238 



THE OTTERHOUND. 



that must be possessed by any Dog which endeavors to compete with so lithe and agile aa 

 antagonist. 



Great courage is needful on the part of the Dog, because the otter is, when irritated, a 

 peculiarly fierce animal, and can inflict most painful wounds by the bite of its long sharp teeth. 

 It is, moreover, so pliant of body that it can twist itself about almost like a snake, and, if 

 grasped heedlessly, can writhe itself about as actively and slipperily as an eel, and unex- 

 pectedly plant its teeth in its antagonist's nose. Now, the nose is a very sensitive portion of 

 all animal economy, and a wound or a bite in that region causes such exceeding pain that none 

 but a well-bred Dog can endure the torture without flinching. 



Such needful courage is found in the Otter Dog, but is sometimes rather prone to degen- 

 erate into needless ferocity. There are few animals, with the exception of the bull-dog, which 

 fight so savagely as the Otterhound, or bite so fiercely and with such terrible results. The 

 attack of the Otterhound is even more dangerous than that of the bull-dog and its bite more to 



OTTJiKliOUNL). Canis famltiaris. 



be dreaded. As is well known, where the bull-dog has once fixed his teeth there he hangs, 

 and cannot be forced to loosen his hold without the greatest difficulty ; but when the Otter- 

 hound bites, it instantly tears its teeth away without relaxing its jaws, and immediately seizes 

 its prey with a second gripe. The wounds which it inflicts by this ferocious mode of action 

 are of the most terrible description, lacerating all the tissues, and tearing asunder the largest 

 and most important vessels. The reason for this very savage mode of attack is evident enough. 

 The otter is so quick and agile, that, if the Dog were to retain his hold, the otter would twist 

 round and inflict a severe bite, so the Dog bites as fast and as often as he can, in order to give 

 his antagonist the fewest possible chances of retaliation. 



When a number of these Dogs are placed in the same kennel they are sadly apt to fight, 

 and to inflict fatal injuries on each other from the sheer love of combat. If two of the Dogs 

 begin to quarrel and to fight, the others are sure to join them ; so that, from the bad temper 

 of a single Dog, half the pack may lose their lives. 



As these Dogs are obliged to endure the most turbulent weather and the coldest streams, 

 they are furnished with a very strong, rough, and wiry coat, which is capable of resisting the 

 effects of cold and storm, and is also of much service in blunting the severity of the otter's bite. 

 The face and muzzle are guarded with a profusion of longish and very rough "whisker" hairs. 



Whether this animal is the production of a cross breed between two families of Dogs, or 

 whether it forms a distinct family in itself, is a mooted point. According to the best authori- 

 ties, the latter opinion seems to be the best founded. It is thought by those who consider the 

 Dog to be of mixed breed, that it was originally the offspring of the deerhound and terrier ; 



