Dog
Group:
Hound 
Otterhound Champions
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Pronunciation:
ot-er-hound
Breed Description:
The Otterhound breed of dog is a muscular breed that should be well built and robust. They should be large in size with a build that is slightly rectangular with a slightly longer body than they are tall. The head should be narrow and the ears should be long and pendulous. The topline of the Otterhound should be level and the tail should be long and tapered to a point.
The coat of the Otterhound should be a thick, dense double coat. The undercoat should be short and soft and it should cover the dog completely. The topcoat should have a rough, oily texture and should be a broken coat, or wiry in appearance. The coat should be long and should measure about 3 to 6 inches. The face should have furnishings with bushy eyebrows. The Otterhound can be found in several colors including, black and tan grizzle, liver and white, white, wheaten or black, white and tan.
Temperament:
The Otterhound breed of dog is an intelligent breed that is known for being very friendly and playful. This is a funny dog that knows how to have fun and also knows how to work. They are usually very loyal to their owners and while they are happy to please them, they can be independent, which often translates into stubbornness. The breed does well with children but they are better suited to homes with older children. The Otterhound is usually good with other dogs but the breed is not recommended for homes with small, non-canine pets since they tend to have a high prey drive.
Height:
The average height of an Otterhound is between 24 to 26 inches.
Weight:
The average weight of an Otterhound is between 66 to 115 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Otterhound breed of dog is considered to be a very healthy breed, however, there are a few health problems that can affect them including Hip Dysplasia, Canine Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia and Gastic Torsion, which is also known as bloat.
Living Conditions:
The Otterhound breed of dog is not recommended for apartments since they have high energy needs. The breed is better suited to a home with a large, fenced yard and a fence if very important since the Otterhound does have a high prey drive and will run off after other animals.
Exercise:
The Otterhound breed of dog is an active breed and they do require a lot of exercise in a day. Expect to give them between 30 to 60 minutes of exercise each day. If they are not properly exercised, they can become bored and destructive.
Life Expectancy:
10 to 12 years
Grooming:
The Otterhound breed of dog can be difficult to groom if you are not ready for their coat. Gernerally, the coat should be brushed two or three times a week and it is important to work out the mats since they hair mats very easily. Bathing should be done only when it is necessary. Ears should be cleaned weekly and careful attention should be given to them since the Otterhound can suffer from ear infections. Nails should be trimmed once or twice a month.
Origin:
The Otterhound breed of dog was developed in England and while it is believed that both the Bloodhound and the French Griffon went into the breed, little else is known on what other breeds were used to create it. We do know that the Otterhound was developed for hunting otters and they are an old breed that was seen as early as the 1100`s. The breed has been a favorite through the centuries, especially with nobles and their versatility made them a very popular breed after the end of World War I. Despite this popularity, the breed fell out of favor when otter hunting became illegal and the breed has become an uncommon breed because of this.
Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
