in rural settings that give them plenty of room to run.

The Plott-Lab mix is strong, speedy, and athletic, and will undoubtedly need a lot of exercise on a daily basis.

Energetic, friendly, task-oriented, intelligent, and sometimes stubborn, the Plott Hound-Lab mix temperament is one of activity and enthusiasm. These hybrids will be very affectionate with family members--but they may be somewhat suspicious and confrontational with strange animals and people. It's important to socialize a Plott-Lab mix with varied people, animals, and situations starting in puppyhood to curb this tendency. Plott-Labs will get along pretty well with children and other pets (particularly other dogs); it's best, owners say, if the dog grows up alongside any kids or other household pets, so they learn to be accustomed to one another.

In regards to training: these hybrids are very smart, and usually respond very well to training--but they may inherit the Plott's potential for stubbornness, and might need a few repetitions when learning commands or tasks. As with any breed, firm, consistent, reward-based training methods are best.

And the Plott Hound-Lab mix's watchdog abilities are hit or miss. If the dog inherits the Lab's inherent sweetness, forget it--but if it's more like the Plott Hound, its guarding abilities will probably be better.

The Plott Hound-Lab mix, due to hybrid vigor (in which a crossbred dog inherits the healthiest traits of its parent breeds), is pretty healthy. Even so, these hybrids may suffer ailments common to the parent breeds including various musculoskeletal issues (hip/elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation), along with assorted allergies. Larger, deeper-chested Plott-Labs can also be prone to gastric torsion (bloat) if allowed to eat their food too quickly. Potential owners are advised to ask breeders for health screenings for the dog and/or its parents, or they can have their own veterinarians do the screenings.

Life expectancy for the Plott-Lab mix is 11-13 years.