Brindle Plott: 9 Breed Traits and Coat Guide for 2022!

Breeding dogs for hunting is no new endeavor and there are now many different breeds that come from this proud lineage. Hounds are the most popular in this category and Plotts belong to this group. 

This breed is usually bred for hunting either large or small game. Brindle Plotts are hunting hounds and make affectionate and loyal family dogs. They develop deep, emotional bonds and are incredibly smart. 

Plotts have a wide variety of skills and can learn even the more complicated tricks and commands. Because they’re hounds, Plotts also have other considerations. Keep reading to learn more about the Brindle Plott, along with all of the positives and negatives of having one in your home.

Brindle Plott Overview

The Brindle Plott is a type of hunting dog that was bred in the United States roughly 200 years ago from a type of German hunting dog called a Hanoverian Schweisshund. They were bred mainly to excel in hunting as pack animals and have a dominant, protective personality.

Even so, they’re sweet, loyal dogs and are quite relaxed in the home. Plotts are known to be extremely loyal to their human family and more protective than most breeds.

Without the proper training, this could translate to trouble, though they still tend to do well with strangers and other animals.

You might see some variations in their general statistics, but they tend to remain pretty similar. Below are the average stats for Plott hounds.

Plott hounds also have a variety of different coat colors. Most of them have many different shades and patterns, so Plotts can be diverse in their appearance.

The different colors include:

• Brindle
• Black
• Buckskin
• Fawn
• Tan

There are also some special considerations with any hound breed because of their prey drive and dominant tendencies.

Looking to explore other brindle dog breeds? Check out our Best Brindle Dog Breeds guide. Here, we share breeds that commonly boast brindle coats!

How to Get a Brindle Plott

Plotts are an uncommon breed, so you may see a bit of a wait when you start looking for a puppy. This is even more true if you’re specifically looking for a Brindle Plott. If you happen to live near North Carolina, you’ll probably have an easier time finding one since this is their official state dog!

You can expect to pay anywhere from $300 to $700 for a Plott puppy. The variation is due to many different factors.

These include:

• Breeding and registration
• Location
• Local supply and demand
• Availability

You may also get lucky and find one in a local shelter. Since many people don’t expect the level of training needed to control dominant tendencies in hound dogs, they’re sometimes surrendered to shelters to be rehomed.

If you go through a breeder, you should be sure that they’re reputable and take proper care of their animals. You should also ask if their Brindle Plott hounds are from a lineage bred for large or small game, as those bred for larger game tend to have more intense personalities.

Traits of a Brindle Plott

Despite what Elvis may have thought, hound dogs are fantastic breeds! If you hunt, they can be outstanding companions and helpers while out in the woods and still make wonderful family pets at home.

If you’re a hunter looking for a new hunting companion, be sure to stop by our Best Dog Hunting Vests guide before you go!

A Brindle Plott does have some specific traits that you should be kept in mind before getting one. Some of these may require some extra training, depending on your specific environment, while others can elevate them above other breeds.

• A Brindle Plott will have a strong prey drive. This can spell trouble if you have small animals in your home, such as rabbits, birds, or reptiles.
• Establishing control is important with hound dogs since they have dominant personalities.
• Food aggression can be a common problem with hounds. You may want to pay particular attention to their attitude about food and quickly handle any problems when they’re young.
• Hounds aren’t a good choice for people who have meek or timid personalities. They’ll quickly spot this and try to assert their dominance. Unless you can assert yourself well with a large dog, consider another breed.
• Hounds are known for their loyalty. Depending on the individual dog’s personality, this can translate to separation anxiety or depression if he or she has to be rehomed. If you get a hound, you should be in it for the long haul.
• They tend to have well-rounded personalities. Most hounds play hard, work hard, and lounge harder.

The right family can truly bring out the best in a hound dog, making them a rewarding and enjoyable pet to have. With the deep bonds they form with their humans, they’re truly man’s best friends.

Brindle Plotts as Family Dogs

Because of their protective nature, Plotts can make wonderful family dogs and are notorious for being both patient and kind towards children. They also tend to view your children as theirs to protect and most will go up against any foe to keep them safe.

If you have children, the level of training that you give your Plott is extremely important. Be sure your dog is well-trained and recognizes you as the dominant figure in the home. For this reason, many breeders recommend waiting until your children are school-aged before getting a Plott hound.

If you do have small children, there are some steps that you can take to make sure that their prey drive or tendency towards dominance doesn’t cause problems.

These include:

• Establishing a specific feeding area that’s inaccessible to your children.
• Not letting your younger children walk your dog if he or she is known to struggle against the leash.
• Always having an adult nearby when they’re together.
• Making sure your child doesn’t accidentally harm or irritate your dog.

You may even find that your Plott and child naturally develop a tight bond and that these worries never come into play. No matter how sweet and gentle any dog is, though, you should always take these steps to be on the safe side.

Temperament and Aggression

Plott hounds not only make great hunting dogs but are also fantastic guard dogs! They’re loyal to their family and will protect their territory from threats, especially considering how brave they are. Don’t expect a Plott to run from a threat just because the interloper is bigger.

They get their dominant streak from their strong hunting background, so it’s important to make sure that you begin training early and stay consistent.

As long as this is done, Plotts won’t be exceptionally difficult to control. Laying this groundwork in the puppy stage will almost certainly result in a wonderful family dog as they grow up.

While they do require a lot of exercise, they’re pretty laid-back dogs at home. Naturally, this can change if they aren’t getting enough exercise. They love making their humans happy, though can still get a bit sneaky at times.

Lastly, these dogs are extremely smart. They’re natural problem-solvers and are considered one of the more shrewd and cunning breeds available. They thrive in environments where their intelligence is nurtured and challenged. 

Training a Brindle Plott

Training a Plott requires a lot of consistency and determination because of their innate dominance. This doesn’t mean that they won’t pick up on training, though! Since they’re so intelligent, you can teach them almost anything you want.

Special areas to pay attention to when training your Brindle Plott include:

• Basic commands and expectations
• Resource guarding or food aggression
• Either nurturing or tempering protectiveness
• Establishing dominance
• Nurturing their natural desire to problem solve
• Tempering their prey drive

Reward-based training is the way to go with these guys since they respond well to treats and other tasty rewards. They’re usually eager to please their people, which means they’re also more likely to respond well to training when you shower them with praise and affection when they do something right.

Because they’re so intelligent, they retain their training well. It usually doesn’t take too long to potty train them and they can learn many different tricks and commands.

Common Medical Problems

Plott hounds are generally considered a healthy breed and aren’t prone to many health conditions. The biggest risk to their health is injuries incurred outside when hunting or working. This includes infection from any wounds that aren’t properly treated.

Even so, there are a few conditions that tend to be more common than others in Plott hounds. These usually occur because of their deeper chests and the shape of their bodies.

Common conditions include:

• Bloat
• Gastric torsion, also called twisted gut
• Ear infections
• Hip dysplasia

Other than this, their risk for serious medical conditions is pretty minimal. Making sure that they get their immunizations and regular checkups with a vet further reduces these risks. If you’re worried about the costs associated with medical care, pet insurance is easy to find these days!

If you’re getting your Plott hound from a breeder, it’s important to make sure that your new puppy comes with a health guarantee. Many breeders will offer a refund or give you a new puppy if a serious health concern is discovered with yours.

Special Considerations for Brindle Plotts

Because they’re a specialized breed, these pooches tend to also have special considerations that you should be aware of. 

• Plott hounds have minimal grooming needs since their coat is quite short. They also don’t shed too much.
• Plotts usually don’t do well in apartments, since they need plenty of exercise. Room to roam is a must for these big dogs.
• A Plott will be happiest with other dogs in the home because of their pack tendencies. They also do well with larger families.
• Because of how tightly these dogs bond to people, they shouldn’t be left alone often. They’re sociable dogs and should be in a home that fosters that.
• If you have a fenced-in backyard, make sure your fence is high enough to contain these skilled jumpers and climbers!
• Because of their prey drive, it’s best to keep your Plott hound leashed when they’re not hunting or contained in a fenced-in yard. A tempting scent or scampering squirrel can easily distract them.

This may seem like a lot, but these traits are exactly what elevates the Plott hound in how rewarding and loving they can be. All of the effort you put into providing a good life for your Plott will be returned tenfold in love and loyalty.

Is a Brindle Plott Right for You?

Making sure that you can give a dog the right home for its needs is one of the most important parts of being a pet owner.

With Plott hounds, you’ll want to be able to check off all of these areas before bringing one home:

• Your home has ample outdoor running space and isn’t too cramped inside. If you have an apartment, you should consider a different breed.
• There are people and/or animals to provide plenty of consistent socialization. He or she shouldn’t be left alone all day while everyone leaves for school or work.
• You have enough time to properly train him or her, especially during their puppy years.
• Your home isn’t chock-full of tempting prey pets.
• Your personality is strong enough to keep him or her in check.
• You have prior experience with raising and training strong-willed or hunting dogs.
• Your family spends time outdoors. Just because they’re hound dogs doesn’t mean they have to go hunting all the time, but there should be other substitutes as outlets for this energy and drive.

Assuming you meet these basic needs, you should be able to provide a wonderful, loving home for a Brindle Plott hound. All that’s left to do is find one!