Create Your Otterhound's Shop
Otterhound Breed Summary
Affectionate, Placid, Well-Tempered, Boisterous and Happy
These dogs are fairly large in size and are rather impressive to look at, due to their noble but rugged looks! Originally, they were bred to hunt but more recently have found themselves making lovely companions. They particularly make great dogs for those humans who lead more active lives and who live in the countryside.
They are very high energy and love nothing more than being outdoors with the wind in their hair! They shed a fair amount of hair and are prone to leaving muddy paw prints around the house, so for this reason, should not live with humans who are particularly house proud!
Fun Fact: They absolutely love to go on trips to the beach!
Kennel Club Group | Hound |
Lifespan | 10 - 13 Years |
Height (at the withers) | Males 65cm - 69cm, Females 57cm - 61cm |
Weight | Males 45kg - 52kg, Females 30kg - 36kg |
Coat | Coats are Double. The Topcoats are Rough, Dense and Harsh. They are also Oily in Texture. |
Colour | Grizzle, Sandy, Red, Wheaten, White, Black and tan, Blue and tan, Black and cream, Liver, Tan and liver, Tan and white |
Eye colour | Hazel |
Common health issues | Hip dysplasia, Elbow dysplasia, Bloat |
Other Names | Woolies |
These guys are known for their incredibly sweet and affectionate personalities and love being with humans living in a home environment. They are normally very good around children, but their large size means some smaller children may be accidentally knocked over! They can sometimes be a bit boisterous in their puppy hood but this can easily be straightened out with lots of training and socialisation. They are generally very placid and well-tempered, making them really lovely family pets. They love water, so if you live near a beach or lake, we fully recommend taking advantage of this!
Otterhounds are a very old breed and can be traced back to the 12th century! However, there are not many other records surrounding there origin. What we do know is that they are one of the oldest Briths hounds that we have on record and were probably created by crossing three other hounds; the Basset Griffon Vendee, The Southern Hound and the St Hubert Hound. These dogs have been highly prized for their hunting and tracking abilities, especially surrounding Otters, that were considered a nuisance at the time. They were bred to be extremely strong and agile with the ability to catch quick moving Otters - even in the water! They are extremely strong swimmers however, over time they have become less popular and are now considered one of the rarest breeds in Britain, with only a few being born each year.