Thank you for visiting our website. We hope the information contained herein will help you determine whether the Otterhound is the right breed for you.

Now for some background on us…………..

Betsy Conway and Donna Emery started in the "world of dog shows" in January 1978 with the acquisition of a Bloodhound bitch who was to become CH. Serendipity's General Jinjur. After finishing her championship at 9 months of age (from the Puppy Class!) we had been "bitten" by the "dog show bug" and acquired her sister who then became CH Serendipity's Nimee Amee.

At that time, neither of us was in a position to breed - whelping and raising a litter of pups is A LOT of time and money - so Nimee was leased back to her breeder for breeding. From that litter came "Cracker", CH Serendipity's Graham Cracker.

As we traveled to shows, we got to see many different breeds, including, on rare occasions, the Otterhound. Having had a mixed breed dog that looked like an Otterhound (we refer to them as "wannabees") we were determined to learn more about them. If you think information is scarce now, try back in the early 80's before the advent of computers and the Internet! We "put the word out" and found a few breeders, 2 to be exact, and discussed the breed characteristics with them. We were now ready, willing and able to get an Otterhound but there were no pups around! At that time, perhaps just a litter or 2 was born in the entire US each year.

In the summer of '83 we received a phone call from a person in MA who had a year old male Otterhound she was looking to rehome. So up to MA we drove, hoping the dog would be the quality we were looking for and praying he and Cracker would get along. Both dreams came true, so home came Abraham, a "tri" (predominantly white in color with tan and black patches).

We started taking Abraham to shows, without much success. People would ask us if he was an Old English Sheepdog who still had a tail, and judges in the Group ring had to do a double take to determine what breed he was. But fortunately, someone did recognize what he was as she had a female Otterhound and was looking for an appropriate stud dog. She found that in Abraham (CH Greyfield's One Way Ryder) and he sired a litter of 7 in October of '84. From that litter came Amanda (BIS, BISS, CH Billikin's Amanda Grizzlet, ROMX) who was to become the foundation bitch and start of "Scentasia Hounds".

Elsewhere in this website you can see the pups Amanda produced, their accomplishments in the show ring and other venues, and what they in turn have added to "THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF OTTERHOUNDS". Enjoy!