Plott Hound Care

The Plott Hound (PH) is a fairly rare scenthound originally developed to hunt large game. These dogs are intelligent, athletic, and usually friendly--but they can also be dominant and even aggressive without proper training. Overall Plott Hound care and maintenance will take a bit of work, and will need to include a good bit of daily exercise and some early training and socialization.

Below you'll find details on caring for a Plott Hound, including info about puppy care and development, exercise needs, and shedding and drooling tendencies. Get answers to your questions about raising a Plott Hound in the following sections!

As an energetic hunting breed, Plott Hound exercise requirements are fairly high. Though these dogs are pretty low-key indoors, they'll need a variety of outdoor activities that both condition them physically (walking, fetch) and stimulate them mentally (games, canine sports).

Adult Plott Hounds, depending on their age and overall activity levels, will need at least an hour of dedicated exercise per day. You can start exercising your PH puppy when it's three months old by taking it on short walks, then you can increase the walks' length as the pup grows.

Precautions with Plott Hound exercise:

• Don't exercise puppies too hard before they're 12 months old
• High prey drive means a leash is required when exercising in public; leash training during puppyhood is highly recommended
• Yards should be securely fenced to keep the dog from running off
• Possible separation anxiety; exercises should be done together with people

Exercising your Plott Hound every day is a must. While they're usually pretty calm and friendly (unless tracking game, that is!), these dogs can be bold and aggressive--especially with too much pent-up energy! Regular exercise will be great for both the dog's and your own peace of mind. A few Plott Hound exercise ideas:

• Walking: Two 20-minute walks per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: These dogs love chasing a ball, stick, or Frisbee
• Hunting: Puts your PH in its natural element
• Canine Sports: Plott Hounds can excel at obedience or agility trials and other events
• Dog Park: If properly socialized, your PH will enjoy the company of other dogs
• Hiking: Excellent bonding activity

When indoors, giving your PH access to balls or toys will allow the dog to burn excess energy. It's also good to have a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks after breakfast and dinner and playtime in the afternoon.

These hunting dogs don't need much overall maintenance. Plott Hound shedding is pretty light, and drooling isn't an issue.

Plott Hounds have short-haired, glossy coats that don't shed too heavily throughout the year. Owners only need to brush their Plott Hounds' coats once or twice a week with a bristle brush to keep the shedding to a minimum, and hair cleanup--vacuuming the floors, and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will only be required once in a while.

And a PH rarely drools at all. If your Plott Hound is drooling excessively, it might be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.