The Unmistakable Otter Hound
Look over there – It’s a hairy Bloodhound!
No it’s not, that is clearly an untrimmed Airedale!
Wait… It looks like a black-and-tan Sheepdog to me!
No, No, No Silly – It’s Just An OTTER HOUND!
Most people, upon first sight of an Otter Hound, are understandably confused. He looks somewhat like the large, hairy dog they saw in the pound just last week. He resembles a Bloodhound with long hair, and looks quite a bit like an untrimmed Airedale.
This is not surprising, for an Otter Hound and an English Black-and-Tan Terrier cooperated in creating the Airedale. He is, however, none of these things and is a distinctive breed in his own right.
This is a large breed (males usually reach 100 pounds or more at maturity), the Otter Hound plainly shows his “houndy” origins under all the hair, with long, pendulous ears. His sad eyes show the same similarities like a Basset Hound. He possesses a typical waterdog’s coat – harsh outercoat, three to six inches in length, and an oily, soft, waterproof undercoat.
He is the only trailing hound that sports long hair. The Otter Hound can be any color from white with marking, to black with tan points, but the most common color seen today is grizzled gray with tan points. As the saying goes, “no good hound is a bad color”, and this applies to Otter Hounds as well.
In personality, the Otter Hound resembles the Basset or Bloodhound. He is gentle and easy-going, but has a definite mind of his own – and important quality in a trailing hound but sometimes frustrating in a pet. His deep bay will warn of strangers’ presence, but his temperament precludes attack. As a watchdog, he mainly just watches!
The Mysterious Origins Of The Otter Hound
The origin of the Otter Hound is shrouded in mystery and although we have some facts in the issue many of the information is speculative. We do know that the first mention of otter-hunting was made at the time when Richard the Lionhearted was on a crusade in the 12th century, and his brother, John, was attempting to steal his kingdom.
The first recorded Master of the Royal Hounds was Henry II of England. It is often said that the modern Otter Hound is the product of the old Southern Hound, the Bloodhound, the Griffon Vendeen, and the Welsh Harrier.
According to Captain L.C.R. Cameron, the breed derives from the Old Griffin de Bresses (said to be the oldest hound breed in Europe, tracing back to the ninth century) and the Vendeen Hound.
The Griffon de Bresses was a rough-coated hound and the Vendeen was a smooth-coated hound. The cross was known as the Griffon Vendeen. Irish Water Spaniels and the Caniche (Standard Poodle) are also sometimes mentioned as contributing to the Otter Hound, but the exact details of the potential mixes are uncertain.
Whatever his origin, the Otter Hound is now, and has been for centuries, a breed unique in its own right – from his large webbed feet to his double coat and ability to follow a scent in the deepest of water.
Even Today, Otter Hounds Are Still Being Used To Hunt Otter
In Great Britain, the Otter Hound is still used to hunt otter. The Dumfriesshire, Kendal and District, and Border Counties’ packs continue to utilize the true rough-coated Otter Hounds, along with Foxhounds and crossbreds, for hunting.
It is interesting to note that, in England, where dogs are used to hunt otters, otters still abound; while in the United States where it is illegal to hunt otters with dogs, the otters are nearly extinct.
In the United States and Canada, prevented from pursuing their original quarry, the Otter Hound’s versatility has enabled him to be used successfully on mink, raccoon, cat, bear, and fox.
Other possibilities for the Otter Hound’s outstanding powers of scent are tracking and rescue work, avalanche rescue, and drug detection. The inbred instinct to track or trail remains in the present-day hounds to a great degree, making him a very useful hound indeed.
Welcoming Otter Hounds To The United States
Otter Hounds were imported to the United States as early as 1910, and probably before. Stories of an Otter Hound in the background of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever still circulate in the Chessie’s home territory.
These early hounds were used mainly for hunting, and in 1937, the only living registered Otter Hound on record in the United States was Bessie Blue. Bessie Blue was acquired by Dr. Huge R. Mouat and in August of 1941, out of his first litter of Otter Hounds, Bessie’s Countess and Bessie’s Courageous became the first champion Otter Hounds of record in the United States.
After World War II, Dr. Mouat imported Forager and Ch. Drifter from Great Britain. Four more Otter Hounds were subsequently imported from Great Britain, the last being Border Counties’ Coachman in 1964.
Although records are still maintained by the Hunt Clubs, Otter Hounds are no longer registered with The Kennel Club in England, so it is unlikely that more will be imported to either the United States or Canada. Inbreeding and intense linebreeding are, therefore, a necessity and no completely unrelated Otter Hound exist in North America at the present time.
There are only several thousand Otter Hounds in North America today. Less than 100 are registered each year with the American Kennel Club. If you compare this with the 200,000 to 300,000 Poodles registered each year, you can see that Otter Hounds are barely keeping their heads above the water of extinction.
The Otter Hound Club of America and Western Otter Hound Fanciers have been working strenuously in the past few years to inform the public about this interesting and fascinating breed, and to aid the few dedicated breeders who are managing to keep the Otter Hound from becoming extinct.
Otter Hounds have been appearing quite regularly at shows across the United States and, to a lesser extent, in Canada. The first Best-in-Show Award for an Otter Hound in the United States was won by American and Canadian Champion Skye Top’s Cedric Vikingsson in February of 1969 at the Elm City Kennel Club Show.
Cedric, now deceased, was owned by Col. and Mrs. A.O. Dodge. Ch. Zola of Adriucha, owned by Martha Thompson, became the breed’s first Companion Dog Excellent degree in Obedience. In 1970, American, Canadian, and Mexican Champion Fernbank Madrigal, owned by Fernbank Kennels, became the first of her breed to gain a championship title in three countries.
Closing Comments
The otter has been credited with being the wildest, most vicious, and, for its size, the most powerful of all British wild animals. It is purported that the Otter Hound, to be equal to such prey, must have a Bulldog’s courage, a Newfoundland’s strength in water, a Pointer’s nose, a Retriever’s sagacity, the stamina of a Foxhound, the patience of a Beagle, and the intelligence of a Collie.
With all of these qualities, the Otter Hound should be the most sought after breed in the United States, but he’s not. Look up and Otter Hound in your area and introduce yourself to a wonderful breed!
