Hunting Dogs: Hunting in the swamp with the Otterhound. This breed was conceived for hunting otters, but has also proved to be very skilled in hunting large game.
The Otterhound is a very courageous and robust dog, he loves water very much. Those who wish to avail themselves of his help in hunting, must remember to always keep him in training throughout the year.
This breed belongs to Group 6 of Hounds. Otterhound (Chien de loutre) translated means "otter hunter". In fact, this breed was conceived to absolve this fiction.
When the hunting of otters was forbidden in England, the Otterhound was directed towards other types of wild, in order to avoid its inevitable extinction.
Currently this breed has been recognized as a multipurpose Hound, which is used especially for large game, both in pack and individually. Today it has also been used for civil protection tasks.
The Otterhound is a handsome and strong hound, purposely created to spend all day hunting in the water, although it has also proved capable of long gallops on land.
With a particularly intelligent expression, the Otterhound has a strong, sturdy and solid physique. Very proportionate and of right relations, its main characteristic from an aesthetic point of view are the head and the coat.
This breed proves to be very gentle, friendly and is not prone to mood swings, which can suddenly alter behavior. Some consider the Otterhound also an excellent companion dog, as long as it is guaranteed the right physical exercise and above all some good swimming, given its particular predisposition towards water and marshy areas.
He is an excellent big game hunting dog and is courageous and determined in the face of larger prey than himself.
The height in the male specimens is about 67 cm at the withers, while in the female specimens it is 60 cm at the withers. The weight of the Otterhound is between 30 and 55 kg.
The trunk is rather robust and strong, well built, of the right size and with good musculature. The head and the muzzle are proportionate between the skull and the muzzle. The first is quite wide, while the second is full. The jaws are strong and have tight lips and a complete and robust set of teeth. The whole head is wrapped in sufficiently long and thick hair. The nose is dark in color and fairly broad.
The neck is very sturdy and well set. The eyes, which give it an intelligent expression, are slightly sunken in the sockets, with the conjunctiva slightly visible. The color of the eye and the pigmentation of the surrounding area vary according to the color of the coat.
The ears, typical of the breed, are long, hanging, attached at the level of the eye line and accompanied by a characteristic fold.
The limbs of the Otterhound are perfectly perpendicular to the horizontal plane, straight and strong, with the right bone and excellent musculature, which can be found above all in the hind limbs.
The natural gait is the trot and canter, in which it is very fast. The tail has a high set and is held up when the animal is alert or has sighted something. The hair has a length between 4 to 8 cm, is dense and rough, hard and waterproof, but not "iron wire". The undercoat is very evident and slightly oily texture.
All colors recognized for Hounds are allowed for the Otterhound. Ultimately the Otterhound proves to be a very robust dog with few demands, even if physical training is important, in order to always keep it in shape. This breed has proven to be very long-lived, with specimens reaching 15 years of life.
The only "weak point" of the Otterhound is the stomach, as this breed, if not fed correctly, is subject to stomach twists.