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Step 1
Look at the general appearance. This breed was developed in England to hunt hare. They are built quite sturdily and have a pretty large bone structure for their size. It is basically a smaller version of the English Foxhound.
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Step 2
Check the size of this breed. Males and females are 19 to 21 inches. The harrier is a bit longer from the point of the shoulder to the rump than it is tall. It is solidly built and has a lot of strength, but is not heavy or coarse.
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Step 3
Make sure the head is in proportion to the rest of the dog. It should not stand out. The expression is gentle when the dog is relaxed, but alert and sensible when aroused. The medium-sized eyes are set well apart and are either brown or hazel in the darker dogs, and light hazel to yellow in the lighter dogs. The ears lie close to the cheeks and have rounded tips. The muzzle is almost the same length as the measurement from the skull top to the occiput. It leads to a wide nose with well-opened nostrils.
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Step 4
Check the overall body appearance. The long neck is strong and has no excess skin. It smoothly sweeps into the muscular forequarters. The chest is deep and extends to the elbows. The tail is long and is carried between 12 o’clock and 3 o’clock—depending on the dog’s attitude. The tail does not curve over the back.The long shoulders slope into the muscles of the back and are well-muscled, but not excessively heavy. The feet are round and catlike leading to toes that are set close together and turn a bit inwards. The pads are thick and well-developed. The rear sports well-developed muscles leading to round, catlike feet that point straight ahead. The rear toes are also set close together and have thick, well-developed pads.
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Step 5
Feel the short, dense coat. It should be hard and glossy. The texture of the coat on the ears is finer than the texture on the body. The harrier may be any color.
