| Otterhounds: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Otterhound personality and behavior. |
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My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Otter Hound, including these excerpts:
"The Otterhound has been described as a "big friendly dog with a mind of his own."
Though amiable and easygoing, he is so rugged that he belongs in a rural area with an outdoorsy owner who can give him the exercise he loves.
Swimming is an especially appreciated form of recreation, as these hounds were born to dive into water, whether it be a lake, a puddle, or simply submerging his shaggy head in his drinking bowl and coming up shaking.
Unless well trained, a leash or secure fence is a must at all times, for the nose of this great hunter is exquisitely sensitive, always seeking out new and exciting scents. Once he's latched on to something, his perseverance, determination, and stamina (like those of his relative, the Otterhound) are legendary.
He tends to shamble along with a loose, shuffling gait, without lifting his feet high off the ground.
The Otter Hound's reaction to strangers varies from friendly to reserved. Most are good watchdogs but not guard dogs. He can be clumsy with toddlers.
Most Otterhounds are fine with other dogs, but with his powerful hunting instincts, small pets are not always safe.
Obedience training takes time and effort, for he is stubborn and independent, yet "soft." In other words, though he'll be slow to obey, he'll be good-natured about it.
With their propensity for slobbering water, lumbering around in a rather klutzy manner, and tracking in mud with their hairy webbed feet, Otterhounds are not good choices for fastidious housekeepers or those with no sense of humor.
They have a loud, deep, distinctive bay that carries for amazingly long distances."
History
Large packs of Otterhounds were once used to dispatch otters preying on the trout in popular English fishing streams. He is related to the Otterhound.
Size
24-28 inches and 65-115 lbs |
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Otterhounds
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em
- There are energetic Otterhounds, and placid Otterhounds.
- Hard-headed Otterhounds, and sweet-natured Otterhounds.
- Serious Otterhounds, and good-natured goofballs.
- Introverted Otterhounds, and Otterhounds who love everyone.
| If you acquire an Otterhound puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." |
Now let's look at some common characteristics for this breed...
- Is large, powerful, and shaggy, a plain-looking, rustic dog who shambles along with a loose shuffling gait
- Is enthusiastic and bumptious, and thrives on vigorous outdoor exercise
- Is amiable and easygoing, with a "good old boy" personality
An Otterhound may be right for you.
| If you don't want to deal with... |
- Vigorous exercise requirements
- Rowdiness and exuberant jumping, especially when young
- Destructiveness when bored or not exercised enough
- Strong instincts to chase other animals that run
- Stubbornness
- Slowness to housebreak
- LOUD baying
- Lots of brushing
- Shedding
- "Shaggy dog syndrome," i.e. debris clinging to the coat, water soaking into the beard and dripping on your floors
- Waiting lists (very hard to find)
An Otterhound may not be right for you.
| If I were considering a Otterhound... |
My major concerns would be:
- Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Otterhounds MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy. Otherwise they become rambunctious and bored -- which they usually express by baying and destructive chewing. Bored Otterhounds can turn your house and yard inside out in a single day.
| I strongly recommend that Otterhound owners join their local tracking club and get their magnificent hounds involved in this potentially lifesaving activity. Otterhounds were never intended to be simply household pets. Their working behaviors (sniffing scents, chasing things that run, exploring, baying) can be a nuisance in a normal household setting. Trying to suppress these "hardwired" behaviors, without providing alternate outlets for their energy, can be difficult. |
- Bounciness. Young Otterhounds (up to about three years old) romp and jump with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people.
| If you have small children, or if you or anyone who lives with you is elderly or infirm, I do not recommend Otterhound puppies. The temptation to play roughly is too strong in many young Otterhounds. |
- Chasing instincts. Otterhounds are seldom used for hunting any more, but some individuals still have strong instincts to chase and seize fleeing creatures, including cats.
- Stubbornness. Otterhounds are not Golden Retrievers. Though good-natured, they have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. Most Otterhounds are very stubborn. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
| To teach your Otterhound to listen to you, "Respect Training" is mandatory. My Otter Hound Training Page discusses the program you need. |
- Confinement. To keep your Otterhound in, fences should be high, with wire sunk into the ground along the fence line to thwart digging.
| Otterhounds cannot be trusted off-leash. They will take off -- oblivious to your frantic shouts -- after anything that emits an odor or runs. |
- Housebreaking. Otterhounds tend to resist being told what to do, and housebreaking is no exception. Expect four to six months of consistent crate training.
- Noise. Otterhounds should never be left outside in your yard, unsupervised. Their deep voice is extremely LOUD and carries a long way. Their baying will have your neighbors calling the cops to report the nuisance -- or quietly letting your Otterhound out of his yard so he'll wander away.
- Grooming. Without frequent brushing and combing, Otterhounds become a matted mess. If you can't commit to the brushing, you have to commit to frequent trimming to keep the coat short, neat, and healthy.
- Shedding. Otterhounds definitely shed, though some of the shed hair gets caught in the long tousled coat rather than ending up on your floor. Thus, frequent brushing is essential not only for keeping the coat mat-free, but for removing shed hair.
- "Shaggy dog syndrome." Like all shaggy dogs, the Otterhound is a messy dog. Leaves, mud, snow, fecal matter, and other debris cling to his rough coat and ends up all over your house. When he drinks, his beard absorbs water, which drips on your floors when he walks away. When he eats, his beard absorbs food so that when he sniffs your face or presses his head against your leg, YOU end up dirty, too. Big shaggy dogs are not suited to fastidious housekeepers.
- Finding one. The Otterhound is the rarest of ALL the AKC breeds. Fewer than 40 new Otterhound puppies are registered each year. (Compare that to over 60,000 new Golden Retriever puppies.)
| If you're considering an adult Otterhound... |
There are plenty of adult Otterhounds who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you.
When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS.
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Copyright © 2000-2006 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without the permission of the author. |
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