KENAI
Harrier

The breeds · scenthound · scenthound

AKC Hound · UKC Scenthound · FCI standard 295

Harrier.

AKC standard: developed in England to hunt hare in packs, with all the attributes of a scenting pack hound, able to work tirelessly no matter the terrain for long periods; 'a smaller version of the English Foxhound'. UKC: developed in England to hunt hare in packs, first pack established in 1260, used in America since Colonial times. FCI 295: utilization scent hound, with working trial. RKC: the name reflects its original function, to hunt hare; originally followed on foot, then, after interbreeding with the Foxhound in the 19th century for a faster, lighter hound, also followed on horseback; a huge fall in the number of packs in the last century. Wikipedia: the Harrier is the most commonly used hound by hunts in Ireland (166 packs, 37 mounted and 129 foot)..

Breed sets the odds. The parents set the dog. Every number here shows its source, its spread and how sure we are. Nothing on this page is a prediction about one dog.

0INHeightall null. An ideal from the standard, not a range.
45–65LBWeight, all linesbreed 45 to 65 lb.
2.5+ HRSExercise, every dayRKC: more than 2 hours per day.. The constraint most homes get wrong.

The body

What the breed is built like. Registry standards give an ideal, not a range.

Height at the shoulder

18 to 22 in

Breed clubAKC breed standard, 1988

Low and high span the AKC one-inch tolerance (18 to 22) and the FCI range. No standard prints one ideal, so no center.

Weight

45 to 65 lb

Breed clubAKC

Weight comes from the AKC breed page header and Wikipedia, not from any standard.

Coat

AKC: short, dense, hard and glossy, finer on the ears, brush of hair under the tail; any color. UKC: the same wording; any good hound color; albinism disqualifies. FCI: smooth, of English style, flat and not too short; any recognised hound colour; skin white with black markings.

Breed clubAKC breed standard, 1988

Shedding

Shedding 3 of 5 (AKC breed page trait score)

Breed clubAKC

AKC breed page trait score, 1 to 5: a breed-club tendency, never a measurement.

Heat tolerance

4 of 5 · AKC and UKC: short, dense, hard and glossy. FCI: smooth, flat and not too short.

DerivedAKC breed standard, 1988

Derived from the standards' coat description (short, dense = 4). No measured data.

The dog at home

What the breed asks of a day. The first thing most homes get wrong.

Exercise need

RKC: more than 2 hours per day.

Breed clubThe Royal Kennel Club

RKC is a UK registry band, not a study; mapped by the library rule.

Energy

4 of 5

Breed clubAKC

AKC breed page trait score, 1 to 5: a breed-club tendency, never a measurement.

Grooming load

2 of 5 · RKC: grooming once a week; short coat; sheds. (AKC breed page coat grooming band 1, not mapped.)

Breed clubThe Royal Kennel Club

RKC is a UK registry band, not a study; mapped by the library rule.

The work

What it was built to do in the field, and what a test or trial asks of it.

Role

AKC standard: developed in England to hunt hare in packs, with all the attributes of a scenting pack hound, able to work tirelessly no matter the terrain for long periods; 'a smaller version of the English Foxhound'. UKC: developed in England to hunt hare in packs, first pack established in 1260, used in America since Colonial times. FCI 295: utilization scent hound, with working trial. RKC: the name reflects its original function, to hunt hare; originally followed on foot, then, after interbreeding with the Foxhound in the 19th century for a faster, lighter hound, also followed on horseback; a huge fall in the number of packs in the last century. Wikipedia: the Harrier is the most commonly used hound by hunts in Ireland (166 packs, 37 mounted and 129 foot).

Breed clubFCI-Standard N° 295

AKC, UKC, FCI, RKC; the Irish pack count is Wikipedia and is not independently checked.

Primary game

Hare (AKC, UKC, RKC: developed to hunt hare in packs). Wikipedia: also used in fox hunting; in Ireland harrier packs hunt both foxes and hares, some mainly foxes. Wikipedia (Beagling): the UK Hunting Act 2004 bans hare hunting in the traditional style in England and Wales.

Breed clubAKC breed standard, 1988

Hare from three registry sources; fox use is Wikipedia.

Search pattern

Pack hound. AKC: running gear and scenting ability are particularly important; endurance is more important than pure speed, stifles only moderately angulated; temperament outgoing and friendly, and aggressiveness toward other dogs cannot be tolerated because a pack breed works in close contact with other hounds. UKC: the same, with well-developed muscles for long hours of work. Wikipedia: some Harriers like to bay; the Harrier likes to go exploring, sniffing and trailing. No source read states the cry on the line.

Breed clubAKC breed standard, 1988

AKC and UKC standard text; the baying line is Wikipedia (editorial).

Field trial standard

FCI classifies the breed 'with working trial'. No trial rules were read.

Breed clubFCI-Standard N° 295

FCI classification only.

How common the problems are

Evaluated dogs skew toward breeding stock; the numbers are still the best there are.

Hip dysplasia

14.7% · 416 OFA hip evaluations, current all-data, accessed Oct 8 2026; 14.7% dysplastic (mild 11.3, moderate 3.1, severe 0.2), 84.4% normal (excellent 8.2, good 53.6, fair 22.6). Wikipedia: hip dysplasia is known to occur in the breed.

MeasuredOrthopedic Foundation for Animals

OFA's own breed statistics (rank 88). OFA-evaluated dogs skew toward breeding stock, with normal results over-represented.

More

akc bands

AKC breed page trait scores (1-5): Energy Level 4; Mental Stimulation Needs 4; Trainability Level 4; Barking Level 5; Watchdog/Protective Nature 3; Good With Young Children 5; Openness To Strangers 4; Good With Other Dogs 5; Shedding Level 3; Coat Grooming Frequency 1; Drooling Level 2; Affectionate With Family 5; Playfulness Level 4; Adaptability Level 4.

Breed clubAKC

Fourteen AKC bands in one row; the selector reads each by name. Breed-club ratings: a tendency, never a measurement.

What to ask a breeder for

The health clearances the breed’s own club and registry name. Reference only: what to ask for, never a statement about any dog’s health.

No KENAI kennel lists the Harrier yet. If you breed them, list your kennel free: it shows on this page and in the hunting dog breed finder, under every handler whose answers land on the breed.

How to read this page

Every value carries a label. Measured means peer-reviewed data on many dogs. Studied means peer-reviewed, smaller or indirect. Breed club means a club or registry states it. Editorial means expert opinion with no measurement behind it. Where two good sources disagree, both are shown and neither is averaged.

Published when the entry rests on the best information available from no fewer than three independent sources, checked by a second pass that did not write it. 5 sources on this page. Found something wrong? Tell us and the correction is logged with its date.

Every breed, read the same way.

The breed index grows as entries clear the standard. Gun dogs first.

All published breeds

Your harrier, on the record.

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