DEEP ROOTS — Henry “Von” Plott pictured with his Plott Hounds in the mid-1900s. He was a descendent of Henry Plott, who first brought the dogs to Haywood County around 1800.
SOURCE OF PRIDE — A statue of the Plott Hound — the official state dog that hails from Haywood County — is commemorated by this statue along the Waynesville Public Art Trail in Hazelwood.
DEEP ROOTS — Henry “Von” Plott pictured with his Plott Hounds in the mid-1900s. He was a descendent of Henry Plott, who first brought the dogs to Haywood County around 1800.
SOURCE OF PRIDE — A statue of the Plott Hound — the official state dog that hails from Haywood County — is commemorated by this statue along the Waynesville Public Art Trail in Hazelwood.
North Carolina is one of only 13 states with an official state dog — the Plott hound, which hails from Haywood County.
Steeped in mountain legend and lore, the hardy Plott Hound was revered by early settlers for its daring tenacity to track and bay a bear many times its size. The Plott family — the namesake of Plott Valley and the Plott-Balsams — honed the hound’s superior traits for over 200 years from a strain of German boar-hunting dogs.
They closely guarded the pure breed within the family for generations after settling here in the early 1800s. In the wildlife-rich frontier, neighboring families would often call on the service of the “Plotts’ hounds” to rid their farms of troublesome predators.
Only six states had a state dog when the N.C. General Assembly designated the Plott Hound as the official state dog in 1989.
Plott hound pride runs deep in Haywood County. It’s the mascot for Hazelwood Elementary and a statue of the Plott hound on the Waynesville Public Art Trail serves as a sentinel for downtown Hazelwood.
So local folks would no doubt bristle over a poll conducted by The Pampered Pup, asking respondents to vote on which breed would be their ‘alternative’ official state dog. Nonetheless, here was how the poll shook out:
• First place: Carolina Dog. Known for their intelligence, loyalty, and independent nature, Carolina Dogs have proven to be excellent companions and working dogs. They excel in scent detection, tracking, and hunting. Their distinct appearance included a lean and muscular build, a wedge-shaped head, and upright ears.
• Second place: American Foxhound. The American Foxhound is deeply rooted in American tradition, with its origins dating back to colonial times when it was bred for hunting foxes. It has exceptional scenting abilities, endurance and determination, but aside from its hunting prowess is friendly and sociable nature.
• Third Place: Redbone Coonhound. With its striking red coat, muscular build, and keen sense of smell, the Redbone Coonhound is a true icon of the American South. Bred for their exceptional hunting abilities, they excel in tracking and treeing raccoons and other game, as well as making loyal and affectionate family pets.
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