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Otterhound

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1. General Description of the Otterhound

   The Otterhound is a dog that was bred to work, and its body proves it. It is a rough-coated hound whose body is thickly boned and filled with dense muscle, making it strong and able to do a hard day’s work. Its sensitive nose leads it over land and through water, and its rough double coat and webbed feet help it to maneuver through all different types of hunting environments. The large head consists of an equally large and strong muzzle with a scissors bite capable of a powerful and crushing grip. The eyes are dark and deeply set and the ears are long, folded, and set at or below the level of the eyes. The body is very strong and somewhat stocky, ending in a wide, curved tail. The feet are large and webbed. The outer coat is dense, rough, and coarse, giving it the illusion of being broken; the coat is longer on the back than on the legs and head. Wooly, oily hair makes up the undercoat, which tends to shed away in the summer months. Any color or combination of colors can be found on this breed.

2. Otterhound Temperament

   The Otterhound is a great family pet who is enthusiastic, gentle and fun loving. It may not realize its size at times and can be clumsy, so despite the dog’s great love for children, it should be supervised while playing with them. Although affectionate and intelligent, they can be hard to train, so a firm, loving and patient hand is essential. The Otterhound is exceptionally friendly toward other dogs as well as people, making it a constant people pleaser but a lousy guard dog. The breed enjoys baying occasionally but does not bark excessively, and most people would describe the dog as a generally laid back and amiable companion.

3. Caring for an Otterhound

   The Otterhound is an active dog who is only quiet indoors if given sufficient exercise. That being the case, it is not recommended for apartment life. Although it is a good family dog, it does not need to be inside with you at all times; the dog does fine in a large well-fenced yard with a good shelter. The Otterhound is an excellent jogging companion but must be kept on-leash at all times unless it is in a confined area, as its powerful nose will lead it to chase a scent and forget everything else around it until it has found its prize. The dog’s coat should be brushed twice weekly to avoid matting and should not be clipped, though the dog will benefit from a regular beard washing; Otterhounds are average shedders. Inherited health problems in this breed can include canine hip dysplasia, gastric torsion, epilepsy, thrombocytopenia and elbow dysplasia.

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We include the following list of misspellings so our internal search tools can send you to the right place. People often misspell Otterhound as Oterhound, Otturhound, or Otter hound