Plott

Illustration courtesy of the Swedish Kennel Club

The Plott is a rare hunting breed that has the distinction of being the state dog of North Carolina.

Fun Fact

Plott Hounds share their name with the mountain range in the Carolinas named the Plott Balsams (also named after the Plott Family!)

  • About the Plott

    Plotts, also know as Plott Hounds, are a rare American breed that have the distinction of being the state dog of North Carolina.

    Originally bred to hunt wild boar, Plotts are the descendants of German dogs that were famous for their ability to hunt wild boar. A German man named Johannes Plott immigrated to North Carolina and 1750 and brought with him some of his favorite hounds. These dogs, bred over the generations to be better and better hunters, eventually became more or less the Plotts we know today. It was Johannes's son, Henry, who continued his father's legacy and continued breeding plot hounds and made them the breed they are today. Plotts were registered with the United Kingdom Club in 1946 and recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2006. They first debuted at the Westminster show in 2008.

    Despite being the North Carolina state dog, Plotts are actually exceptionally rare. They are rarely kept just as pets, and to this day are most commonly found in the Carolinas, were they are still highly valued as hunting dogs (though they now hunt more than just boar!) Because of their energetic and tireless natures, Plotts are not a good breed for city dwellers, and are definitely dogs that need to be kept in the suburbs or in a rural home. In fact, many Plott breeders will not place puppies in homes that don't hunt at all, in the interest of preserving the breed’s original purpose. In a non-hunting home, Plott hounds require a great deal of time outdoors and a great deal of exercise, otherwise they will become bored and potentially even unhappy. While they are a little bit lazy and love to relax after a long days work outside, they won’t make good house pets unless they are allowed to burn off all that excess steam.

    Plotts do well with other dogs and other animals, though should be closely supervised with smaller mammals such as cats because of their instinct to hunt. They get along very well with the children as well, as they are patient and good-natured.

    Plotts will be difficult to find outside of the Southern United States, as the vast majority of breeders are still in North and South Carolina.
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