Otterhound

The Otterhound is friendly and warm, but isn’t the type of dog who wants constant cuddles and affection. They love to hang out with their owners and will happily greet them, but will soon go back to doing their own thing.

This breed is known to be quite playful in a goofy, quirky way - they’re guaranteed to have you laughing!

Though generally easygoing and gentle if well-trained and exercised, the Otterhound can be a little boisterous and rowdy in their younger years.

This is a stubborn dog with great abilities.

The Otterhound was bred to hunt otters, so hunting is very much an instinctual part of them. They have strong instincts to chase small animals, so care must be taken when out in public around wildlife or small pets.

The Otterhound may take some time to warm up to strangers, but is generally fine towards them. Well-socialized pups are especially friendly towards new faces.

This breed is independent and enjoys thinking for themselves. However, with an experienced trainer, the Otterhound can learn to listen and obey - consistency is key!

The Otterhound will tolerate short bursts of time alone. However, if they’re left for too long and feel bored, they’ll find other ways to entertain themselves such as digging, chewing and barking.

Thanks to the stubborn and independent traits, training the Otterhound can be tricky. 
Due to their large size and sheer power, dedicated training is absolutely necessary and may take time. Start young and keep sessions short, fun and enticing by including plenty of rewards and positive reinforcement. This breed is also a good candidate for clicker training.

This breed has a deep, expressive bark or ‘bay’ which is pretty loud and somewhat entertaining. They’re not known to be excessive barkers, but you can hear it from miles away when they do!

The Otterhound has an incredible sense of smell and they’re always happy to use it - if they smell something, they’ll try to wander off. They’re hunters at heart, too, so if they get the chance, they’ll run straight after small animals.

The Otterhound isn’t made to be a house pet - they need to run, roam, chase, explore and adventure. If they’re cooped up for too long, they’ll become destructive and restless due to boredom.

If there’s one thing that can sway the Otterhound, it’s food. This breed loves to eat and will try their hardest to sneak into the treat drawer or cupboard - be careful!

While the Otterhound may casually alert their family to an intruder, that’s about all they’ll do. A particularly well-socialised Otterhound may just welcome a stranger inside, so they’re not exactly watchdog material. That being said, his sheer presence can act as a deterrent.

The Otterhound will be frustrated in a flat and may become destructive because of this. Ideally, they need a large, secure outside space to roam.

If you decide to adopt this dog, you need to be prepared to give them vigorous daily exercise. They have endless stamina, love to swim and run, and thrive on an active lifestyle. Aim to provide at least 2 hours or more of exercise per day.

Travelling with an Otterhound isn’t exactly an easy task. This is a large dog who will chase after anything they see or smell - new environments could quickly become a nightmare!

The Otterhound can get along with a familiar feline if he has learned to rub shoulders with cats from a young age.

This breed can get along well with other dogs, especially if they’re socialised from a young age. However, they may be tempted to chase small or toy dogs.

The Otterhound is generally warm and friendly towards children, but only if they learn to respect him.

This breed is likely to be too boisterous and active for an elderly person.

We wouldn’t recommend the Otterhound for first time dog owners as they can be difficult to train and hard to handle if training isn’t successful. They also have particularly high exercise and mental stimulation requirements - it’s best to start with a less demanding breed unless you are prepared to put in the effort.