American Leopard Hound

		American Leopard Hound
		He is not recognized by the F.C.I.


Origin			U.S.A.
Translation			Francis Vandersteen
This breed is also known as			American Leopard American Leopard Cur Leopard Cur

Brief historical summary

American leopard dogs are thought to be the descendants of dogs that were brought to the New World by the Spanish conquistadors and crossed with Mexican dogs. The first American settlers brought leopard dogs from Mexico to hunt bears.
On November 1, 1998, the UKC recognized the leopard. The breed name was changed to American Leopard on May 1, 2008.

General appearance

The American Leopard Hound is a powerful, agile tree dog of medium to large size. The body is just a little longer than it is tall. The legs are long enough to enable the dog to move quickly and agilely over rough terrain. The head is broad, with a moderate stop and a thick, medium-length muzzle. The ears are set high and droop. The tail is straight, low and can be of any length. The coat is dense but close-fitting. The American Leopard Hound should be considered a hunting dog, and exaggerations or faults should be penalized in proportion to the extent of their interference with the dog's hunting ability. Scars should neither be penalized nor considered as evidence of the dog's working ability.

Behaviour / temperament

The American Leopard Hound is a versatile tree dog, renowned for its endurance and ability to withstand all extremes of temperature. This breed is known for its extreme desire to please, making it an easy dog to train. They can handle a cold trail while remaining under the control of the hunter's voice. They are open hunters with a strong will to stay on track. They excel in their ability to hold prey at bay without injury. Although bred and used for all varieties of small game, the American Leopard Hound also excels on big game such as bear and cougar.

Head
Cranial region
Head		The head is large but proportionate to the size of the body. Viewed from the side, the muzzle is slightly shorter than the skull, and they are joined by a defined stop. The upper lines of the skull and muzzle lie in parallel planes.
Skull		The skull is flat and broad, decreasing slightly in width towards the muzzle.

Facial region
Nose		The nasal pigment is dark, generally black. Red merle dogs have a brown or liver-colored nose and pigment.
Muzzle		The muzzle is of medium length and well proportioned to the rest of the head.
Lips		The lips are tight and darkly pigmented.
Jaws and teeth		The American Leopard Hound has a full set of white teeth, evenly distributed in a scissor bite.
Cheeks		The cheeks are muscular and prominent.
Eyes		The eyes are almost round and set wide apart. Eye color can be any shade of yellow or brown. Leopard dogs may have one or both blue eyes, or they may have minnows. The eye rims are narrow and darkly pigmented. The expression is soft and attractive.
Ears		The ears are long, short to medium-sized, broad at the base and set high.

Neck

The neck is slightly arched, strong, very well muscled and of moderate length. The neck gradually widens from the nape and merges smoothly into the shoulders.

Body
Body		A well-proportioned American Leopard is slightly longer than it is tall.
Back		The back is broad, strong, of medium length and level, merging into a muscular, slightly arched, slightly contracted loin.
Croup		The croup slopes slightly toward the tail.
Chest		The chest extends to the elbow. Viewed from the front, the chest between the forelegs is muscular and broad.
Ribs		The ribs extend well back from the spine, then curve downward and inward to form a deep body.

Tail

The tail is low and can be of any length.

Limbs

Forequarters
Generality		The forelegs are strong and straight, with large, round bones.
Shoulders		The shoulders are well laid back.
Upper arm		The upper arm is long and broad, forming an apparent 90-degree angle with the shoulder blade.
Elbows		Elbows are close to the body, but can move freely in action.
Pastern		The metacarpals are short, powerful, straight and flexible.

Hindquarters
Generality		The hindquarters are strong and muscular. The bone, angulation and musculature of the hind legs are in balance with the front legs.
Stifle		The stifles are well bent.
Metatarsus		When the dog is standing, the short, strong hind pasterns are perpendicular to the ground and, seen from behind, parallel to each other.
Hock		Hocks well let down.

Feet

Cat feet are medium-sized, rounded and compact, with well arched toes. Pads are large, hard and well cushioned.

Gait and movement

The American Leopard Hound's gait is smooth and effortless, with good reach from the forequarters. The hindquarters have great driving force, with the hocks extending fully. Viewed from any position, the legs turn neither in nor out. The feet neither cross nor interfere with each other. As speed increases, the feet tend to converge toward the center line of balance.

Coat
Hair		The coat is double and dense, but smooth. The outer layer is rough and the undercoat is fine and woolly. This enables dogs to work in thick undergrowth for long periods after most dogs have been abandoned.
Colour		Spotted leopard: yellow; black (may have brindle or edging); brindle; red and blue or mouse color. Any of these can also have white points and a white collar. No more than one third white is permitted.

Size and weight
Height at withers		For mature males, between 56 and 69 cm. For mature females, 53 to 63,5 cm.
Weight		Mature males weigh between 20,5 and 34 kg. Mature females weigh between 16 and 29,5 kg. American Leopard Dogs are working dogs and should be shown in hard muscular condition.

Faults

• Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work.
• Faults listed should be in degree of seriousness.

Disqualifying faults

Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchidism.

Aggressiveness or extreme shyness.

Albinism.

Dog more than one-third white.

Excessively long, silky or wavy hair.

Dentition too low or too low.

Deafness.

Blindness.

Any color or combination of colors other than those described.

Important

Caudectomy and otectomy in America are legal and remain a personal choice. However, as an international registry, the United Kennel Club is aware that these practices have been banned in some countries. In light of these developments, the United Kennel Club believes that no dog, whether in UKC or conformation, will be penalized for a full tail or natural ears.

NB :

• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
• The above mentioned faults when occurring to a highly marked degree or frequently are disqualifying.
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.

Details: Written by: Francis Vandersteen; Also available:; Last Updated: 11 February 2024; Hits: 649

American Leopard Hound