Otterhound
The Otterhound is an old British dog breed, with Bloodhound ancestors, and one of the ancestors of the Airedale Terrier.
The Otterhound is a large, rough-coated hound with an imposing head. Originally bred for hunting, it has great strength and a strong body with long striding steps. This makes it able to perform prolonged hard work. Otterhounds generally weigh between 80 and 120 pounds (36 to 54 kg). They have extremely sensitive noses which make them inquisitive and perseverant in investigating scents. Consequently, they need particular supervision. They are friendly dogs with a unique bass voice which they use frequently.
The Otterhound hunts its quarry both on land and in water and it has a combination of characteristics unique among hounds; most notably an oily, rough, double coat and substantial webbed feet.
The use of Otterhounds to hunt otters by scent ceased in Britain in 1978 when it became illegal to kill otters, at this point otter hunts switched to hunting mink or coypu.
The dog breeds lives to between 10 and 13 years old, although at least one hound is known to have lived to be 16 years old.
The Otterhound enjoys considerable exercise, but can also be a couch potato. They can be good family dogs but need to be kept in a secure property since they can jump fences up to 5 feet high.
There are only an estimated 1,000 or so Otterhounds in the world and somewhere between 350 and 400 in the US. Even in the early 20th century, when otter hunting was most popular as a sport, Otterhounds were not numerous. They are now considered the most endangered dog breed in Britain since only 51 were born there in 2006. They are on the list of Vulnerable Native Breeds as identified by the UK Kennel Club, and as much as possible is being done to save the breed. It is important to remember that all dog breeds are essentially the same species (Canis familiaris) and varying characteristics of any one breed are the result of selective breeding by humans in order produce certain looks and traits. "Endangered" breeds such as the Otterhound are therefore closely related leaving them prone to inhereted diseases due to a lack of genetic diversity.
The Otterhound is a large, rough-coated hound with an imposing head. Originally bred for hunting, it has great strength and a strong body with long striding steps. This makes it able to perform prolonged hard work. Otterhounds generally weigh between 80 and 120 pounds (36 to 54 kg). They have extremely sensitive noses which make them inquisitive and perseverant in investigating scents. Consequently, they need particular supervision. They are friendly dogs with a unique bass voice which they use frequently.
The Otterhound hunts its quarry both on land and in water and it has a combination of characteristics unique among hounds; most notably an oily, rough, double coat and substantial webbed feet.
The use of Otterhounds to hunt otters by scent ceased in Britain in 1978 when it became illegal to kill otters, at this point otter hunts switched to hunting mink or coypu.
The dog breeds lives to between 10 and 13 years old, although at least one hound is known to have lived to be 16 years old.
The Otterhound enjoys considerable exercise, but can also be a couch potato. They can be good family dogs but need to be kept in a secure property since they can jump fences up to 5 feet high.
There are only an estimated 1,000 or so Otterhounds in the world and somewhere between 350 and 400 in the US. Even in the early 20th century, when otter hunting was most popular as a sport, Otterhounds were not numerous. They are now considered the most endangered dog breed in Britain since only 51 were born there in 2006. They are on the list of Vulnerable Native Breeds as identified by the UK Kennel Club, and as much as possible is being done to save the breed. It is important to remember that all dog breeds are essentially the same species (Canis familiaris) and varying characteristics of any one breed are the result of selective breeding by humans in order produce certain looks and traits. "Endangered" breeds such as the Otterhound are therefore closely related leaving them prone to inhereted diseases due to a lack of genetic diversity.
