Origin
Otterhounds are large and impressive looking dogs that boast a rather rugged look about them. They were originally bred to hunt, but over time they have proved themselves to be a great choice both as companion dogs and family pets, especially for people who lead active, outdoor lives and who live in the country. Otterhounds are quite high-energy characters and they love nothing more than being kept busy in the great outdoors. Because they shed quite a bit and can leave muddy paw prints around the house, they are therefore not the best choice for anyone who is remotely house proud. Sadly, Otterhounds are one of the rarest of our native breeds with only very few puppies being registered with The Kennel Club every year and as such they have been placed on the vulnerable native breed list.
The history of the Otterhound can be traced way back to the 12th century although much of the breed's origins remains a bit of a mystery. What is known is that these charming, handsome dogs are considered to be one of the oldest British hounds on record. It's thought the breed evolved by crossing 3 other hound breeds, namely the old Basset Griffon Vendeen, the Southern Hound and the old St Hubert Hound.
Throughout history, Otterhounds were highly prized for their hunting skills and more especially for their ability to track down otters which were considered a pest at the time. In times long past, otters caused a lot of havoc with fish stocks in rivers throughout Britain and Otterhounds were used to keep their numbers under control. They were bred to be strong and extremely agile so they could take on a quick moving and heavy otter, even in the water. Otterhounds are very strong swimmers and more than capable of taking on otters weighing anything up to 35 lbs.
Today, these handsome dogs are not as popular as they once were and have been placed on The Kennel Club's vulnerable native breed list with very few Otterhound puppies being registered every year even though they are a brilliant choice for people who live active, outdoor lives and who reside in the country.
