Rocky the Otterhound, an endangered breed: August 2008

Sunday 31 August 2008

Rocky the Otterhound: A dogs life - Hard work, fun and relaxation.

Rocky's training classes are continuing, although numbers have dwindled due to the holiday season. Rocky would (I'm sure) prefer to interact with the other dogs than do any work but ........

"Daddy" reminds him that he is here to work; to learn how to be a good and responsive dog. He knows he is a good dog but occasionally needs reminding that he could be a little better at some things!

"OK Rocky, lets work on your recall"! First send your dog away (throw food, it works every time with Rocky)!

Look at him go! You won't find Rocky letting any food get away from him!!!

Next step is to recall him - and then you repeat the exercise for reinforcement.

Rocky does find it easier to concentrate with less distractions in the room . but he has to learn to listen even with distractions.

You're getting there Rocky, aren't you?!

Next is the "ignoring other people and animals while walking" exercise.

This has worked really well and has paid off huge dividends when we take him out for walks on the lead.

Well done Rocky!!

"Now Rocky, let's see you pay attention to me and sit, for quite a time"!!

"OK dad, you've got treats ...... of course I can do this"!!

"Hey! That's cheating, where you goin"?

"Come back with that food"!!!

Of course, to reward all that hard work and concentration our young Otterhound gets his favourite play time ..... TUNNELS!!

Lots of fun in the tunnels!!!

What a happy Otterhound!

And after all that hard work our hero gets home and goes fast to sleep!

Such hard work for a big puppy!!

Rocky's expedition was to the plain again, look how high the grass has become!

This is a real treat for Rocky - all dogs love bouncing in long grass but it isn't often Rocky comes across grass long enough for him to bounce in!!

Enjoy it Rocky!!

We meandered through the long grass on the way to see what this summers (apalling) weather has done to our favourite watering hole!

Despite the rain we have had, the pool had gone down quite a bit. Loads of animal tracks around the edges showed just how busy it must get.

A little like an african watering hole I suppose ...... Only without the elephants .... And the sunshine ... and the eaty other animals type of things!!

Still, it was interesting enough for Rocky to want to go and have a little investigation.

In fact he was even interested enough to do a little scuba diving!

Just then our hero got a little excited . he'd heard something?!!

Some new friends were heading his way!!

Yippee!!

However, unlike our intrepid Otterhound these guys headed straight for a swim!

"Hey guys, what you doin"??!

I'm here, lets have a game of chase ... It'll be fun"!!

To Rocky's delight his new friends left the fun of the pool for the fun of the chase.

And a great time was had by all!!

When they left Rocky was a wee bit wet and a wee bit covered in grass seeds and sticky burrs. Still nothing that would take long to rectify!

A quick shake will do for starters!

Once Rocky's friends had moved on, "dad" decided it was his turn for a game with his favourite dog.

Note the classic Otterhound puppy play stance .. Head down, ears back and bottom tucked low . Weeeeee!!

He tore this way and that ....

Then that way and this .......

This was great fun!!

Then "dad" did a great trick, he ducked down in the long grass and Rocky couldn't see him! "What, what ... where's my daddy"!!

...More charging about!

It was at this point he became a very bouncy Otterhound indeed ..... Bouncing as high as he could to see over the grass and spot his "dad"

Clever Otterhound!

All I could think about while I watched him was "Tigger"! I'm surprised I managed to get any photographs, I was laughing so much!

After Rocky had found his "dad" and had had a good wrestle he was a tired and happy Otterhound.

However, a closer inspection showed that while playing Rocky had managed to collect just about every grass seed and sticky burr in hi path!

He resembled a cross between a brillo pad and velcro!!

He tried a quick bit of grooming ...... But it was no use!

He tried to rub them off by rolling in the grass ...... But this only made it worse!

"Dad" gave up trying to pick them off once we'd counted to fifty!

Oh dear ..... We see a big grooming session ahead!!

So we put the brillo pad in the car and headed for home.

So while our hero relaxed after his fun and games, we soldiered on and undertook a mega grooming session!

At the end of our toil (about an hour and a half later) we had a lovely fluffy Otterhound and an enormous amount of seeds and burrs!

Bet that feels better?!

But we think we'll take him somewhere different next time!

Talking (or writing) about relaxing ........ If Rocky is anything to go by, Otterhounds are masters of the art of relaxation!

Note how Biskitt is sat to attention while "dad" has his late night TV dinner (popular in our house)! On the other hand ..... Rocky prefers to beg while lounging about all relaxed like!

Even during the day, when he is more alert, he manages to beg from a rather relaxed position!

No point in straining if you don't have to I suppose!!

When he's just standing about for no particular reason - he relaxes!

He is leaning against the chair so hard that if you knock his back legs sideways he falls over . We know ... we've done it!!

When watching the TV or listening to conversations ..... he relaxes!

And when it's just about Rocky's bedtime - Well ....

Night night Rocky, sleep well!!

Sunday 24 August 2008

Rocky the Otterhound: New Places, New friends

This week began with grey skies and more rain, this did however give way to sunshine towards the end of the week. Rocky decided that after so many grey days it was acceptable to do a little sun bathing and so took every opportunity to lounge around on the patio.

Having done so, he practiced the Otterhound art of using his coat as a yard broom and bringing in as much of the outside as possible!

Not to seem daunted we decided that this provided the perfect opportunity to get him more used to being groomed ........ Up until now he usually saw this human activity as an opportunity for a game! Undertaking it late at night seemed to be most agreeable, he even (almost) dozed off at one point .................. What a calm Otterhound!!

There "dad", how do I look?

As previously mentioned, the sun had come out; so we decided to take Rocky for a car ride to our nearest canal. It is only about 25 minutes away and a lovely safe place for an Otterhound to walk.

"This smells different - goody somewhere new to explore!!

Rocky trotted ahead with his head and tail high, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the tow path.

There are strange things on this water ............... Should I be scared of them?!!

"No really, should I be scared???!!

After a bit of reassurance and walking past the moored boats, Rocky settled down and decided it was in fact a lovely place for a walk!

He was intrigued by the different smell of the water and by the occasional water bird that swam out from the edges whenever we or he walked by.

See lots to interest a young Otterhound!

As he enjoyed himself he walked ahead of us further and further .................

Spotted some more of those funny things (moored boats to you and me)! ......................

And would then enjoy running back to tell us all about them ..................

What a happy and excited Otterhound!

We occasionally saw small craft moving on the canal and this gave Rocky quite a bit to think about ...........

He would stand (or sit) and watch and you could almost hear his brain working as he tried to work out how, what and why. Think he got it in the end!

After about an hour we decided it was time to turn around and go back.

Happy Rocky obviously thought so too as he turned around quite happily and trotted the other way.

He had by now become quite used to the moored boats and was brave enough to start investigating these strange craft.

He also took time to investigate the splashing noises as various water birds left the bank and swam out into the canal ...........

Then there was a large SPLASH!!

Someone (who shall remain nameless) had fallen head first into the canal in his eagerness to see what was going on ..........

It is a testiment to his dislike of deep water that only his front end got wet!!

A quick shake to remove excess water -

And a strong glare in our direction as we were both on the floor laughing!!

Then it was back to our walk!

Rocky did however, take time to check how far the duck that had caused all this hilarity had gone ...................

Possibly a good thing it had swam a good way away, as I think with his pride dented, he may not have been in the mood to kiss and cuddle it!!?

However, during a second (or was it a third or fourth) shaking to remove the dreaded water, he had his mind taken off this event by the arrival of two potential new friends!

"Hello"?!

"I'm sure you weren't here a minute ago"?!

"Will you be my friend"???

"Come on guys - lets play"!!

And play they did ............ lots and lots, to Rocky's delight!

What a happy Otterhound!!

After we had a lovely chat with the dog walker and Rocky had had a smashing game with his new friends, it was time to move on ..............

Rocky was still a bouncy Otterhound and tore up and down the tow path like a mad thing!!

This frantic activity was called to a halt by a narrowboat passing along the canal!

"Eh, what is that?!

"Look dad, did you see that"?!

"Where's it gone .............. dad ................ dad, did you see that"???

Rocky was fascinated by all the activity but also managed to find time to investigate the interesting smells along the tow path!

More interesting smells among the wild flowers on the canal bank ............

And even more along the tow path!

Whatever it was, it must have been good as he stopped noticing the traffic on the canal!

He did, however, get side tracked again by the interesting sight and smell of one of the working barges moored up by the tow path.

Hmmmm, don't think he worked that one out though!

After walking on a little further Rocky was lucky enough to meet another new friend.

They only played for a short time but play they did - what an eventful walk for a young Otterhound!

Eventually as we neared the end of our walk Rocky started to stay closer to us as he tired.

However, he still had a happy smile on his face!!!

Just before we got to the cafe by the canal, Rocky stopped to investigate another potential friend.

However it was not to be, as the swan just hissed at him (he is used to that with Biskitt). So Rocky gave a doggy shrug and came into the cafe garden with us.