Harrier puppies

About the Harrier

The Harrier is an English pack hound built to hunt hare in front of followers on foot, which is why they sit between the Beagle and the Foxhound in size at 48 to 53 cm and 20.4 to 27.2 kg. They are compactly made with a short weatherproof double coat and heavy bone for their height. Bred to work shoulder to shoulder with other hounds and unfamiliar people, they are outgoing and tolerant, rated 5 out of 5 with both children and other dogs, though supervision and socialisation still apply.

Living with a Harrier comes down to two things. The first is exercise: a Harrier needs a lot of it every day, and an under exercised one gets destructive. The second is the voice, rated 5 out of 5, a full pack hound bay that carries a long way and makes close neighbours a problem. Grooming is a weekly once over with a hound glove. Walks happen on the lead and gardens need real fencing, because the nose wins. Expect more miles and more noise than you might imagine.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Harrier 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 medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. 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.

• Hip dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation of breeding stock
• Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation
• Ear infections in the drop ears, found by checking and cleaning them weekly
• Weight gain, since the breed is food driven and gains easily when under exercised

Your Harrier puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Harrier.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 20.4 to 27.2 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 27.2 kg; chew toys made for medium 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

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the Harrier

Previous: Hanoverian Scenthound · Next: Havanese

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Harrier breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/harrier/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Evforce, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.