Harrier

This is a very sweet and kind dog, especially with children.

She is very happy and always willing. She never refuses a play session.

Well-trained, this dog will usually remain calm indoors but become more excitable in the field.

The Harrier can be reasonably intelligent.

She has been bred to hunt hares, hence her name: Harrier.

She is very sociable and will be friendly to all guests.

The Harrier can be very dependent on her human, and will follow their every movement.

She prefers to keep company most of the time.

Her independent nature can make her difficult to train, although she is eager to participate. If her needs are fulfilled, she will cooperate.

The Harrier can be a bit of a barker; she may croon or bay, also, when feeling blue.

She has the capacity to escape in pursuit of a track if your garden is not well-protected.

She may become destructive by digging or chewing things up if she does not get enough exercise and/or she is left alone for a long period of time.

Food can help to reward this stubborn dog in her education.

She can make a good watchdog, if not left alone for too long, since she will raise the alarm upon the entrance of intruders. However, she is likely to befriend them, and so should not be considered a potential guard dog.

For a young hunter who wants to develop a pack for hunting, for example, the acquisition of a Harrier puppy is a very good choice.

Without being an enormous dog, the Harrier can become burdensome (and unhappy) in a home without a garden due to her energy and power.

She requires and enjoys a great deal of daily exercise, and will happily accompany her masters on rambles of significant exertion. The Harrier should get at least a couple of hours of boisterous outdoors exercise every day in addition to her daily walks and the freedom of the garden.

There are no particular problems transporting this dog although she may become restless on long journeys.

The Harrier sees a cat as a large hare, and thus a challenge. Track and destroy! Track and destroy! Unless she met the cat while still a puppy, in which case it could work out.

As a pack dog, the Harrier loves the company of other canines.

She is known as a warm and gentle friend for children, although a smaller child could be knocked flying if games get out of hand. In general, she is sweet and playful.

With her high energy, significant exercise needs, and tough training, the Harrier is not recommended for those elderly people who are frail, have trouble getting around, or are likely to feel like this within the dog’s lifetime.