Judging the Otterhound

ABERDEEN OTTERHOUNDS
Andy & Jack McIlwaine

Please note, this is not the official AKC standard for the Otterhound. It is our interpretation of the standard and what we strive for in our breeding program.

History
Otter hunting has had a long and distinguished past through some 800 years of history. Records of dogs kept solely for the pursuit of otter dates back to the 12^th century during the reign of King Henry II. His son, King John, was the first Master of Otterhounds. These early packs probably consisted of Southern Hounds and Welsh Harriers and crosses thereof.

The origin of the true Otterhound as we know it today is the subject of great debate. It is suspected that their foundations came from French hounds, as the resemblance to hounds of the Vendeen region, such as the Grand Griffon Vendeen and Griffon Nivernais, is striking. Many generations of breeding for special purposes have, undoubtedly, perpetuated the characteristics of the modern-day Otterhound.

In 1977, the Otter was added to the list of protected animals in England. Along with this, came the threat that could have lead to the demise of the purebred Otterhound in the United Kingdom. This prompted The Kennel Club to open registration to hounds from the two pure- bred packs, the Dumfriesshire Otter Hunt, presided over by Capt John Bell-Irving, and the Kendal and District Otter Hunt. In 1978, Kendal Nimrod was the first Otterhound to appear in the English show ring.

Otterhounds were first brought to the United States around 1910. These hounds were used primarily in the field and registrations were not maintained. They were used to cross with Foxhounds and no attempts were made to breed purebred Otterhounds. Fortunately, some purebred hounds from the first litters made their ways to private homes. One of these bitches, Bessie Blue, was purchased by Dr. Hugh Mouat, a veterinarian in Ithaca NY. She was bred to Badger, one of the early imports. So launched the beginning of the Otterhound in the United States.

The Otterhound is still considered, if not rare, at least quite uncommon. Few hounds are still used for their scent hunting abilities with raccoon, mink, bear, and mountain lion. A larger number are seen in the conformation and obedience rings, agility, search and rescue, including cadaver recovery, and even as service dogs.

The Otterhound hunts its quarry on both land and water and thus requires a combination of characteristics unique among hounds. It is a large, rough coated hound with an imposing head showing great strength and dignity, a strong body and long, striding action fit for a long days work. The Otterhound is an amiable, boisterous hound, quite persistent in his pursuit of his quarry.

The standard
The parts must fit together in a manner that is the least tiring, most graceful, and efficient in movement. Any departure form the standard is considered a fault and the seriousness should be regarded in proportion to its degree.

Size, proportion, substance
Males- 24-27inches, 75-115 pounds
Females- 23-26 inches, 65-100 pounds.
A dog lacking in length of leg would be forced to swim rather than wade.
Otterhounds are slightly rectangular; the length from the point of the shoulder to the base of the tail is slightly greater than the height at the withers. Balance, soundness, and type are more important than size.

Otterhounds are often required to hunt as much as 18 miles over rough terrain. Hounds require great strength, as well as endurance and courage. Strong, dense bones with good substance and broad muscles are a must. A broad, heavy muscle will not respond as quickly to action as a smaller, longer muscle, but is more efficient in burning energy.

The head
The head is said to be majestic. It is large, fairly narrow and well covered with hair. It is measured from the point of the occiput to the tip of the nose, with the muzzle approximately equal to the length of the skull. In a dog measuring 26 inches at the withers, the head should be 11-12 inches in length. Note that the British standard allows the muzzle to be slightly shorter than the skull. Planes of the skull and muzzle are parallel. The skull is only slightly domed; young hounds occasionally have a prominent occiput. The stop is not pronounced. The muzzle should be square, with no evidence of snippiness. The Otterhound must be capable of a strong, crushing grip. A snipy hound with lack of fill beneath the eyes will most likely have short tooth roots and thus, lack power in the molars. The flews are deep, though not pendulous, lest the Otter have flesh to grab hold of. The Otterhound standard states that a scissors bite is preferred- however, the position of the front incisors plays only a minimal roll in the crushing grip that allows the Otterhound to over power its quarry. An overshot mouth is often due to a receding jaw with a less powerful bite.

The nose is large and dark, usually black, but may be slate-colored or brown in a blue or liver hound. In the United States, the standard calls for a fully pigmented nose, although this does not have any affect on the dogs hunting abilities. Wide-open, forward-facing nostrils are extremely important to provide the large surface area required for enhanced scenting abilities.

The expression and demeanor is amiable. Aggressiveness or shyness should not be tolerated. Otter hunting was often a spectator sport- hounds would never be permitted to terrorize the neighbors.

The eyes are deep set, with haw showing only slightly. The color is dark brown but may vary slightly with coat color. As with nose color, the color of the eye does not affect the Otterhounds ability to hunt. A round, prominent eye would be in danger of being scratched in the field and should be severely penalized.


Ears
The ears are an essential feature of Otterhound type. They are long, and pendulous. The leading edge rolls to give a draped appearance. They are set at or below the level of the eye. When excited, dogs will often pull their ears high on their head. Show photographers should be discouraged from throwing objects to get the dogs attention. The ears must reach at least to the tip of the nose. The leather is extremely thick and well covered with hair. A thin ear would most certainly rip in the field. Because the ear is nearly water-tight, Otterhounds are prone to frequent ear infections. The inside of the ear may be trimmed for health reasons.

Neck, topline, and body
The neck is thick and powerful. capable of holding the head above water and also of sufficient length to reach the ground while hunting on land. However, longer muscles often lack strength. It blends smoothly into the shoulders. A ewe-neck would severely compromise the cervical ligaments, which would make keeping the head above water an exhaustive task. A slight dewlap is permissible. A dog lacking in thick, protective skin around the neck would be vulnerable to a critical, and possibly fatal wound from their quarry. The abundance of hair on the neck often makes it appear shorter than it actually is.

The topline is level from the withers to the base of the tail. Otterhounds have an oval-shaped rib cage, with ribs extending well back to provide for a large area for heart and lungs. The brisket line runs parallel to the ground to at least the 8^th or 9^th rib. An upward sweep would impair the heart and lung room. A rounded rib cage would also impair the chest cavity. The chest is deep, reaching at least to the elbows in a mature hound, though usually even evident in young dogs. The forechest is prominent.

The loin is short, broad, and strong. A rise over the loin should not be confused with a thick muscle mass. A long loin often goes hand-in-hand with straight shoulders and should be penalized.

Tail
The tail is set high and reaches at least to the hock. It is carried in a sabre fashion, never curled over the back. The muscles carrying the tail are a continuation of the muscles in the loin. The tail has an extremely thick root and tapers to a point. It should be well feathered. Huntsmen often recognize their hounds only by the tips of their tails when hunting in thick brush.

Forequarters
The front assembly is perhaps the most important. It must be strong to support the weight of the dog and absorb the concussion of gaiting. The shoulders are the foundation of the front assembly. Inasmuch as Otterhounds singletrack at a slower speed than most other breeds, a loaded shoulder that pushes the elbows out and often leads to single tracking is often rewarded by the inexperienced eye. This would surely lead to fatigue in short order. A straight shoulder would shorten the stride and also lead to fatigue. The legs are strongly boned and straight. Pasterns are slightly sprung with the heel pad directly under the center of gravity. A pastern that is too straight will shift the weight on to the toes and may cause injury. This is also a problem when the pasterns turn in or out. The added load on the bones will lead to the front end breaking down more quickly than in a well constructed hound. It is not unusual to find a well constructed hound still hunting at the age of 10. Dewclaws may be removed.

The feet are extremely large and broad. Thick webbing between the toes allows the foot to spread over rocky, uneven terrain. The condition of the pad is of great importance, especially that of the heel pad which must withstand the shock of gaiting. Paper thin or splayed feet are unforgivable.

Hindquarters
The rear assembly is less for weight bearing than it is for locomotion. The thighs and second thighs are large, broad, and powerful. The croup is flat. Stifles are moderately bent; again, a straight stifle would shorten the stride and lead to early fatigue. The hocks are well let down and short in comparison to the length of other bones. This aids in increasing the Otterhounds’ endurance.

Gait
The Otterhound must demonstrate the ability to do a long day’s work. There is no wasted motion in the gait, which is maintained for many miles. They move freely with great forward reach and drive. The Otterhound has a loose, shambling walk that springs into a loose, very long striding, active trot. The head is extended forward when trotting. The Otterhound singletracks at a slow speed and may shuffle at a walk or slow trot as lifting the foot high off the ground would require excess energy. However, the “Otterhound shuffle” may not be appreciated when the dog is active or alert as in the show ring. While it is suggested that the Otterhound be shown on a loose lead, this is not usually possible because of their short attention span and instinct to follow their nose.

Coat
The coat is another essential feature of the breed. Texture is of much greater importance than coat length and color is immaterial. The coat must be oily to enhance water resistance with a short, wooly undercoat for warmth. A soft coat would become extremely heavy when wet and be a great hindrance to endurance. A lack of an undercoat is a serious fault; although it must be realized that Otterhounds generally will loose most if not all their undercoat in the summer months. While black or dark-colored hair is always thicker than white or blonde hair, softness should never be allowed. Otterhounds should not be discriminated on basis of color. Otterhounds, like all dogs should be shown and kept clean. A freshly bathed dog with a proper coat will not be adversely affected by a bath with shampoo, although, the oil will not be as apparent following a bath. Being a working hound, the Otterhound should be shown naturally. Any evidence of scissoring or sculpting should be severely penalized. A “naturally” stripped coat is permissible. Inasmuch as most modern-day Otterhounds are not turned loose in the field, a bit of “tidying up” is acceptable.