A Complete Price Guide for the Plott Hound

Plott HoundsSource © Shutterstock

Are you looking to adopt a Plott Hound and want to know how much they cost? Buying a Plott Hound is one of the best decisions you will ever make. Also known as the Plott, the Plott Hound is a German-American dog breed with high hunting instincts. Its high endurance for rough terrain makes it a loyal but tough companion. Plott Hounds are aggressive, especially to strangers, if not well socialized, but they make great dogs if they earn your trust. Because of their dominant nature, you should be an experienced dog owner and present a strong leadership quality. This way, you will discover how protective and loyal these Plott Hounds can be, particularly if you love hunting. Here is a complete price guide for the Plott Hound.

Plott Hound Origin

The Plott Hound’s origin was North Caroline, back in 1750. The breed descends from the five Hanoverian Schweisshunds that came to America via a German immigrant. Due to their tenacious and fearless hurting abilities, they became famous among the hunters, and every hunter began using the breed for hunting animals. In Germany, the breed was widely used in hunting boar, while in America, they were used in bear hunting. The dog emerged as the national dog of North Caroline in 1946. When it comes to the size of this dog breed, the male Plott Hound is 20-27 inches in height and weighs 50 – 75 pounds, while females grow 20 to 25 inches in height and weigh 40 – 60 pounds.

Before Purchasing Plott Hound Puppies

Are you up to the challenge of having a Plott Hound? It’s not a lot of a challenge, but there are some things you should understand before you do the task. To start with, the Plott Hounds are highly headstrong and confident. This makes them stubborn to train, particularly past their teenage years. Putting them into the right training program, whether professional or home-based, is vital for successfully bringing up your Plott Hound puppy. Another thing to consider is that Plott Hounds require a bigger space. According to the Hepper.Com, the canine is one of the top dog breeds to keep outdoors. This dog breed is not an idea for raising in condos, apartments, or other kinds of close living arrangements. While they might look lazy indoors, Plott Hounds can be highly active outdoors, maintaining them mentally stimulated and physically healthy. Last but least, if you want a bark-free dog, don’t even think about getting a Plott Hound. They are brave dog breeds whose braveness doesn’t allow them to back down from a challenge and engage their enemies loudly. According to Thedogvisitor.com, Plott Hounds have an unrestricted, loud yowl that will catch anyone’s attention. However, if you can handle or overcome these concerns, Plott Hounds can be brilliant additions to your family pets.

How Much Does a Plott Hound Cost?

The pure breed puppies can be challenging to find, mainly if you stay outside of a location where hunting is the local culture. The litter size of Plott Hound is around six to ten puppies. A Plott Hound costs $500 to $700 and lives for 12 to 13 years. The price of a puppy will depend on the breeder’s location and your location. The cost of adopting a Plott Hound is about $50 to $300 to compensate for caring for the dog before adoption. In contrast, purchasing Plott Hounds from a breeder can be relatively expensive. Based on the breeding, a Plott Hound price is $300 to $700. If you choose a dog with exceptional bloodlines, the price might be higher. The price may even be higher if the dog is already trained. You will generally pay less if you get a Plott Hound from the shelter. You can find a Plott Hound from a rescue shelter or organization. When adopting a Plott Hound, you should take note of the poorly socialized dogs because Plott Hounds are one of the dog breeds reputable for their aggressive behavior. Although you can train a dog to be less aggressive at any age, this form of intensive socialization is not ideal for most owners. Along with the purchasing or adoption fees, you should be prepared to pay for the proper medical, equipment, and feeding costs. Because the Plott Hound is a large to medium dog, equipment and feeding costs will be more than a small dog. And although they are a significantly healthy breed without the tendon towards serious health issues, they still require frequent veterinary check-ups, vaccinations, and treatment for injuries. There is no guarantee that your dog will remain healthy; hence, unexpected health difficulties might arise, particularly later in life.

How Much Does a Plott Hound Maintenance Cost Per Year?

Most first-time Plott Hound owners don’t think about all the fees that come along with it before buying or rescuing a Plott Hound. You should be sure you can financially offer to raise a Plott Hound before acquiring one. The most common annual expenditures for Plott Hound dogs include; vaccinations, food, vet care, toys, preventative medication, pet supplies, and pet insurance. According to the Pet Net ID, the average annual expense of having a Plott Hound is around $650. The annual cost of owning a Plott Hound puppy can add up relatively fast, so ensure to estimate the price from $500 to $2000 or more for the first year then about $500 to $1000 annually after that to meet the annual financial obligations of your loving and growing dog. Plott Hounds are low maintenance compared to other dogs. They are healthier, have fewer veterinary trips, and save you on grooming costs. Dogs only need brushing and glooming once or twice a week, and they will be good to go. The highest recurring cost for a Plott Hound is on the food. Because they are relatively large dog breeds and highly active, they will need two to three cups of well nutritious food each day spaced out as meals.

Exercise

Plott Hounds are highly active dogs. They need at least one hour of exercise a day and are best kept in homesteads with a significant backyard or dog run to work the energy out. The breed was initially bred to be a hunting and farm dog, hence having the freedom and space to run. Due to their energy and size needs, it will be challenging to rear a Plott Hound in a close apartment. Plott Hounds make an excellent companion for hiking and hunting because they have the endurance and energy to navigate the rough terrain. These dogs are always curious and explorative; hence taking them to different places and routes is an excellent way of increasing their engagement. Plott Hounds love living outside with sufficient room to explore and stretch their legs.

Diet & Food Requirements

Like humans, different dog breeds have different nutritional needs. As Plott Hounds are highly energetic dogs, their protein intake is more than other dog breeds. The Plott Hound is a big dog breed with a massive appetite. Hence, you should feed the dog at least 2 to 3 cups of food daily. The food should be nutritionally balanced and of high quality. However, you should regularly measure your dog’s weight to ensure you are not overfeeding your dog.

Intelligence & Temperament

According to Morethingsjapanese, Plott Hounds are alert, loyal and active loyal dog breeds with average intelligence. Due to their protective nature, Plott Hounds make perfect guard dogs butt require socialization training to be friendly around new people. The dogs are brave against aggressors and popular for actively defending homes from intruders, making them an ideal choice for those concerned about family safety. Some of the Plott Hounds can be aggressive if not well socialized. They are also anxious and become easily irritated by high-conflict surroundings. Therefore, the dogs do best with an experienced dog owner who can be assertive and calm. Due to their protective and size instincts, you should ensure your dog is highly socialized and capable of governing a dog that is not well-behaved.

Training

Plott Hounds are active dogs that love training. Hence, they are relatively easy to train, particularly for an experienced dog trainer. The dogs are often keen to please, and if you build a strong bond with your Plott Hound, he can understand things quickly. On the other side, Plott Hounds can be stubborn if they choose not to listen, making it hard to train them. If your Plott Hound is stubborn, you should avoid losing your temper or becoming aggressive. Being angry or punishing the dog will often double the stubbornness, and at worst, the Plott Hound might become aggressive back at you. So, instead of being aggressive, you should remain firm and calmly redirect your dog to the proper behavior. This dog breed is not for everyone. Their high energy levels, strength, and stubbornness mean they are best for experienced owners.

Health And Medical Conditions

Plott Hounds are healthy breeds. Most of the needed vet care for Plott Hounds is due to injuries while playing or hunting, and monitoring your dog’s environment can help alleviate that. Plott Hounds are also susceptible to Canine Hip Dysplasia; hence recommendable to take your dog for occasional hip tests to monitor its health.

Grooming

Plott Hounds feature characteristic short, dense coats that are easy to groom. The coat color comes in a brindle shade patterned with streaks and specks of dark and light markings. These brindles can be buckskin, yellow, chocolate, tan, gray, orange, black or brown. Brushing once a week will help reduce hair shedding, but not much grooming is required. You should bath Plott Hounds well when muddy or smelly. More so, cleaning the teeth of your Plott Hound frequently will help prevent dental issues and problems. Plott Hounds are relatively low-maintenance dog breeds.

Male Plott Hounds Versus Female Plott Hounds

Plott Hounds make excellent companions, whether they are female or male. When it comes to size, Male Plott Hounds are bigger, have alleviated energy levels, and are more assertive, making them a perfect choice for guard dogs or hunting dogs. Some owners also claim that male Plott Hounds are less independent and more obedient. On the other hand, female dogs are relatively more docile and need less space due to their slightly lesser size; whether male or female, neutering your dog will assist them to be less temperamental and abolish the problematic behaviors. Most veterinarians recommend neutering your Plott Hound unless you plan to breed the dog.

Do Plott Hounds Get Along with Other Pets?

A Plott Hound often associates well with other dog breeds, readily accepting them as a part of the family. The dog was initially bred to stay and hunt in packs, making it easier for them to get along in a multiple dog household. Plott Hounds get along smoothly with small pets and cats, although they have a high prey drive due to their original hunting background. Hence, they might find it hard to avoid chasing after small pets even with socialization. However, the ability to get along with smaller animals will depend on your dog’s temperament, socialization, and household happiness.

Are Plott Hounds Good Family Dogs?

Plott Hounds often get along ideally with families if they are well socialized. While the dog breed has an aggressive tendency, the aggression risk is only high when not properly socialized. Plott Hounds are very active and protective; they are excellent playmates for kids. These dogs like playing and running outdoors with older teenagers and children. You can also teach them to get along with smaller kids excellently. If you love going for outdoor hikes, Plott Hounds will accompany you for hiking, walking, or running hours.

Bottom Line

There are fewer dogs as reliable and tough as Plott Hounds. While they can be relatively costly to purchase and maintain, this dog breed will make a loyal and intelligent friend whether you plan to use them for protection, hunting, or family companions. Although this dog breed is not for everyone, you will be rewarded if you are dedicated and put in the work to socialize your dog. Also, you should opt for another breed if you don’t have sufficient space or land. These dogs require plenty of open spaces to explore and track and can easily stay outdoors as long as you give them a stable and well-secured structure.

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