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. They are good with people and other dogs but are 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
- Shedding Moderate
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
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 they take their name from the mottled merle coats many of them carry. In build this 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.
A Leopard Hound belongs in the country. They want long daily walks, a securely fenced space to run and something to occupy their head, and they bark 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 they will need a job to do long before they need 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 they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their 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
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.
Kit sizes: crate 42 inch (42 x 28 x 30 in, 107 x 71 x 76 cm) for an adult of up to 34 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other large breeds
More on the American Leopard Hound
Previous: American Hairless Terrier · Next: American Pit Bull Terrier
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type, country of origin and health notes
- Health notes from American Leopard Hound breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-leopard-hound/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Richárd Bolyós, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.