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Dog Articles
Past and Present: The Otterhound
It is said
that every sizable stream in Great Britain has its Otter. To hunt
this elusive and wily animal, a very distinct type of dog has been
evolved. The requirements of the hunt demand the keenest of noses,
the staunchest of ‘wills to hunt’, the utmost courage, and the
ability to stand the roughest of wet and dry coursing.
These
qualities have been assembled in the Otterhound, which may be
described as a bloodhound clad in the roughest of deerhound coats.
In general he is all hound, with long, sweeping ears, deep jaw, and
deep-set eye showing the haw. He is broader in the brow than the
bloodhound and not quite so large, but he has the same fine
carriage, on straight, strong, and heavily boned legs; large, sound,
and partly webbed feet. The hair over the eyes is long and ragged,
and there is a strong tendency toward beard and moustache.
He is a
great favorite in Great Britain, but is rarely seen in America. In
color he may be ‘hound colors’, or ‘self-colored’, fawn, brown,
tawny, or black. The working dogs are so hardened by rough work that
they are not particularly suitable as house dogs; when reared to
it, however, their fine qualities render them exceptional companions
even for children.
Source:
National Geographic 1919
Recommended Reading
Dog Training
Mastery - An Owners' Manual
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