Carlee is best in show at Westminster

Asleep in her crate much earlier Tuesday, Morgan hardly had a care in the world. Let the other dogs get cramped by the backstage crowds, this otterhound was taking a nap.

And certainly unaware of the pressure she faced.

A win could’ve brought much-needed attention to one of America’s rarest breeds. Instead, she lost out to Knotty in the hound group — too bad for a breed that keeps moving closer to extinction.

Yes, extinction.

Believe it or not, there were only 23 purebred otterhounds registered in the United States last year. That’s 23, compared to the 146,692 Labrador retrievers, the most popular dog.

“We don’t get a lot of exposure,” offered Morgan’s co-owner and breeder, Betsy Conway.

Conway described Morgan as a bloodhound with a black-and-tan, woolly coat. Think of the shaggy dog in the Disney film “The Absent-Minded Professor” and that’s close, but bigger.

“There’s no such thing as an otterhound,” kidded Lab breeder Christine Tye. “I’ve never heard of them.”

Most people haven’t. There are fewer than 1,000 in the world, perhaps 350 scattered around America. The population steadily declined in the 20th century when otter hunting was outlawed in many places.

Also, Conway admitted, they’re not for everyone. Otterhounds have oily coats that can rub off on clothes and furniture, need room to roam and have a deep bay voice. At home in Sherman, Conn., Morgan loves to dig for moles and look for cats.

“But if you want a dog that will love you, they’re perfect,” she said.

Conway currently owns or co-owns 10 of the 23 registered otterhounds. A career insurance saleswoman, she intends to ensure the breed sticks around.

“They will not become extinct in my lifetime,” she said, “because I won’t let it.”

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