OtterHound.org.uk

The Breed

Recommended reading is: Otterhound by Juliette Cunliffe published in the UK by Interpet Publishing, Vincent Lane, Dorking, Surrey RH4 3YX I have read this book from cover to cover and largely agree with its content, it is the closest I have read to my own experiences. Choosing a Puppy - A Topic of Great Importance There are important points which people want to know when considering a breed for the first time and we will try to address the main ones here: Personality: Amiable and even tempered, good with children they have a real sense of family. They can be boisterous when greeting new friends. They are not constantly demanding of attention, ours will spend hours in the garden and we don't hear anything from them, however, they do love a cuddle just like any dog. Exercise: Depends to a large extent on the sex and size of your hound but all of ours have been happy with a twenty minute walk am and pm and a longer one if possible at the weekend. Exercise in the first twelve months should be closely controlled as with any young dog, this is when the bones are developing and it is important not to over exercise, seek guidance from the breeder.Once over twelve months they will happily adjust to whatever you have time for provided you do give them regular walks.Walking is a great social event for any dog and even more so for a 'pack' dog, the more of you there are the more they love it. Can you let them off the lead? We don't, with the advent of the flexi lead and the busy roads everywhere we prefer not to, but we speak to owners who do and when the dogs are older we will. They do love to pick up a scent and if the ground is damp have particularly active noses. Do they chase things? No they don't, we are often asked this as they were originally hunting dogs but they are scent hounds, not sight hounds and like most dogs would have to be trained to pick something up, if something runs across the garden then our hounds will trot after it out of curiosity, they are only interested in sniffing it if they catch up to it. Training: These are sensitive, intelligent dogs with a strong sense of pack hierarchy. They will assume you are pack leader unless you are inconsistant with your instruction to them in which case as with any dog they may become confused. They easily respond to the usual basic training and I have done an obedience class and know friends who do agility with theirs. They are all rounders, if you want to excel at something then teach them to track, that is their area of expertise! Coat/ Grooming: They have rough coats approx. 2-3 inches in length. They tend not to moult but need a weekly brush to remove any dead hair and prevent tangles forming, this doesn't take long and they enjoy the attention. Daily health: In our experience it is mainly the ears which need a close eye, the long pendulous ears are hairy on the inside and wax build up needs to be controlled to prevent irritation and ultimately possibly ear mites. They should be thoroughly cleaned inside during the weekly groom and there are easily accessible products obtainable from your local pet supplier to break down any build up of wax. Noise: We are disappointed with some information published suggesting that you need sympathetic neighbours if you intend to have an Otterhound. This is most definately not our personal experience. Any large group of dogs will be noisy which is why your local boarding kennel is usual up a long lane in the middle of a field! In fact it is our terriers which we have to watch with regard to noise, they have high pitched barks and tend to set off at the slightest noise or activity. Our Otterhounds have a deep, low bark and tend not to penetrate in the same way. As with all dogs you can train them, Mike likes Duke to bark for his supper, I don't, Duke knows this so he barks when Mike feeds him and is silent when I do. They are not guard dogs and generally will not bark when the postman delivers or when there is a knock at the door, however, our terriers sound the alarm indoors and the hound will back them up with a deep woof. Ours do make lovely groaning noises when we stroke them and will mutter back when we talk to them, they are famous for their tuneful voices and in a large group can sing like a choir completely in tune each hound joining in and tapering off at a point, I have only heard it once and it was beautiful.
Contact us
OtterHound.org.uk

The Breed

Recommended reading is: Otterhound by Juliette Cunliffe published in the UK by Interpet Publishing, Vincent Lane, Dorking, Surrey RH4 3YX I have read this book from cover to cover and largely agree with its content, it is the closest I have read to my own experiences. Choosing a Puppy - A Topic of Great Importance There are important points which people want to know when considering a breed for the first time and we will try to address the main ones here: Personality: Amiable and even tempered, good with children they have a real sense of family. They can be boisterous when greeting new friends. They are not constantly demanding of attention, ours will spend hours in the garden and we don't hear anything from them, however, they do love a cuddle just like any dog. Exercise: Depends to a large extent on the sex and size of your hound but all of ours have been happy with a twenty minute walk am and pm and a longer one if possible at the weekend. Exercise in the first twelve months should be closely controlled as with any young dog, this is when the bones are developing and it is important not to over exercise, seek guidance from the breeder.Once over twelve months they will happily adjust to whatever you have time for provided you do give them regular walks.Walking is a great social event for any dog and even more so for a 'pack' dog, the more of you there are the more they love it. Can you let them off the lead? We don't, with the advent of the flexi lead and the busy roads everywhere we prefer not to, but we speak to owners who do and when the dogs are older we will. They do love to pick up a scent and if the ground is damp have particularly active noses. Do they chase things? No they don't, we are often asked this as they were originally hunting dogs but they are scent hounds, not sight hounds and like most dogs would have to be trained to pick something up, if something runs across the garden then our hounds will trot after it out of curiosity, they are only interested in sniffing it if they catch up to it. Training: These are sensitive, intelligent dogs with a strong sense of pack hierarchy. They will assume you are pack leader unless you are inconsistant with your instruction to them in which case as with any dog they may become confused. They easily respond to the usual basic training and I have done an obedience class and know friends who do agility with theirs. They are all rounders, if you want to excel at something then teach them to track, that is their area of expertise! Coat/ Grooming: They have rough coats approx. 2-3 inches in length. They tend not to moult but need a weekly brush to remove any dead hair and prevent tangles forming, this doesn't take long and they enjoy the attention. Daily health: In our experience it is mainly the ears which need a close eye, the long pendulous ears are hairy on the inside and wax build up needs to be controlled to prevent irritation and ultimately possibly ear mites. They should be thoroughly cleaned inside during the weekly groom and there are easily accessible products obtainable from your local pet supplier to break down any build up of wax. Noise: We are disappointed with some information published suggesting that you need sympathetic neighbours if you intend to have an Otterhound. This is most definately not our personal experience. Any large group of dogs will be noisy which is why your local boarding kennel is usual up a long lane in the middle of a field! In fact it is our terriers which we have to watch with regard to noise, they have high pitched barks and tend to set off at the slightest noise or activity. Our Otterhounds have a deep, low bark and tend not to penetrate in the same way. As with all dogs you can train them, Mike likes Duke to bark for his supper, I don't, Duke knows this so he barks when Mike feeds him and is silent when I do. They are not guard dogs and generally will not bark when the postman delivers or when there is a knock at the door, however, our terriers sound the alarm indoors and the hound will back them up with a deep woof. Ours do make lovely groaning noises when we stroke them and will mutter back when we talk to them, they are famous for their tuneful voices and in a large group can sing like a choir completely in tune each hound joining in and tapering off at a point, I have only heard it once and it was beautiful.
Contact us