The Harrier

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The Harrier
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a pack hound
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Bred to hunt European hare
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• Followed on foot

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• or horseback

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by all ages
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around the world
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• Today packs exist in England, Ireland, Wales,
  France, Belgium, the USA and New Zealand
• New Zealand has the most Harriers today (only for
  hunting!)

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Origins
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Origins

• Hare hunting scent hounds known from Greek
  Roman records
• Hare hunting packs continued in Europe through
  middle ages
• Harriers were brought to England by the Normans
  and have continuous records to the present

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Bloodlines
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Bloodlines

• Some (even the AKC standard) claim Harriers are
  nothing more than dwarf Foxhounds

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Bloodlines

• Some (even the AKC standard) claim Harriers are
  nothing more than dwarf Foxhounds
• However, Harrier packs, and bloodlines, predate
  foxhunting by many centuries!

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Bloodlines

• Some (even the AKC standard) claim Harriers are
  nothing more than dwarf Foxhounds
• However, Harrier packs, and bloodlines, predate
  foxhunting by many centuries!
• The answer is that they are an older breed bred
  with foxhounds to produce what we know today

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Bloodlines
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Bloodlines

• Old Southern Harrier was larger slower with
  long pendant ears

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Bloodlines

• Old Southern Harrier was larger slower with
  long pendant ears
• Foxhound blood introduced to many packs
  throughout 19th century

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Bloodlines

• Old Southern Harrier was larger slower with
  long pendant ears
• Foxhound blood introduced to many packs
  throughout 19th century
• Today, two types registered in England
• Studbook Harrier (type in AKC)
• West Country Harrier

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Bloodlines

• Old Southern Harrier was larger slower with
  long pendant ears
• Foxhound blood introduced to many packs
  throughout 19th century
• Today, two types registered in England
• Studbook Harrier (type in AKC)
• West Country Harrier
• West Country, was supposedly free of Foxhound
  blood, but WWI WWII and decline in numbers have
  changed that

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In the UK
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In the UK

• ONLY in hunting packs
• Never found as house pets
• Never shown in KC shows since 1914
• Stud book controlled exclusively by AMHB since
  1891

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The AMHB
Association of Masters of Harriers Beagles

• All Harrier and Beagle packs are governed by its
  rules regulations
• (no state regulation of hunting yet)
• Hounds are NOT recorded in the Stud Book at the
  time they are whelped
• Only hounds which prove themselves successfully
  for 1 full year of hunting are entered in the
  Stud Book

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Harriers in the USA

• Colonial records show Harriers were shipped to
  the USA very early (but not where)
• Several large hunts formed in North Eastern
  states from the 1870s 1930s with hare
  imported from Belgium

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Harriers in the USA

• Two Harriers showed at the first Westminister
  Show
• Harrier among first hounds in the studbooks
  purchased by AKC

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Harriers in the USA

• Never popular for hunting in America
• No native hare population in mid-Atlantic states
• Beagles and other hounds filled their role
• Now mostly used for hunting snowshoe hare in New
  England and Michigan

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Function
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Function

• Endurance (not outright speed)
• Hunting ability
• Stamina / Durability
• Drive
• Voice
• 20mi/day, 2x a week, 5 mos a year
  900 miles a season

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Anatomy

• Ch. Mr. Reynals Monarch, 1936

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Gait
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• Moderate movement at a moderate speed

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Common Gait Faults

• Generic American Show-Dog (GASD) movement should
  not be rewarded at Breed OR Group level
• Excess kick-out flashy (wasted) movement
• Should NOT keep up with fast Sight hounds in the
  Group
• Too much rear for too little shoulder
• Restricted front movement (usually the short
  upper arm)

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Common Gait Faults

• Generic American Show-Dog (GASD) movement should
  not be rewarded at Breed OR Group level
• Excess kick-out flashy (wasted) movement
• Should NOT keep up with fast Sight hounds in the
  Group
• Too much rear for too little shoulder
• Restricted front movement (usually the short
  upper arm)

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Common Gait Faults

• Generic American Show-Dog (GASD) movement should
  not be rewarded at Breed OR Group level
• Excess kick-out flashy (wasted) movement
• Should NOT keep up with fast Sight hounds in the
  Group
• Too much rear for too little shoulder
• Restricted front movement (usually the short
  upper arm)

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Common Gait Faults

• Generic American Show-Dog (GASD) movement should
  not be rewarded at Breed OR Group level
• Excess kick-out flashy (wasted) movement
• Should NOT keep up with fast Sight hounds in the
  Group
• Too much rear for too little shoulder
• Restricted front movement (usually the short
  upper arm)

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Temperament

• Must get along in large groups

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• Must be biddable and respond well to people

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Have no dignity and a greatsense of humor

• Are wonderful with kids

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Natural athletes, Harriers can do well in
performance arenas - if you know how to train
motivate a self-willed hound
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The Breed Standard

• Current version written by AKC with no input from
  Parent Club
• (HCA didnt exist in 1989)

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Size, proportion, and substance

• Size makes a Harrier a Harrier and not a
  Foxhound or Beagle
• Ideal size is 20 for dogs bitches
• Standard is 19-21 with an inch of variation
  allowed
• Many show dogs are 23 or more

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Size, proportion, and substance
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Size, proportion, and substance
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Head
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Neck, topline, and body
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Tail
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Forequarters
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Forequarters
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Feet

• round, compact, catlike

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Hindquarters

• MODERATE Angulation

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Hindquarters
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ANY Color

• A good hound CANNOT be a bad color

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Variations

• Over 100 packs in the UK in 1900
• All crafted their pack to best fit their
  territory quarry, sometimes over centuries
• Standard is written loosely enough to accommodate
  the variations

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Common Problems

• GASD movement
• Overlong hocks resulting movement
• Wide fronts and/or out at the elbows
• Unbalanced front rear (usually too much rear
  not enough front angle)
• Size

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Comparing/Contrasting

• English Foxhound

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Comparing/Contrasting

• Beagle

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Judging Harriers
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Judging Harriers

• Keep the working criteria of the breed in mind to
  correctly judge Harriers
• Can this hound go absolutely all day long at a
  steady, endless, efficient pace?
• Is it sound enough to do so for years?
• Is it in good enough condition to go hunting
  tomorrow?
• Working is not a theoretical concept with
  Harriers it is their reality their definition

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Judging Harriers
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Judging Harriers

• No racing
• MODERATE speed on a loose leash (if possible)
  no GASD movement please!
• Do not reward spooky or shy temperaments
• Please refer to your Standard for clarification
  if needed (dont be shy!)
• Minimal grooming is encouraged (clean well
  turned out, but not shaved into a Beagle!)
• Not too large, not too small

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The Cake vs the Icing
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Cake vs Icing

• Cake
• Type
• Moderate Movement (endurance vs speed)
• Correct body structure
• Feet
• Angles
• Rib spring depth
• Substance
• Conditioning

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Cake vs Icing

• Cake
• Type
• Moderate Movement (endurance vs speed)
• Correct body structure
• Feet
• Angles
• Rib spring depth
• Substance
• Conditioning
• Icing
• Head
• Topline
• Tail/brush

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Deceptive Grooming/Handling Techniques

• Not much to hide on a Harrier, grooming-wise!
• Moving at a fast speed will hide some movement
  faults youd see at a correct moderate speed

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Examining Harriers

• Gap between ribs elbows correct!
• Look at feet should be tight sturdy
• Conditioning is important
• Dont measure ears or tail
• Toeing-in when moving is normal correct!
• Get out your standard if needed

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National Specialties

• 26 March 2004
• Bakersfield, CA
• Judge Dr. Robert D. Smith

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Questions