Otterhound Dog Breed

The Otterhound is an English breed with the first types appearing as early as the 12th century (before it was considered a breed). The Otterhound Club of America suggests they are a product of the (now extinct) Southern Hound, the Blood Hound, and some wiry, rough coated French breeds. As the name suggests, these dogs were used to hunt otter that were killing and eating the fish from the ponds and streams. They were prized hunting companions of both Kings and the average citizen for centuries. The breed made its way to America in the early 1900s and was accepted as part of the AKC's Hound Group; Blue Fairly Otterhounds and Teckelgath Otterhounds are two of the AKC's most notable affiliated kennels. An increase in pollution decimated the otter population to the point where the hunting of these critters was outlawed during the late 1970's. The Otterhound went from rare to nearly extinct and to this day the AKC and Otterhound Club of America state they are rarer than the Giant Panda! This breed is certainly not for every owner-- consider out list of pros and cons to decide whether the breed is right for you:

This super rare breed is best matched with an active, outdoorsy type-- preferably with plenty of patience. Unfortunately, there is no Dogs 101 "Otterhounds" episode but there are plenty of videos packed with Otterhound information from how to groom them to examples of their hilarious "woofs" and howls. This page is meant to cover the basics of the Otterhound breed including their intelligence, exercise needs, temperament, etc.

The breed is not unintelligent, rather their noses combined with stubbornness can make them difficult to train. They are better suited to experienced owners that can be extra patient with them-- they are actually quite sensitive. Otterhounds are highly food motivated but be careful not to over treat them. A well socialized and trained Otterhound can compete in tracking and agility events and even make an excellent therapy dog.

Members of this breed are friendly towards almost everyone. They will provide a ton of laughs for you and your visitors. They are very vocal and may bark or bay when someone comes to the door and they are said to make a variety of other small sounds to communicate with you. Otterhounds are good with kids that are steady on their feet but are simply too large to be left around small children without supervision. Most experts don't recommend keeping this breed with cats or other small, non-canine critters.

Otterhounds need plenty of outdoor exercise. If you don't have a fenced yard it's important to take them on long walks, jogs or hikes on a daily basis. When not within four walls or a fence they should be kept on lease as their highly sensitive noses can lead them away with no chance of recalling them. The fact that Otterhounds love water can make for some interesting playtime ideas!

Otterhound appearance certainly belies its function; these hounds spent part of their hunting expeditions in water. They most notably sport water resistant coats and webbed feet. Overall, they appear strong, sturdy and thick-boned. They have large but narrow heads that have no shortage of hair, although it may be softer than the rest of the body. Otterhounds' coats are double-layered with a thick, water-proof undercoat and a longer, wiry outer coat. The outer coat is 2-4 inches at its longest (on the back) but can be shorter on the head and lower legs. The rough, wiry hair can be any color but the typical Otterhound is black and tan. The eyes will be dark brown in darker dogs and lighter brown in lighter coated ones. The ears are long, pendulous and covered with long hair. The muscular, strong legs end in webbed feet. Otterhounds have long, feathered tails.

The Otterhound temperament is happy, funny and all-around good natured. They are loving, to be sure, but aren't needy dogs and can be left alone while you're at work or school. They need early socialization and training, otherwise a boisterous large dog can be a lot to handle. These curious canines are notorious counter surfers and garbage digger-- if there is food to be found, they will locate it. Experts remind us that the breed is not easy to train; they need short training sessions and are food motivated. Otterhounds are sensitive dogs that need very patient owners. A well trained Otterhound excels in therapy work, tracking, agility and obedience activities.

Members of this breed are loving and well behaved around kids, however, they are quite large and are more suited to families with older children-- a 115 pound dog could knock over an unsteady toddler with their tail alone! These dogs get along well with other canines but are still hounds, which means they may retain the instinct to chase small, furry critters. Speaking of, the breed should be kept on leash when not in a fenced area as they won't hesitate to follow that super-powered nose. Otterhounds are high energy dogs that need long daily walks, jogs or playtime in a fenced yard.

Otterhounds are healthy dogs that typically live 10-13 years with very few health concerns. The Otterhound Club of America states that around 1 in 4 Otterhounds will live past age 12. The best things you can do to keep yours in good health are: making yearly veterinary checkups, keeping up with your dogs dental health, and feeding him/her a high quality diet according to the company's instructions. The main issues seen in Otterhounds are listed below.

• Bloat is a potential hazard for most medium-large breeds and can be fatal.
• Glanzmann's Thrombasthenia is a bleeding disorder than can be deadly. Owner's can ask their veterinarian for a DNA test to estimate your Otterhound puppy's likelihood to be affected by this condition.
• Epilepsy is a growing concern for the breed.
• Joint problems like hip and elbow dysplasia are sometimes seen and are very common among larger breeds.