COUNTRY: USA
WEIGHT: 50 pounds
HEIGHT: 22 inches
COAT: Short, thick and dense
COLOR: Usually brindle; from light golden brindle to "saddled" brindle with large black mantle and brindle only on the legs; occasional smokey blue dogs; buckskins barred from registration
REGISTRY: UKC
GROUP: Hound
The story of the Plott Hound parallels that of the Plott family and their neighbors in the Great Smoky Mountains that join North Carolina and Tennessee, in what was Cherokee territory. Sixteen-year-old Johannes Plott emigrated to this area from Germany in 1750 with his brother Enoch, who died on the journey. With them came their Hanoverian-type schweisshunds. The descendants of these hounds were fostered, bred and hunted by seven generations of Plotts.
As generations of Plotts married and began families in other parts of the mountains, their hounds spread with them. The Plott's hounds ran the mountainsides for over 200 years. Used on a variety of game, these hounds were bear dogs par excellence. They didn't carry any specific breed name in the early days. Those belonging to Plotts were called Plott's Hounds, those bred by the Cables of Swain County were named Cable Hounds, etc., even though the hounds were all basically the same type and breeding. The original schweisshunds were crossed with other hounds and with cur types especially for their treeing ability. At one time, the breed was even referred to as the Plott Cur. But through the years, each of these clans maintained the original type of a tough, persistent, coldtrailing hound. H.T. Crockett, the Hannahs, the Cruse family, the Reece brothers, the Will Orr family and Blain Blevins all had notable strains.
By the 1920s, the old strains of these brindle mountain-bear dogs needed a boost. The Blevins Hounds were a strain of black-saddled tan hounds also known in the Great Smokies. Gola Ferguson, who had bred hounds of the Plott type for many years, crossed some of his with those of Blevins' type. The result of this cross, "Tige" and "Boss," was two legendary hounds that became known throughout the vast mountain range. Bred back to Plott types, they provided the boost that was needed to revive this old breed. Almost all modern registered Plotts trace to one or the other of these pillars. Even the Plott families, always able to appreciate a fine hound, bought dogs from Ferguson to improve their own stock. This cross also introduced the black-saddled brindle pattern.
When this breed was suggested for UKC registration in 1946, there were those that wanted them called Ferguson Hounds or Cable Hounds. Although many contributed to the breed, the Plott family received the honor in the final selection.
Plotts are very tough hounds who not only can coldtrail a 500-pound bear or a boar, but can stand up to that type of game when they have it cornered. As Ferguson said of one of his dogs, "Against bear, he was a one man army." One hunter's eager female Plott always tore up a bear's ear, which she'd grab and hang on to stubbornly. The Plotts are hounds of fine nose and beautiful voice, and are easily trained.
Hack Smithdeal, a well-to-do, avid bear hunter of Tennessee, did much to publicize the Plott breed. He claimed this breed to be the best he could find for bear hunting, and much of his famous pack came directly from John Plott and his son, George Plott, in the 1930s. A 1946 demonstration with SmithdeaTs hounds for the Conservation Department opened bear hunting with dogs in Michigan. From Smithdeal dogs came the hounds of the Pioneer Kennel of Dale Brandenburg, who has produced many outstanding Plotts.
Although the lighter brindle color was common earlier, after the Blevins cross the most usual pattern was a black-saddled brindle, some almost a solid black with brindling only on the legs. Other colors appear in the breed, including slate blue from the Blue Delch strain and a very few buckskins. The buckskin color has recently been barred from registration due to the fact that some of that color had come from Redbone crosses. The Plott breeders, like the Blue Gascon and Majestic promoters, want to maintain the old hunting type without adulteration from hot-nosed speed hounds.
As generations of Plotts married and began families in other parts of the mountains, their hounds spread with them. The Plott's hounds ran the mountainsides for over 200 years. Used on a variety of game, these hounds were bear dogs par excellence. They didn't carry any specific breed name in the early days. Those belonging to Plotts were called Plott's Hounds, those bred by the Cables of Swain County were named Cable Hounds, etc., even though the hounds were all basically the same type and breeding. The original schweisshunds were crossed with other hounds and with cur types especially for their treeing ability. At one time, the breed was even referred to as the Plott Cur. But through the years, each of these clans maintained the original type of a tough, persistent, coldtrailing hound. H.T. Crockett, the Hannahs, the Cruse family, the Reece brothers, the Will Orr family and Blain Blevins all had notable strains.
By the 1920s, the old strains of these brindle mountain-bear dogs needed a boost. The Blevins Hounds were a strain of black-saddled tan hounds also known in the Great Smokies. Gola Ferguson, who had bred hounds of the Plott type for many years, crossed some of his with those of Blevins' type. The result of this cross, "Tige" and "Boss," was two legendary hounds that became known throughout the vast mountain range. Bred back to Plott types, they provided the boost that was needed to revive this old breed. Almost all modern registered Plotts trace to one or the other of these pillars. Even the Plott families, always able to appreciate a fine hound, bought dogs from Ferguson to improve their own stock. This cross also introduced the black-saddled brindle pattern.
When this breed was suggested for UKC registration in 1946, there were those that wanted them called Ferguson Hounds or Cable Hounds. Although many contributed to the breed, the Plott family received the honor in the final selection.
Plotts are very tough hounds who not only can coldtrail a 500-pound bear or a boar, but can stand up to that type of game when they have it cornered. As Ferguson said of one of his dogs, "Against bear, he was a one man army." One hunter's eager female Plott always tore up a bear's ear, which she'd grab and hang on to stubbornly. The Plotts are hounds of fine nose and beautiful voice, and are easily trained.
Hack Smithdeal, a well-to-do, avid bear hunter of Tennessee, did much to publicize the Plott breed. He claimed this breed to be the best he could find for bear hunting, and much of his famous pack came directly from John Plott and his son, George Plott, in the 1930s. A 1946 demonstration with SmithdeaTs hounds for the Conservation Department opened bear hunting with dogs in Michigan. From Smithdeal dogs came the hounds of the Pioneer Kennel of Dale Brandenburg, who has produced many outstanding Plotts.
Although the lighter brindle color was common earlier, after the Blevins cross the most usual pattern was a black-saddled brindle, some almost a solid black with brindling only on the legs. Other colors appear in the breed, including slate blue from the Blue Delch strain and a very few buckskins. The buckskin color has recently been barred from registration due to the fact that some of that color had come from Redbone crosses. The Plott breeders, like the Blue Gascon and Majestic promoters, want to maintain the old hunting type without adulteration from hot-nosed speed hounds.