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American Leopard Hound Price and What To Look For When Buying One

American leopard hounds are adorable, fearless creatures that make amazing family pets and hunting dogs.

They are highly intelligent, alert, energetic, and sociable. They get along well with people which makes them great for families.

If you’re interested in buying or adopting an American leopard hound, we delve into the temperament and other characteristics of this breed as well as how much ownership generally costs to help you decide if this is the breed for you. Read on to learn more.

American Leopard Hound Information

Puppy Price

The distinctive looks, utility, function, and scarcity of an American leopard hound make it quite costly if you’re looking to buy one.

When buying a purebred pup from a good breeder, expect to cough up between $800 to $1,000. Pups with a highly valued and proven pedigree can be priced even higher.

A high-quality breeder is often worth the extra expense. Reputable breeders will only breed American leopard hounds from good stock and make the pups undergo health tests. Adopting from a good breeder with high standards will help you get a healthy, disease-free pup.

On the other hand, cheap breeders are often unreliable and you may get a dog with health and behavioral problems. In the long run, it will cost you more to train and take care of an aggressive or sick dog.

Before you buy an American leopard hound, always make sure that you first visit and interact with the prospective pup in person. Although this breed isn’t usually aggressive, it can be reserved around strangers. It may also suffer from antisocial behavior if not socialized at an early age.

Meeting the pup’s parents can also give you an idea of what it will be like once it’s fully grown. Although socialization and training can help a pup adjust to most new environments, at its early stages, it will pick up behavioral and social cues from its mother. If she’s sociable and well adjusted to her environment, the puppy will also learn such traits from her.

Rescue Price

If you’re looking to adopt an American leopard hound, note that its unique appearance and scarcity make it a rare sight in shelters. Because its high energy levels can make it destructive and antisocial without adequate exercise, some owners aren’t prepared to deal with this so you might stumble on one in a rescue shelter.

The cost of adopting this breed depends on the shelter you’re getting it from. However, it will still cost you way less than buying one. Expect to pay about $250 for a rescue pup.

Keep in mind that the expenses associated with adopting a dog don’t end after you buy or adopt it. After you bring the puppy home, you also need to pay for its maintenance.

Vet expenses and insurance will come to around $500 each year. Food including dog treats will cost approximately $300. Any sudden expenses bring the total yearly cost of owning an American leopard hound to about $1,000.

Temperament

While most hounds are generally majestic and reserved, American leopard hounds are affectionate towards their owners and can be quite goofy around them. These dogs will form a close bond with their families and work hard to please them. An American leopard hound is also loving towards children and is protective of them.

However, don’t think for a second that they can only be goofy, lovable, and protective. American leopard hounds are also fantastic hunters. Their high intelligence and powerful tracking abilities combined with their strong prey drive allow them to track their prey for miles.

Upon finding their prey, they won’t attack it but will keep it cornered until their owners make the kill. At the same time, their quick reflexes and intelligence prevent them from getting injured while on the hunt.

They can also detect if a stranger poses a threat and will bark if they sense danger.  Moreover, they have considerable endurance that can help them weather changes in temperature and weather conditions, allowing them to adjust to different environments easily.

An American leopard hound gets along well with other dogs and pets, however, its natural hunting instincts and high prey drive can lead it to intimidate smaller animals. It’s important to introduce this breed to smaller-sized pets while it’s still young to help it curb unwanted behaviors.

These dogs have an independent, rebellious streak so owners must establish themselves as leaders of the pack to earn their trust and respect. Otherwise, American leopard hounds will take up the role of pack leader which can lead to behavioral issues.

Being energetic and intelligent, these dogs need a high amount of mental stimulation to stay happy and healthy. They need to be constantly busy so allow them to play and run around often. Also, if you’re away from home for long hours, ensure that your pet has another canine playmate to prevent it from getting bored and destructive.

Origin

Also known as the American leopard cur, American leopard, or leopard cur, the American leopard hound is one of Americas’ oldest tree dog breeds. Its history isn’t well-documented so you will find many mixed opinions about its origins.

Many researchers say the Spanish conquistadors brought their hunting dogs with them to the New World and this was instrumental in the evolution of the American leopard hounds. However, which breeds contributed to the development of the breed largely remains a mystery.

Other researchers suggest that these dogs were bred with the native dogs of Mexico. The resulting breed later made its way from Mexico to the United States with the conquistadors and continued to develop into its current stock.

Some reports maintain that American leopard hounds evolved completely in the Southern United States. They were bred from a mix of hound and herding dogs from parts of Europe such as France, Spain, England, Scotland, and Ireland.

By the 18th century, the breed had become a popular sight in North Carolina. These dogs went on to Tennessee and Kentucky and then south into Texas and Oklahoma.

In the early half of the 20th century, their population started declining. They were then bred with other canine breeds. By the 1950s, only a few of the original purebred stock were to be found.

To protect and promote this breed, Leroy E. Smith, J. Richard McDuffie and A.W. Carter took matters into their own hands and started to search for purebred American leopard hounds. In 1960, they spearheaded the American Leopard Cur Breeders Association (ALCBA) for this purpose.

In 1998, the United Kennel Club (UKC) accepted and recognized this breed as the leopard cur. Its name was changed in 2008 to American leopard hound to allow it to take part in coonhound events.

Dimensions and Appearance

The American leopard hound comes in medium to large sizes and has a powerful, muscular build. Male dogs grow up to 22 to 27 inches and weigh 45 to 75 pounds on average. Female dogs have an average height of 21 to 25 inches and weigh 35 to 65 pounds.

American leopard hounds have a big head and a muzzle that is slightly shorter than their skull. This breed has a dark nose that is usually colored black, however, red merle American leopard hounds tend to have brown noses.

The breed has round wide-set eyes that can be brown, yellow, or even blue. It has pendulous ears that start high up on the face but are not too long.

Its thick, wide, muscled neck gracefully merges into its straight, long forelegs that end with thick pads. Its strong hindquarters help it climb trees and traverse different terrains easily. An American leopard hound also has tough feet that don’t easily become sore during hunts.

Grooming

Regular grooming can give you opportunities to bond with your leopard hound. This breed has a smooth, short, dense, non-hypoallergenic double coat that sheds seasonally. The outer coat is rough to the touch while the undercoat has a fine and wooly texture.

This isn’t a high-maintenance breed and only needs weekly brushing. You should also give it occasional baths to keep it clean and looking well-groomed.

American leopard hounds have strong nails that grow quickly. Trim the nails frequently with a nail clipper or grinder to prevent overgrowth, splits, and cracks. Check their ears regularly as well to avoid wax and dirt from accumulating and leading to an infection. Make it a point to brush their teeth regularly.

Lifespan

American leopard hounds have a fairly long life expectancy of 12 to 15 years. They are a relatively healthy breed but they may suffer from health issues such as eye and hearing problems, hip dysplasia, and cryptorchidism.

How Much Activity Does an American Leopard Hound Need?

As a hunting dog, an American leopard hound is high on energy and needs a lot of activity to keep it healthy and happy. This active canine breed is best for homes that have large fenced yards where it can freely run around and play.

To ensure that it gets its daily requisite exercise, allow it to play in the backyard or go for walks with it many times every day. This will keep it active, healthy, and calm while giving you a good amount of daily exercise.

If you don’t have a lot of open space outdoors, you can also play indoor games like hide-and-seek. Other indoor activity options for these dogs include teaching them new tricks or chasing a ball or toy that’s rolled on the floor.

You can also get your pet to play dog sports that focus on agility, obedience, and rally to keep it active and in good shape.

American Leopard Hound Nutrition Guide

To ensure your American leopard hound stays healthy and fit, feed it high-quality dog food at regular intervals around two to three times a day. Food can be bought from a pet store or prepared at home.

However, get the approval of your vet when it comes to the brand and portion size. Your dog should also have access to fresh and clean drinking water at all times.

Note that the diet for an American leopard hound needs to be appropriate to its age and exercise level. Since some dogs can quickly become overweight, keep track of your pet’s calorie count and weight to prevent obesity and adjust its meal portions accordingly.

While good-quality dog treats are important during training, feeding your dog too many can cause obesity. Research ingredients that are safe and healthy for dogs to feed them with and do so at a moderate level.

If you have any concerns about your pet’s diet, weight, or health, consult your vet immediately.

Is an American Leopard Hound a Kid-friendly Dog Breed?

American leopard hounds are known to be child-friendly dogs. They tend to form strong bonds with kids and can become highly protective of them.

They will guard young children against strangers which can be helpful if you need to be away from your house for extended periods.

While this is a good breed for children, you should still teach your kids how to move around an American leopard hound. High-energy hunting dogs like this one can lead to collisions that can knock over young children.

Similarly, American leopard hounds also get along well with older kids and can become wonderful, energetic playmates for growing children.

Can You Train an American Leopard Hound?

American leopard hounds are always eager to please their owners. They are thus easy to train and teach. These hunting dogs are known for their high stamina, agility, and focus, which makes them even easier to train.

These dogs also possess a high prey drive which can be tempered with obedience training. This will help ensure that they don’t chase after every small animal when they’re outdoors.

Being scenthounds, they also follow scents and tend to wander off. This makes it important to train them well to listen and respond to your voice commands.

Training an American leopard hound pup early on can help sharpen its skills and keep unwanted behaviors in check.

American Leopard Hound Colors

American leopard hounds have a range of different coat colors such as black, gray, blue, brown, yellow, and red. This variety makes each dog vary greatly in looks. Most American leopard hounds have a solid-colored coat, but some have a splotched or merle coat.

Besides merle, American leopard hounds can have white, brindle, and tan markings as well as leopard spots which are all standard markings for this breed.

Conclusion

The American leopard hound is a wonderful breed to own.

Its rarity and unique appearance make it rather pricey, however, it’s a worthy investment because of the love, loyalty, and protection you get in return. It also makes a loving playmate for your kids and other pets.

When buying or adopting an American leopard hound, follow the guidelines we mentioned above. This will help you secure a healthy, happy, sociable pup that will grow up to be an affectionate family dog and a formidable hunting companion.

We hope you enjoyed reading our guide about American leopard hounds and found it helpful.

If you want to read more articles like this from Dog Temperament, take a look at our list of dog breed reviews and blog posts. We also encourage you to share this article with fellow dog lovers out there.

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