Muggin vs Otterhound - Breed Comparison | PetzLover

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.

The Muggin is not a purebred dog but rather a cross breed. The hybrid dog population has exploding in the United States in the past ten to fifteen years. A lot of the success of crossbreeding can be attributed to the marketing of these dogs as “Designer Breeds”.

Designer breeds are developed because someone wants some of the characteristics of Breed X and some of the characteristics of Breed Y. Therefore, Designer breed XY is developed. In order to understand this hybrid dog, you need to understand the two purebred breeds they come from. The Muggin is the result of crossing the purebred Pug and the purebred Miniature Pinscher or Min Pin. So, we need to look at the origins of these two purebred breeds.

They are also referred to as Pin Pugs, Min Pin Pug, Pug Pin, Pugscher and were originally the Carlin Pinscher. However, these days there are other breeds besides the Pug and Min Pin making up the gene pool for the Carlin Pinscher. Because of this the Muggin has been separated from the Carlin Pinscher. The American Canine Hybrid Club has accepted the Muggin name for the Pug Min Pin cross.

Pugs are originally a Chinese breed and they were companions rather than working dogs of any kind. During the Han Dynasty they were the dogs of royalty. At the same time there were dogs very much like the pug in Japan and Tibet. The Pugs came to Europe by way of trades with the Dutch who then brought them to Europe. They were named the Mopshond and they caught the eye of the royalty in Europe as well.

Pugs were imported to the United States after the U.S. Civil War and in 1885 they were recognized by the American Kennel Club and called Pugs.

The Min Pin traces its origins to Germany a few hundred years ago. They were “ratters”, guarding the house and stables from all types of vermin. Most dog people believe that the Min Pin is much older than this, perhaps by thousands of years. Yet there is no detailed history to support that. Most believe the breed comes from the German Pinscher line. There might also be some Daschund and Greyhound in that line.

They were once called the Reh Pinscher. This was their name when they came to North America in 1919 and then the breed was renamed in 1972. The Miniature Pinscher Club of America was started in the early 1900’s while the AKC recognized the Min Pin in 1929. Today the Miniature Pinscher is a family dog, a companion.

The Muggin is a loving and loyal dog. All they want is for you to be happy and to share that happiness with them. They can also easily become a one person dog and bond intensely with that one person. They are not a hybrid that you can leave home alone while you go to work for 8 to 10 hours a day. No, the Muggin needs attention and lots of it. Despite this they are great with both kids and other dogs.

Because they are a cross breed, they are not recognized by the American Kennel Club. However, some hybrid registries do recognize the Muggin. These include the Designer Breed Registry, the International Designer Canine Registry, The Designer Dogs Kennel Club, the American Canine Hybrid Club, and the Dog Registry of America.

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.

Temperament:

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.

As previously mentioned, the Muggin is a cross between the Pug and the Miniature Pinscher. They are small, shave sturdy legs, floppy ears, and a wrinkled forehead for the most part. Like all hybrids however, all first generation dogs do not look the same. Some might resemble the Min Pin more and others the Pug. Some might have the stockier body of the Pug and the short tail of the Min Pin. Or one could have the Pug’s curly tail and the athletic body of the Min Pin. The snout can be short or long, the ears heavy and floppy or small and thin.

Their coats will usually be fine and short, and colors can vary a lot. They might be black and tan like a Min Pin, or more like a Pug with a solid color of cream, brown, black, white or golden. They also tend to shed quite a bit no matter which parent they take after the most. They will either have brown noses and black eyes or brown eyes and black noses or any combination of black and brown.

If Muggins are only bred to Muggins the second and third generations will resemble each other more than the first generations will. However, at this point many breeders will try to strengthen the breed by occasionally adding in to the gene pool other dog breeds.

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.

Children friendliness

They are good with children but should be supervised.

Special talents

Energetic and loving little dogs.

Adaptability

Very adaptable if taken for walks or has space in a yard. Can live anywhere under those circumstances.

Learning ability

Very intelligent but strong willed dog. Needs strong leadership from their person.

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.

The first generation of Muggins may face all the health issues of either or both their parents, while second and third generations tend to have less health issues, They types of issues the first generation of Muggins might face include:

Nerve Degeneration – Degenerative Myelopathy or Dm – causes paralysis and eventually fatal.

• Hip Dysplasia – causes lameness and arthritis.
• Epilepsy – can be treated with medication to prevent seizures.
• Patellar Luxation – kneecap movement can cause lameness and arthritis.
• Hypothyroidism – responds to medication.
• Demodectic Mange and skin issues including allergies
• Eye issues – including cataracts and Cherry Eye.
• Yeast and Staph infections
• Myotonia Congenite -Rare disease cause muscle contractions and stiffness.
• Von Willebrand’s – inherited clotting disorder – no treatment unless needing surgery
• Congenital Magaeshphagus – enlarged esophagus from birth is treatable.
• Legg-Calve-Perthes – small dog hip joint disorder causes lameness.
• Liver Issues – cause discomfort and could be fatal
• Reverse sneezing – minor issue not serious but may sound like the dog is choking.

Grooming:

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.

Diet:

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.

General Care:

• Ensure he has a nice dry, warm place to sleep.
• Never leave him in a hot car ever.
• If he spends a lot of time outdoors, make sure he has shelter from the sun and rain.
• Supply him with some stimulating toys.
• Give him of your time. What’s the point of having a dog, if you neglect connecting with him. Dogs are social creatures and they need to be loved, touched and cared for by their human family.
• Have him or her spayed or neutered if you don’t want puppies.
• Get your pet to the vet if he shows signs of illness.

Feeding the puppy

This crossbreed has a definite propensity to overeat and become obese from puppyhood. Feed the puppy a small dog dry food 3-4 times a day a total of ¾ of a cup to 1 cup.

Feeding the adult

Again don’t over feed the adult Muggin or he will become obese easily. Feed at least twice a day one to one and half cups total.

Points for Good Health

High Energy

Games and Exercises

With the athleticism of the Min Pin taking precedence over the less active Pug, the Muggin is a fairly active dog. The Muggin is also not effective by the Pug’s difficulty with heat and cold. They love to go on long walks and need exercise to keep from being bored and destructive. However, remember there is a Pug in your Muggin and if she is not into exercise don’t try to get her to do more than she can.

You do want your Muggin to get enough exercise to fend off any tendency to be overweight. They are good at agility, jogging, obedience and watchdog activities.