Showing posts with label Otterhound. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Otterhound. Show all posts

Monday, March 5, 2018

OTTERHOUND DOG Breed Information

Otterhund
Otterhound (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Otterhound is a large, strong dog weighing 66-115 pounds, with a height of approx. 24-26 inches. They have a shaggy coat and are a variety of colours. They display strong jaws and large teeth with a long muscular neck leading to their deep-chested body, with a wide back. Their back legs are powerful and well muscled, as are their hindquarters.

History. The Otterhound, as you may guess, was first bred for controlling the otter population, on English rivers. The otters became a problem by eating, and therefore diminishing the supply of, fish. The Otterhounds were led along the riverbanks and encouraged to chase and kill the pesky predators. The breed, as it is known today, was first brought about in 18th century England, although its ancestors have been traced back as far as the 12th century. The breed was first introduced to America in the 20th century, with the first dog appearing at a kennel club show in Oklahoma in 1907. This is now a rare breed with a figure of fewer than 1,000 dogs remaining worldwide.

Temperament. The Otterhound is a boisterous and devoted dog which makes him an ideal family pet, also being of a fearless nature it's devotion makes it an ideal family pet, for families with children. Although they are bred for hunting the Otterhound is a sociable dog and gets on well with other animals, which means it should integrate into a household which has other pets. The Otterhound is a determined and intelligent dog, which makes it very important during training to establish that you are in command. If the Otterhound senses that the owners are not in total command then the dog may feel that it is the leader and thereby make any training very difficult. Otterhounds are also strong swimmers, and they swim for extended periods of time without resting. Due to its strength and stamina, the Otterhound does require a reasonable amount of exercise and playtime to ensure the dog does not become bored.

Health issues. Health issues that affect the Otterhound are very few, as they are a generally healthy breed. They do, however, sufferer the common problems of large pedigree dogs, which are hip dysplasia and bloat. There is a possibility of a genetic disorder which can lead to potentially fatal blood loss.

It is important to choose a reputable breeder when purchasing Otterhound, as they should be DNA tested to check that they are not susceptible to this genetic illness.

Grooming. A general brush through about twice a week with, a proper grooming about every 5 to 8 weeks. For their main grooming, you'll need to use a grooming rake to remove shed hair, although the Otterhound does not shed greatly it is quite important to get rid of any debris during grooming. It is important, as with most dogs, to keep the area under their tale well groomed, around their bottom; this reduces unpleasant matting during their toileting. Cut any straggly hair between the pads of their paws with scissors, generally tidy up their coat with thinning scissors, and cut any straggly hairs with scissors. You are now ready to bath your dog.


Living conditions. Otterhounds can be housed indoors or outside, in cool or warm regions. However, in cold climates, they need to be live indoors. They enjoy the freedom to roam and particularly enjoy sniffing around. When housed indoors consideration should be given to the space provided for them, as they do have a tendency to snore.




Friday, February 24, 2017

The OTTERHOUND: a Playful Giant

The Otterhound is a breed of substantial size and great amiability. It is somewhat of a clown and enjoy rough and tumble play with other dogs. Otterhounds were originally bred as a pack hound, (to run with a pack) they generally get along well with other dogs. As the name implies, they were developed to give chase to the otter and so they do have swimming instincts. Otters at one time were so plentiful in the British Isles that they endangered the fishing industry and the hounds would be set upon the otters to keep this from becoming so great a problem. 

List of dog breeds
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 However, the Otter is now on the endangered species list and of course their hunting is banned. The dog still remains popular as a pet and a Show dog and makes a gentle but protective guardian as well. They are not really a guarding breed but their voice alone is enough to sound quite an alarm not to mention their large size. Their bay is actually a delight to hear, being melodious and deep and the bark is gruff but soft.

The Otterhound looks rather rough in a natural state, the coat is shaggy and wiry or coarse. Historically, he has both Terrier and Hound in his genetic makeup and the coat reflects the characteristics of the Terrier type of coat. Colors are mostly tans and salt and pepper. The outer hairs are water resistant with a dense protective undercoat. He is a large breed standing 24 to 26 inches at the withers, with a large head and pendulous ears. His coat is easy to maintain as being of terrier type it easily sheds dirt and brambles and bits of leaves, etc. 

This is not a dog that is for a neat housekeeper since he is continually bringing in such items on his coat and dripping them off onto the floor. Although he usually doesn't slobber he has a large mouth that can produce a lot of saliva when the smell food is in the air. Furthermore his hairy face will collect the water as he drinks and if his face is not wiped immediately it drips off of his hairs as he makes his way across a room. Many owners will keep a towel handy near the water dish or will allow access to water only when he is outside.

The Otterhound is in the same predicament as many of the large breeds when it comes to hip dysplasia. It continues to be a problem in the breed and care must be taken to x-ray this dog before breeding. Also the possibility of bloat or gastric torsion can be a problem. There is no way of knowing is this condition is genetic in nature though it is suspected that it is "familial".
After the Otterhound outgrows his puppyhood (which will last at least until the age of two) he usually settles down somewhat and at least is not so awkward . 



 He retains a bit of stubbornness in his personality, after all, he is a pack dog and has a tendency to tend to his own desires rather than those of his master. He is also a playful and boisterous breed, quite active and energetic. However he is intelligent and will respond to training. He needs plenty of exercise and of course needs a fenced in enclosure. He enjoys nothing more than being with his family on a regular basis but is not unhappy if in the yard and is not demanding of constant attention, especially if he has another dog to keep him company.