THE HOUND OF A DIFFERENT COLOR: THE PLOTT HOUND
This Plott wears the usual brindling pattern that can come in a wide variety of shadings in the background color. Even black and buckskin colors are allowed, although any of the brindle coloration is more common. photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Amanda Alexander’s superb Plott, BIS GCH CNC CCH Black Monday, was bred by Christina Officer. “Monday” is the first AKC Plott champion, the first Plott Best of Breed Westminster winner, the first and only Best in Show winner, Night Champion, Bench Champion, and is still the top-winning Plott in the history of the breed in AKC. Monday went on to win the breed at Westminster three times. His son, “Capone,” has won three times, and his nephew, “Vito,” has also won the breed three times. Black Monday sports the distinctive black saddle marking of some Plotts. photo by B. Knoll
sacrifice themselves before they’ll run from a showdown, they are the ninja warriors of dogdom. By comparison, the Beagle is a layabout, and the Pit Bull a pansy.” Plott breeder, Burkett, adds that these hounds are more aggressive than the typi- cal coonhounds. “Sometimes a cornered bear will not go up a tree, but just sit down to catch his breath. Other coonhounds will simply bawl at that bear and then take up the chase again when the bear runs off again. Not a Plott! He will leap in for a bite, pulling out a bit of hair in the process, forcing the bear to climb up a tree to avoid this brindle fury.” It’s nearly unimaginable that a dog of about 65 pounds would fear- lessly take on a 500 pound bear, but such is the utter fearlessness of the Plott. Given their temperament and superb nose, Plotts make wonderful search and rescue dogs. They also assist the USDA Border Patrol “Tick Force.” The Texas fever tick carries a fatal hemolytic disease seen in cattle and sheep that can decimate herds of livestock. Although the US eradi- cated the fever tick from our soil in 1943, constant diligence is needed to prevent stray Mexican cattle from wandering onto US land and infecting cattle here. “Tick riders” patrol the border from the Gulf of Mexico in southern Texas west to the Pacific Ocean. These riders use Plotts to track, bay, and help capture maverick Mex- ican cattle that have crossed into the US.
The Plotts help protect the multibillion dollar beef cattle industry all along our southern border. AKC ACCEPTANCE BRINGS MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PLOTT With the acceptance of the Plott into the regular classes and activities of the AKC in 2006, new challenges and oppor- tunities face breeders of this superlative hunting hound. Burkett believes, “The AKC conformation events and field tri- als that now include the Plott will afford the all-American Plott its long overdue and much-deserved recognition as one of the world’s finest scenthounds and [the] American workingman’s dependable and versatile working dog.” The AKC performance events offer the Plott many opportunities in which to shine. Burkett notes, “The Plott’s intel- ligence, tractability, and desire to please their master make them trainable for any- thing…” In addition to the obvious choice of field trials, the Plott can excel in agility, tracking, nose work, rally, obedience, dock diving, and much more. Unlike the softer expressions of the oth- er scenthounds, the expression of the Plott, as described in the breed standard, should be “confident, inquisitive, determined,” as befits this most determined of scenthounds. True to his history as a mountain dog that had to cover a great deal of rough
Another of Amanda Alexander’s Plotts, RBIS GCH CGCH Mob Boss Vito’s Gotcha, who won BOB at Westminster K.C. three times. He is a nephew of Black Monday. Vito has that distinctive Plott Hound expression that reflects the breed’s intelligence, fearlessness, and confidence, coupled with a regal bearing. The Alexander Plotts have won the breed every year since they have been eligible to exhibit at Westminster. Rhonda Cassidy, photographer
Eight-week-old Plott puppy, Mob Boss Bear Pen’s Gotcha, sired by CH Alexander’s Mob Boss Goomah out of Bear Pen’s Horse With No Name. The unique temperament of the Plott emerges even in young puppies. They are very active and tend to growl sometimes before their eyes are even open. photo courtesy of Amanda Alexander
230 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2021
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