Otterhound is originated from United Kingdom but Bull Arab is originated from Australia. Both Otterhound and Bull Arab are having almost same height. Both Otterhound and Bull Arab are having almost same weight. Both Otterhound and Bull Arab has almost same life span. Both Otterhound and Bull Arab has same litter size. Otterhound requires Moderate maintenance. But Bull Arab requires Low maintenance
There aren’t many Otterhounds around and this British pure-breed dog is a scenthound and dates far back to the 19th century.
The dog is regarded as a Vulnerable breed by the English Kennel Club. It is believed that these dogs descended from Bloodhounds and that it was developed in England to hunt otters.The dog’s nose is so sensitive that he was well suited to this job. He was appreciated by royalty and had many royal admirers.
The dog was brought to the United States in 1900 and the Otterhound Club of America was founded in 1960 with the Otter Hound being officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1991.
In the 1970’s feral pig hunters wanted a dog that could be aggressive in finding and capturing the pigs. The hunters crossed the German Shorthaired Pointer, the Bull Terrier and the Greyhound to develop the Bull Arab. It is believed that the hybrid is at least 50% Bull Terrier. It is also possible that there is some Doberman, Mastiff, Great Dane and/or Pointer in the hybrid as well.
The job of the Bull Arab is to hunt out the feral pigs, grab one by the ear and hold it until the hunter arrives. They have a strong sense of smell and that is how they find the pigs.
Mike Hodgens, an Australian, developed the hybrid and added some Bloodhound as well to get that ability to smell out the pigs at great distances. They are also capable of catching buffalo and cattle. Some Australians use the breed in cattle or buffalo ranching. They are registered with the DRA or Dog Registry of America, Inc.
The Otterhound has a weather-resistant double coat which is somewhat oily. The coat is available in a number of colors such as wheat, red, grizzle, black, cream and tan with some white markings.
The double coat is somewhat oily and he has webbed feet, making him particularly suited for his life around water. This large hound stands at between 61 and 70cm and weighs in the region of 35 to 54kg. He has a large head with a nose that can track and scent in mud.
Otterhounds are active dogs, loving nothing more than to be running and playing, and that of course includes swimming. He makes a great sporting companion too and won’t have trouble keeping up with you as you jog or cycle.
These dogs are friendly, social, docile and amicable but they are also strong-willed, stubborn and independent. If you want him to be obedient and well behaved, then he will most certainly require training and socialization.
They get on well with children and will appreciate a firm, consistent, kind owner. He isn’t a city dog as he requires room to run, and therefore a farm or home with large grounds will suit him. Not only that, he is quite a barker, especially when he is bored with nothing to do so city life and living close to neighbors won't do for him . He will suit an active, outdoor family.
Mike Hodgens succeeded in developing a powerful, well built dog. The Bull Arab has a powerful head and muzzle. He has moderate length drop ears and bright eyes that match the color of his coat. His chest is neither shallow nor deep and his back is straight and strong. Their tails are tapered and pointed yet the base is thick. They are a double-coated dog. They can be white with black, tan or liver, flecked or bicolor.
Your Otterhound is a big, beautiful dog who is also lovable, making a great pet for an active kind of family. He is friendly, social and playful but he is also independent and likes to have his own space occasionally.
He is a loyal, fun dog who has a sense of humor, providing quite a bit of entertainment for his owner. He is the kind of dog that is willing to be 100% part of the family and will be thrilled to be counted in on all activities – whether camping, hiking or swimming.
Give him the love he craves and he will make you an awesome 4-legged friend.
The Bull Arab is intelligent, calm and loyal. Like Pit Bulls in the U.S., the Bull Arab has a reputation for aggression against both people and animals. There is no data to support these claims. They have been used as therapy dogs and companion animals very successfully. They are great with kids and very affectionate. The breed is cited as being used for companion and therapy animals
The average lifespan of this dog is between 10 and 13 years, but with good care he can reach 15 years of age.
The Otterhound is generally a healthy breed but he can sometimes get one or two of the common dog diseases there are.
Common problems that can occur are hip dysplasia. There are things that can be done to prevent this joint condition and one is to ensure your dog doesn’t become overweight. You also want to prevent having your young dog exercise excessively before his first birthday and you don’t want him leaping off beds or other high places.
Your Otterhound has a curly, longish water resistant double coat which doesn’t shed much. The coat is easy to groom, requiring nothing much more than a brush twice a week.
The nails of the dog should be checked regularly and trimmed. Check in and outside his ears as well as his eyes for any sign of infection.
His teeth should also be checked. Some people are reluctant to brush their pet’s teeth, saying this is a new money-making fad and that it has never been required in the past. Whatever your views, periodically check inside your pet’s mouth for the sign of a rotten tooth as this can cause your pet a lot of pain and illness.
The Otterhound has no special food requirements and relies on you to feed him quality, tasty food. For convenience, there are some excellent ready-to-eat, convenient commercially manufactured foods made to cater for your pet’s size and his activity levels.
He also relies on variety in his diet, so give him some home-made food added into the kibble a couple of times a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables such as carrots, sweet pototoes and spinach will be excellent for him.
He will thank you for keeping things so simple for him as then he won’t be plagued by digestive problems and visits to the vet. You can also add in some raw meat occasionally. Never leave him without fresh, cool water.
This is a working dog so he needs to eat the right kind of quality dog food. In order to avoid bloat do not feed large meals but rather feed one to two cups of food two to three times a day.
Hunting Accidents – this is the biggest reasons for health problems with the Bull Arab.
These are working dogs that are inactive when not working. They need a lot of exercise if they are not used for hunting. Agility, Tracking and hunting games, and field trials.