{"id":23292,"date":"2023-02-06T13:09:21","date_gmt":"2023-02-06T12:09:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=23292"},"modified":"2023-02-09T09:36:47","modified_gmt":"2023-02-09T08:36:47","slug":"a-rare-breed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2023\/02\/06\/a-rare-breed\/","title":{"rendered":"A rare breed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With their webbed feet, supersensitive noses and abundant energy, otterhounds were perfectly adapted to track their prey, but the dog is now disappearing in Britain. Lucap Rolant <\/strong>asks, can they survive? <\/p>\n\n

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Bred to withstand a long day\u2019s work wading in water, otterhounds were designed to be large and strong-limbed with great stamina, to help them tackle their fierce quarry, the otter <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Have you ever seen an otterhound? Appearing in many different colour combinations \u2013 wheaten, sandy, black, blue, tan, liver, grizzle and white \u2013 this playful breed is friendly, energetic and affectionate, with a bearded face and drop ears hanging down the side of its head. Its big personality matches its size, with male otterhounds weighing up to a hefty 52kg, compared to a golden retriever at around 30kg. <\/p>\n\n

But despite its good looks and conviviality, the otterhound today is a rare sight and at risk of becoming extinct. Otterhound numbers worldwide are only in the hundreds. In the pandemic puppy boom of 2021, a record-breaking 349,013 puppy births were registered \u2013 but just 42 were otterhounds. And by late 2022, only 14 otterhound puppy births had been registered, compared to the most popular breed, the Labrador retriever, with 61,559 puppies recorded. Small wonder that the Kennel Club describes the otterhound as \u201cone of the rarest of all the vulnerable native dog breeds\u201d. So why the decline? The answer, it seems, is fashion. <\/p>\n\n

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Many hunting packs comprised a mixture of breeds; for example, one pack in Wales included English and Welsh foxhounds as well as otterhounds. The pack hunted otters during summer and foxes in the autumn and winter, although the otterhounds were removed during fox hunts as they were relatively slow across open ground <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Bill Lambert, spokesman for the Kennel Club\u2019s Save Forgotten Dog Breeds campaign, explains. \u201cThere are more than 200 dog breeds in this country, each with different personalities, characteristics and needs, and yet people are increasingly opting for the fashionable or obvious choices. Sadly, it seems that TV, celebrities and social media \u2013 rather than responsible research \u2013 are normally the guiding force behind our choice of dog, and which breeds move in and out of fashion.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

The Kennel Club\u2019s aim, says Bill, is to maintain \u201ca rich diversity of breeds, so that people can get a dog that is truly right for them. One of the main reasons there is such a decline in popularity of these dogs is because people simply don\u2019t seem to know of them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

HUNTING HISTORY <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The history of otterhounds is inextricably entwined with the once-traditional pastime of otter hunting. During the Middle Ages, otter hunting was popular among England\u2019s royalty and nobility, with packs of otterhounds attached to royal households. <\/p>\n\n

In those days, otters were seen as nothing more than vermin, perhaps, in large part, because they competed with humans for fish. However, these intelligent, semi-aquatic mammals were formidable opponents during the hunt, and required a versatile breed to overpower them. <\/p>\n\n

Otterhounds were originally bred as otter-hunting scent hounds \u2013 dogs that hunt via scent more than sight. Their water- and weatherproof coats, webbed feet and love of swimming made them ideally suited to tracking down otters along rivers and in other wetland habitats.<\/p>\n\n

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Many of us first read of otter hunting in the novel Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson. Set in North Devon, the tale culminates in a fight to the death between Tarka and the otterhound Deadlock, illustrated here. The book is credited with transforming the public\u2019s attitudes towards otters <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

According to Ayrshire writer and dog expert Robert Leighton, to outwit the otter, otterhounds needed: \u201cA bulldog\u2019s courage, a Newfoundland\u2019s strength in water, a pointer\u2019s nose, a retriever\u2019s sagacity, the stamina of a foxhound, the patience of a beagle and the intelligence of a collie.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

In fact, breeders suspect that the otterhound\u2019s ancestors include five redoubtable hunting breeds: the bloodhound, foxhound, southern hound and two venerable French breeds: the griffon Nivernais and grand griffon Vend\u00e9en. The Kennel Club notes \u201ca look of French hound ancestry\u201d in the otterhound\u2019s head and expression. The current otterhound breed can only be traced to the early 1800s, with some speculating that Britain\u2019s earlier otterhounds, such as the \u201cotter dogs\u201d referred to in Izaak Walton\u2019s classic book The <\/em>Complete <\/em>Angler <\/em>(1653), were in fact the now-extinct southern hounds.<\/p>\n\n

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MODERN CAUSES OF OTTER DECLINE <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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The semi-aquatic otter is a superb swimmer and a predator of fish, waterbirds, amphibians and crustaceans. Its fishing prowess made it a target for huntsmen in the Middle Ages<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Hunting alone did not cause the decline in the otter population. Conservationists believe three other factors lay behind the decimation of otter numbers: the use of harmful chemicals by industry and agriculture was the primary cause, with loss of habitats and declines in fish populations also contributing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After hunting was outlawed, and some of the chemicals most harmful to otters were banned, otter populations thankfully revived. However, the most recent large-scale UK survey data (from National Otter Survey Wales, published in 2021) suggested an unexpected downturn in otter numbers across Welsh river catchments. Dr Liz Chadwick from Cardiff University Otter Project (CUOP) suggests that this should be a wake-up call for otter conservation, highlighting the state of Britain\u2019s freshwater ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pollution and changes in fish stocks may both be important \u2013 CUOP is researching freshwater chemical contaminants and gathering evidence to identify other potential causes for the decline. A national otter survey is currently underway in England, coordinated by the Mammal Society. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

OVER AND OUT <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

From its peak in the Middle Ages, otter hunting continued into the 20th century \u2013 in 1953, there were still around 16 active otterhounds packs. However, resistance to the bloodsport developed in the late 19th century, when William Lisle Blenkinsopp Coulson, an army officer and prominent member of the Humanitarian League, began a letter-writing campaign to ban otter-hunting. Another campaigner was Harry Hamilton Johnston, a founder member of the Society for the Preservation of the Wild Fauna of the Empire. Otters, argued Johnston, were an intrinsic part of the landscape.<\/p>\n\n

The Humanitarian League campaigned against otter hunting until its dissolution in 1919; later, the League for the Prohibition of Cruel Sports (later the League Against Cruel Sports) campaigned against otter hunting. Objections to, and protests against, otter hunting continued in various forms over the decades, including direct action; hunt saboteurs would lay aniseed oil down to disrupt scent trails and confuse the hounds. <\/p>\n\n

However, when chemical pollution led to the crash in otter populations across Britain and Europe in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, otter hunts were among the first to raise the alarm. <\/p>\n\n

The hunts voluntarily closed in 1976, prior to legal protection for otters in 1978 and an explicit ban on otter hunting in 1981. <\/p>\n\n

As a result of the ban, many hunters disbanded their otterhound packs. Some switched to hunting American mink \u2013 the mustelids that flourished in British rivers after escaping from fur farms. However, in 2004, legislation also outlawed the hunting of mink and other wild animals with dogs. <\/p>\n\n

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Playful and affectionate, otterhounds make good pets for active families who love outdoor life, but otterhounds also enjoy a good daytime nap! <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
SAVE OUR OTTERHOUNDS <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Unlike other hunting breeds, which managed to thrive despite losing their original purpose, with the disbanding of otterhound packs came the decline of the dogs themselves. Today, otterhounds are the rarest of British breeds, unknown to most people. But all is not lost \u2013 the Kennel Club\u2019s Save Forgotten Dog Breeds campaign has been raising the profile of the historic native breeds most at risk of dying out. <\/p>\n\n

A key campaign goal is to inform potential owners about these breeds\u2019 personalities and needs, and how they may suit different people and lifestyles. This includes the Discover Dogs area at Crufts, the annual dog show, where people can get to know a range of rare breeds. <\/p>\n\n

\u201cCome and meet these breeds,\u201d urges Bill Lambert, \u201cspeak to experts and owners who can tell you everything you need to know, and help us to raise awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Bill admits that otterhounds aren\u2019t for everyone. \u201cThey are an easy-going and goodnatured breed,\u201d he says, \u201cbut require more than two hours exercise per day, a larger space due to their size, and grooming more than once a week \u2013 so may not be suitable for the fastpaced urban lifestyles of many people.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

Nevertheless, Bill hopes there may be just enough prospective dog owners out there for whom the otterhound sounds like the perfect companion. Could that be you? <\/p>\n\n

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FIND OUT MORE <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

\u2022 Visit the Kennel Club for information on breeds and to find out which dog best suits you. thekennelclub.org.uk\/getting-a-dog<\/a> <\/strong>
\u2022 Crufts 2023 takes place on 9\u201312 March at the NEC in Birmingham. crufts.org.uk<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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Lucap Rolant is a writer from West Wales. The descendant of local princes and mariners, among others, he takes a strong interest in Welsh history, genealogy and folklore.

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OTTERHOUNDS: PERFECT PETS? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If their characteristics are suitable for you and your home, you can help save otterhounds from the brink of extinction by keeping one or several. Here are some useful facts about the breed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Size: <\/strong><\/strong>Large (36\u201352kg)
\u2022 Exercise: <\/strong><\/strong>At least two hours per day.
\u2022 Home and garden size: <\/strong><\/strong>Large.
\u2022 City or country? <\/strong><\/strong>Ideally suited to the countryside.
\u2022 Lifespan: <\/strong><\/strong>Over 10 years.
\u2022 Coat: <\/strong><\/strong>Medium-length double coat \u2013 rough, slightly oily and weatherproof; it does shed hair.
\u2022 Grooming: <\/strong><\/strong>More than once a week.
\u2022 Feet: <\/strong><\/strong>Webbed <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

Photos: Heidi Hudson\/The Kennel Club, Alamy, Getty<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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