Otterhound- A dog on the edge of extinction
The Otterhound is one of those dogs to which the changes in habits have led him to the edge of extinction. It was created to hunt otters, but that practice has been forbidden And his census is quite scarce.
- Weight: 30 to 52 kilos, depending on sex
- Hair type: dense, rough, hard and impermeable
- Character: intelligent, very active and faithful with their owners
- Health: Very strong
- Life expectancy: between 10 and 12 years
Origins
It is not known much about the origins of Otterhound, but it seems that its trail is lost in medieval England and there is already news of a similar race in the twelfth century. Advancing until the 18th, there are already representations of a dog almost equal to this.
It seems that in its creation English and some French smelms intervened, using otter hunting, which was considered a vermin when it sneaked into the ponds, as the fish eaten.
As a curiosity, the Airedale Terrier It descends directly from the Otterhound, so that with that we can get an idea of how old the race is.
Already in 1978 the hunting of otria was prohibited in England, since they were about to disappear, so the Otterhound began a decline That he has led him to no more than 1,000 copies, most in the United Kingdom, so it can be said that he is in danger of extinction.
So much so, that the Kennel Club has it on the list of most vulnerable breeds in the Unid kingdomOr, and experts say there are many possibilities that it disappears in the short term.
Main characteristics
It is one of the best swimmers of the canine genre, because otter hunting is impossible if the dog is not an excellent swimmer, since the sets were carried out within the lakes or water courses.
It has very rough and also impermeable hair, possessing this breed large feet and palmated fingers. With this, you can stay in the water for a long time.
Its smell is another of its distinctive elements, being one of the best among all canine races, helping to smell the otters even huge distances.
We are facing A large breed that reaches 61 cm And that it can weigh up to 52 kilos in the case of males, so that they attract the attention, to which the presence of long ears helps and hang up, curling the tip and seemed to have been folded.
The admitted colors are the grim, the black and cream, the liver, the blue and fire and the black and the fire, in many occasions with white spots in areas such as the head, the tip of the tail or the feet.
Character
It has an excellent character and makes it a good company dog as long as we do not live in a floor, because because of its past it has a powerful voice and is a barking, which does not help it come out of the danger of extinction.
If we ignore this, We are facing a balanced, ingenious and very intelligent animal that solves problems when it is in a situation that interests you.
With his family it is loyal, fun and very good, sociable with other dogs and pets, as well as with the children.
Education
It can be a somewhat stubborn dog, so it is possible that if we have no experience we have to resort to an experienced training, although, on the other hand, its intelligence makes it quickly learn.
Training must always be positive, since although they have a hard dog appearance, the truth is that they are very sensitive dogs and do not tolerate either the screams or the bad ways.
The most complicated when training it is that it has a very developed hunting instinct. In this regard, Otterhound is a very primitive breed that does not repress its instincts, which can endanger or even be hit by a car.
Care
They do not need much exercise to be healthy and make up with the typical walks, better in areas where they can swim, since they will be very happy, more if they live in the field, not to be dogs suitable for life on a floor.
You don't have to pay too much attention, but land a couple of brushed by week will come wellA, as well as monitor the ears, which are large and falls.
We will have to clean them inside frequently, eliminating excess wax, and check them when we come from the field in itself there is a strange object.
Health
This race does not have its own diseases, since it is a very strong dog and whose crosses come from very old. In addition, since having ever been fashionable, he has fought from indiscriminate breeding.
His most common diseases are the same as those of anyNimal of its size: Hip dysplasia, the elbow dysplasia and the stomach torsion.
The first two are prevented by buying a copy that comes from a dysplasia -free line. There is not much to choose from given the scarce number of specimens that exist, but you always have to ask for the radiography of the ancestors, at least that of the parents.
On torsion, there is no effective way to avoid it, but it seems that its incidence is decreased if we do not feed the Otterhound before going to exercise, in addition to avoiding by all means that is feed very quickly.
Feeding
As in all large races, we must provide a I think of quality and adapted to each stage of your life. This is essential when they are puppies, because they develop a huge body in a short time.
We will use any high -end feed, which we will care with the purpose that it does not fat, especially when it grows, because that could cause joint problems such as dreaded dysplasia.
Talking to the veterinarian we will be able to know what feed they can do well, although as always it is best to try. Once we give a feed with which the dog is at ease, it shows in the brightness of the hair, we will no longer change.
Because of its size, perhaps it is a good idea to opt for those who have many proteins, whose main ingredients are quality meat or fresh fish in large quantities, complemented by vegetables of the most varied and without grains such as wheat, barley or corn.
Adopt
There are breeds that in Spain are complicated to adopt, but getting an Otterhound in our country is impossible, since we talk about an animal in danger of extinction and of which there are hardly 1000 copies.
Anyway, if we have fallen in love with the race, It is best to start looking in England, where we could find some specimen for adoption with which we should raise and work with the idea that the race is perpetuated.
We do not need to go to the country, but we can make the first inquiries from Spain, putting ourselves in contact with breeders, protectors, the race club, etc., since there is always someone who for one reason or another cannot take care of their dog, even if it is as special as the Otterhound.
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