| The sport of hunting rabbits on horseback | | | | lands.The Harrier makes a friendly and gentle |
| with packs of hounds is well documented. | | | | house dog. He is usually a quiet sort in the |
| Historians have recorded that packs of hounds | | | | house, not creating much of a disturbance but |
| were used to hunt hare and rabbit and fox as | | | | preferring to lie around and bask in the |
| early as the 13th century in England. In 400 | | | | warmth of human companionship. Of course |
| B.C. the Greek historian Xenophon described | | | | like all hounds he needs plenty of exercise, |
| packs of hounds being used for hunting | | | | this is one of the breeds that does put on |
| rabbits. it is believed that the word | | | | weight quickly if not kept fit and trim. |
| "Harrier" comes from the Norman word for | | | | There is little to be done in the way of |
| "hound" and that the origin of the Harrier | | | | grooming, currying once a week with a rubber |
| hound may have travelled to England with the | | | | currycomb works well to clean out dead hairs |
| Normans. In seventeenth century England, the | | | | and dirt. Also he will need a fenced area if |
| sport of running packs of hounds of fifty or | | | | not kept on a leash when outdoors, for he |
| more after the rabbit or fox while the | | | | will be inclined to roam. The Harrier is a |
| hunters followed on horseback was enjoyed by | | | | "baying hound" and will give voice when it |
| the wealthy upper class. The Harrier was the | | | | gets "on the scent" of the prey. Like most |
| breed more commonly used by the lower | | | | of the hounds, this is a deep a melodious |
| classes. In actuality there is not a lot of | | | | voice that will carry quite a distance so if |
| difference between the two breeds in outward | | | | it is going to be left alone in a |
| appearance. The Harrier is a dog a that is | | | | neighborhood it can raise quite a noise when |
| taller than the Beagle and shorter and | | | | lonely! If kept penned it is necessary that |
| blockier in appearance than its taller | | | | this dog have a kennel mate. It is far |
| "cousin" the Foxhound. The specified height | | | | happier in a home as it loves people.The |
| for the Harrier is 19-20 inches at the | | | | Harrier has the typical hound outline, |
| withers with females being slightly | | | | straight of leg in the front, with a thick |
| shorter.Hunting with packs of Harriers or | | | | and well muscled chest and neck, with the |
| Foxhounds has always been an extremely | | | | typical dropped ears of the hound and a |
| popular sport in England but in today's | | | | gentle expression in its dark eyes. The |
| modern society, what with the legal | | | | Harrier may be of any hound color and the |
| restrictions on this type of hunting and the | | | | coat should be "hard", dense and glossy. As |
| lack of large open spaces in which to run the | | | | a general rule the Harrier has very few |
| horses and the dogs it is seldom seen outside | | | | health problems. |
| of exclusive game farms or privately held | | | | |