Plate 175 · The Americas
Plott Hound
普罗特猎犬
“North Carolina's bear hound from Hanover.”
- Origin
- United States
- Mountains of western North Carolina
- Region of origin
- Developed by the Plott family in North Carolina; the marker is the state's reference point. It is North Carolina's state dog.
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- From 1750
- Today
- Hunting dog · Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Mountains of western North Carolina
A brindle American coonhound from the Hanoverian hounds of a German immigrant family; the only AKC coonhound breed not descended from foxhounds.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Hunting bear and boar in the mountains; also raccoon.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Johannes George Plott emigrated from Germany to North Carolina in 1750 with five Hanover hounds. His son Henry developed the family pack in the western mountains. The UKC registered it in 1946.
04 · Today
Hunting dog · Companion
A hunting hound and a loyal companion.
Personality
- Loyal
- Alert
- Intelligent
- Tenacious
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- Tough, tireless athletes: lots of exercise outdoors.
- Grooming
- Minimal: a weekly brush.
- Training
- Smart and focused; socialize thoroughly.
Living with one
- Size
- Medium
- Lifespan
- 12–14 years
- Coat
- Smooth, fine, glossy coat in brindle, black or brindle with a saddle
Field note
The Plott Balsam mountains in North Carolina are named after the same family.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Hound Group
- Also recognized by
- United Kennel Club
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Hound Group, recognized 2006.
AKC registrations: ranked 171 among breeds in 2025.
Sources2 references
- Plott Hound — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/plott-hound/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Plott Hound — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plott_Hound
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Johannes George Plott (1750) and the Hanover hounds, Henry Plott, state dog of North Carolina (1989), UKC (1946) and AKC (2006) recognition.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: Developed by the Plott family in North Carolina; the marker is the state's reference point. It is North Carolina's state dog.
