Otterhound
Hound Group

Height at Shoulders
Females ~24 in, Males ~27 in
Weight
Females ~80 lbs, Males ~115 lbs
Life Expectancy
10-13 yrs
History
The Otterhound originated in medieval England in response to otters becoming an ever-increasing threat to the fish populations. They were also kept by noblemen for the sport of otter hunting, which was less popular than fox hunting during the time. In the late 1900's, river otters were placed on the protected species list and otter hunting was brought to a halt. Today, the Otterhound is an extremely rare breed, with less than 600 existing in the entire world.
Breed Characteristics
While not all Otterhounds share the exact same personality and temperament, there are certain generalizations that can be made about the breed. In addition to genetics, a dog’s environment, training, socialization, and many other factors all contribute to their personality and behavior.
Intelligence
Affection Towards Family
Friendliness Towards Strangers
Friendliness Towards Other Dogs
Exercise Needs
★★★★☆
★★★★★
★★★★☆
★★★★★
★★★★★
Energy Level
Sensitivity
Noise Level
Prey Drive
Shedding
★★★★★
★★☆☆☆
★★☆☆☆
★★★★★
★★★★☆
Intelligence
★★★★☆
Affection Towards Family
★★★★★
Friendliness Towards Strangers
★★★★☆
Friendliness Towards Other Dogs
★★★★★
Exercise Needs
★★★★★
Energy Level
★★★★★
Sensitivity
★★☆☆☆
Noise Level
★★☆☆☆
Prey Drive
★★★★★
Shedding
★★★★☆
Common Traits
Have webbed feet
Boisterous, goofy, and fun-loving
Once they start following a scent trail, it's hard to call them off
Sweet and affectionate but don't demand a lot of attention
Like to be vocal and make a deep, loud bay and lots of other grunts and noises
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- Noise fear
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- Over 322 genetic markers associated with 183 health conditions:
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- Excitability