United Pet Club

Otterhound breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.

Size

Size
MeasureFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
Height at the withers, male69 cm68.6 cm61–68.6 cm69 cm68.5 cm
Height at the withers, female61 cm61 cm58.4–66 cm61 cm61 cm
Weight, maleNo ruling52.2 kg34–52.2 kgNo rulingNo ruling
Weight, femaleNo ruling36.3 kg29.5–45.4 kgNo rulingNo ruling
Skull to muzzleNo ruling1No rulingNo rulingNo ruling

Conformation

Conformation
FormFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
StopModerateStandard (“Stop: Distinct, though not exaggerated”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“distinct though not exaggerated stop”)Standard (“distinct though not exaggerated stop”)
Muzzle shapeSquareNo rulingStandard (“The muzzle is square, with no hint of snipiness”)No rulingNo rulingNo ruling
BiteScissors biteStandard (“perfect, regular scissor bite”)Standard (“A scissors bite is preferred”)Standard (“meet in a scissors bite, which is preferred”)Standard (“perfect, regular scissor bite”)Standard (“perfect, regular scissors bite”)
DentitionFull dentitionNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“A full complement of strong, white teeth”)No rulingNo ruling
Ear carriagePendulousStandard (“Long, pendulous, set on level with corner of eye”)Standard (“are long, pendulous, and folded”)Standard (“The long, pendulous, folded ears”)Standard (“Long, pendulous, set on level with corner of eye”)Standard (“Long, pendulous, set on level with corner of eye”)
Ear setLowNo rulingStandard (“They are set low, at or below eye level”)Standard (“The ears are set low, or below eye level”)No rulingNo ruling
Neck lengthLongStandard (“NECK: Long, powerful”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Long, powerful, set smoothly into well laid back”)Standard (“Long, powerful, set smoothly into well laid back”)
DewlapSlightAlternate (“Slight dewlap permissible”)Alternate (“a slight dewlap is permissible”)Alternate (“A slight dewlap is permissible”)Alternate (“Slight dewlap permissible”)Alternate (“Slight dewlap permissible”)
ToplineLevelStandard (“Top line: Level”)Standard (“The topline is level from the withers to the base of tail”)Standard (“The backline, from the withers to the base of the tail, is level”)Standard (“level top line and broad back”)Standard (“level topline and broad back”)
ChestDeepStandard (“Chest: Deep with well sprung, fairly deep, oval ribcage”)Standard (“The chest is deep reaching at least to the elbows”)Standard (“The chest, which is deep rather then wide”)Standard (“Chest deep with well sprung, fairly deep, oval ribcage”)Standard (“Chest deep with well sprung, fairly deep, oval ribcage”)
Tail setHighStandard (“Set high, carried up when alert or moving”)Standard (“The tail is set high”)Standard (“It is set high on the slightly sloping croup”)Standard (“Set high, carried up when alert or moving”)Standard (“Set high, carried up when alert or moving”)
Tail lengthLongNo rulingStandard (“and is long reaching at least to the hock”)Standard (“The long tail reaches at least to the hock joint”)No rulingNo ruling
Tail carriageSabreNo rulingStandard (“carried saber fashion (not forward over the back)”)Standard (“it is carried in saber fashion, but never forward over the back”)No rulingNo ruling
Tail carriageCurled over the backFault (“never curling over back”)Fault (“(not forward over the back)”)Fault (“but never forward over the back”)Fault (“never curling over back”)Fault (“never curling over back”)
HocksWell let downStandard (“Hocks well let down, turning neither in nor out”)Standard (“Hocks are well let down, turning neither in nor out”)Standard (“The well-let-down hocks are well defined”)Standard (“hocks well let down, turning neither in nor out”)Standard (“hocks well let down, turning neither in nor out”)

Markings

Markings
MarkingFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
Chest patchAlternate (“slight white markings on head, chest, feet and tail tip”)No rulingNo rulingAlternate (“slight white markings on head, chest, feet and tail tip”)No ruling
SocksAlternate (“slight white markings on head, chest, feet and tail tip”)No rulingNo rulingAlternate (“slight white markings on head, chest, feet and tail tip”)No ruling
White tail tipAlternate (“slight white markings on head, chest, feet and tail tip”)No rulingNo rulingAlternate (“slight white markings on head, chest, feet and tail tip”)No ruling

Cropping, docking and other procedures

Cropping, docking and other procedures
ProcedureFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
Dewclaw removalNo rulingAlternate (“Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed”)Alternate (“Dewclaws may be removed from the forelegs”)No rulingNo ruling

The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live.

Otterhound colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Otterhound color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Otterhound in Black, White, Gray, Blue, Liver, Tan, Red, Lemon, Cream, Wheaten, and Sandy. Standard patterns: Solid, Bicolor, Tricolor, Piebald, Parti-color, Agouti, Grizzle, and Tan point.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
BlackStandard (“Black and tan”)Standard (“Black”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“Black and tan”)Standard (“Black and tan”)
WhiteStandard (“White hounds”)Standard (“White”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“White hounds”)Standard (“White Hounds”)
GrayNo rulingStandard (“Gray”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Not recognizedNo ruling
BlueStandard (“blue”)Standard (“Blue & Cream”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“blue”)Standard (“blue”)
LiverStandard (“occasional liver, tan and liver”)Standard (“Liver & Tan”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“occasional liver, tan and liver”)Standard (“occasional liver, tan and liver”)
TanStandard (“Black and tan, blue and tan”)Standard (“Tan”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“Black and tan, blue and tan”)Standard (“Black and tan, blue and tan”)
RedStandard (“red”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“red”)Standard (“red”)
LemonStandard (“White hounds may have slight lemon, blue or badger pied markings”)Standard (“Lemon”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“White hounds may have slight lemon, blue or badger pied markings”)Standard (“White Hounds may have slight lemon, blue, or badger pied markings”)
CreamStandard (“black and cream”)Standard (“Blue & Cream”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“black and cream”)Standard (“black and cream”)
WheatenStandard (“wheaten”)Standard (“Wheaten”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“wheaten”)Standard (“wheaten”)
SandyStandard (“sandy”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“sandy”)Standard (“sandy”)
AlbinoNo rulingNo rulingDisqualifying (“Albinism”)Not recognizedNo ruling
Patterns
SolidStandard (“whole coloured”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“Whole coloured”)Standard (“whole-coloured”)
BicolorStandard (“tan and white”)Standard (“Blue & Cream”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“White & Black”)Standard (“tan and white”)
TricolorNot recognized (“a white-bodied hound with black and tan patches distinctly separate”)Standard (“White Black & Tan”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Not recognized (“a white-bodied hound with distinctly separate black patches and tan patches”)Not recognized (“a white-bodied Hound with black and tan patches distinctly separate”)
PiebaldStandard (“White hounds may have slight lemon, blue or badger pied markings”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“White hounds may have slight lemon, blue or badger pied markings”)Standard (“White Hounds may have slight lemon, blue, or badger pied markings”)
Parti-colorNo rulingStandard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“Particolour”)No ruling
AgoutiStandard (“badger pied markings”)Standard (“Badger Markings”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“badger pied markings”)Standard (“badger pied markings”)
GrizzleStandard (“grizzle”)Standard (“Grizzle Markings”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“grizzle”)Standard (“grizzle”)
Tan pointStandard (“Black and tan, blue and tan”)Standard (“Black & Tan”)Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”)Standard (“Black and tan, blue and tan”)Standard (“Black and tan, blue and tan”)
Eyes: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
Dark brownNo rulingStandard (“The eyes are dark”)Standard (“The deeply set eyes are dark”)No rulingNo ruling
HazelStandard (“a blue and tan hound may have hazel eyes”)Standard (“those with liver or slate pigment may have hazel eyes”)Standard (“Those with liver or slate pigment may have hazel eyes”)Standard (“a blue and tan hound may have hazel eyes”)Standard (“a blue and tan Hound may have hazel eyes”)
YellowFault (“Yellow eye undesirable”)No rulingNo rulingFault (“Yellow eye undesirable”)Fault (“Yellow eye undesirable”)
Nose: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
BlackNo rulingStandard (“black, liver, or slate, depending on the color of the hound”)Standard (“Dogs with black-pigmented eye rims and noses”)No rulingNo ruling
SlateNo rulingStandard (“black, liver, or slate, depending on the color of the hound”)Standard (“Those with liver or slate pigment”)No rulingNo ruling
LiverStandard (“a tan hound may have a brown nose”)Standard (“black, liver, or slate, depending on the color of the hound”)Standard (“Those with liver or slate pigment”)Standard (“a tan hound may have a brown nose”)Standard (“a tan Hound may have a brown nose”)
Patterns
Butterfly noseStandard (“A slight butterfly nose permissible”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“A slight butterfly nose permissible”)Standard (“A slight butterfly nose permissible”)

What the rulings mean

Standard
Described by the club's breed standard.
Fault
Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalized.
Disqualifying
The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this color or pattern.
Not recognized
The club does not accept this color or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Otterhound's colors can change over its life.

  • Blackchanges toRust

    Coat · With body condition · can change back

  • Blackchanges toGray

    Coat · Progressive

  • Blackchanges toBrown

    Coat · In the sun · can change back

  • Whitechanges toRoan

    Coat · With age · from 2 weeks

  • Tan pointchanges toSaddle

    Coat · With age · from 6 to 156 weeks

  • Blackchanges toSnow nose

    Nose · With the season · can change back

  • Blackchanges toPink

    Nose · With the season · can change back

Published standards