Breeds / Large
American Leopard Hound puppies
Friendly, energetic and biddable for a hunting hound, the American Leopard Hound is a southern tree hound often carrying a mottled merle coat. It is good with people and other dogs but is loud, high energy and best suited to an active rural home.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin United States
- Adult weight 15.9 to 34 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 35 to 75 lb
- Adult height 53 to 69 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short smooth
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
Where these come from:
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings, coat type, country of origin and health notes
About the American Leopard Hound
The American Leopard Hound is an old southern United States tree hound, used on racoon, boar and larger game, and it takes its name from the mottled merle coats many of them carry. It is a strong, athletic hound, 53 to 69 centimetres tall, with a smooth double coat, a rough outer layer over a fine woolly undercoat. Temperament is sociable and biddable by hound standards, rated five out of five with both children and other dogs, though supervision and socialisation still apply.
This is a country dog. It wants long daily walks, a securely fenced space to run and something to occupy its head, and it barks with a hunter's voice, rated five out of five. Grooming is a weekly brush, regular nail trims and ear checks. Coat colour genetics matter here: mating two merles risks puppies that are blind or deaf, so ask what the parents are. New owners most often underestimate how much space and work a hunting hound expects.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a American Leopard Hound puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and it will need a job to do long before it needs long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Double merle inheritance, where two merle parents produce puppies at high risk of blindness and deafness, avoided by DNA testing coat colour before mating
- Deafness, detectable by BAER testing
- Hip dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation of breeding stock
- Ear infections under the drop ears, found on regular ear checks
From American Leopard Hound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-leopard-hound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your American Leopard Hound puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a American Leopard Hound.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 15.9 to 34 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other large breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.