Rocky the Otterhound: What's been happening and tracking update!

JUST TO START THIS WEEK ..... CHECK OUT ROCKY, ROSIE AND MIJ ON YOUTUBE ...... CLICK THE LINKS UNDER "More otterhound links" (TO THE RIGHT OF THE PAGE)!!!

First of all, Rocky sends his apologies f

or not just missing a blog last week, but also for not letting you know!

The problem was that his typist was poorly and he felt it was a bit much asking him to do it himself! .....

..... So a big woof and sorry from Rocky!!

So anyway, Rocky wanted me to let you know what's been happening and also to catch up on how the tracking has been going .....

So let's start with the tracking .....

We have taken several trips onto more open areas of the plain with our radio collars and tracking device; and we have hit upon a trend .....

..... Each time our hounds have run off after a scent when let off the lead (approximately 2-400 yards away), they have then followed this to ground (inevitably a bunny burrow)! Here they have stayed, for as long as you have patience for, either waiting for the bunnies to come out or trying to let themselves in!! Of course, being rather larger than a bunny Rocky, in particular, has had to work for a very long time indeed just to get his head a little deeper!!!! The bunnies have thus been in no danger at all but our patience has been sorely tested!

We have found that the only way to exercise our hounds has therefore been to put them on the extending leads and make them walk with you ....... You get some good exercise as well then!

It may be just a quirk of the areas we have tried but this has happened each time so far ...... We will keep trying and see if we can have more success at achieving the same sort of tracking as we did in the more enclosed areas. Failing this we will probably try with one of us going off and hiding and set them to track us ..... So we can track them; if you follow my drift!

So, what else has been happening? Well, life has continued as normal for Rocky and Rosie, lots of lovely walks and games .....

....... Rosie and Mij have been having lots of fun together .....

Then a little relax together .......

In fact, our whole young family have been playing together ......

And relaxing together!

Rocky and Rosie have entertained themselves in the evening by studying what us humans have for supper .......

This is always followed by an ....... "Aw! Where's mine"!!!?

Rocky has particularly enjoyed his fusses and loves ...... Note the entirely grown up seating position he takes!! Nice to know he's officially grown up now!!!

There has been the occasional "Who's lap is it tonight?" competition.

And Rosie, in particular, has been learning how to sleep on just one seat of the sofa ..... Unfortunately she hasn't quite worked out that she has grown a bit and won't fit on unless curled up! ..... Still, I suppose she's comfy?!!!

There has been lots of togetherness for Rocky and Rosie ..... I do sometimes think they have this magic velcro that pops out on their coats from time to time ..... It's very sweet!

There has been plenty of playing and goofing around .......

Rocky, in particular seems to exercise his sense of humour .....

Some days he just does nothing but daft things and then laughs at himself!!!

He can be such a clown!

Rosie can be a clown too; on her first introduction to balloons she worked out quickly where to grab them so you can take them away .....

..... How to play with them gently so they last .....

...... But she much preferred bouncing on them and making them go pop!!

Rocky wasn't so enamored with the popping business ..... So he just stood back and watched from a distance! Brave Otterhound!!!

So life has been usual and fun since we last blogged.

But each day of fun seems to wear out our young hounds, so much so that at their chosen time of bed (regular as clockwork they are) ......

It's a case of night, night Rosie.....

...... And night, night Rocky. Well done for grabbing the only cushion left on the sofa! ......

Otterhounds like their comfort, sigh!!

Rocky the Otterhound: Some favourite positions!

As we have stated before, our three pets all think they are Otterhounds ...... Two are, of course, but Mij the cat is (I'm sure) convinced she is an Otterhound too!

To demonstrate this we have taken a few photo's of the interesting and sometimes unusual positions our pets seem to enjoy. We haven't gone out of our way to set these photo's up, the opportunity presents itself quite easily ...... I wonder if this is an Otterhound trait or if it's just our pets??

First off, Rocky has a bit of a thing for the dishwasher .....

..... We have spent the last two and a half years (almost) telling him NO when he makes a dash for it but .....

..... As this photo shows, even trying to block his way is no bar to our big boy enjoying a moment in the dishwasher!!!?

Mij, in a moment of catness, decides she wants to get inside a box .....

..... Could she have chosen a smaller box do you think??!

She also has a thing for heads ..... Especially Dan's!

As you can see, she is quite relaxed and comfy ......

..... I wonder if there is a reason our pack are a bit eccentric??!

If Rosie gets snoozy she often enjoys a warm blanket?!

...... They do say that dogs get to be like their owners!!!

..... See what I mean??!!!

Rocky often seems more comfortable sitting on a chair this way .....

..... So comfy ..... he often nods off!!! Plonker!

Though this sleeping position is more usual ..... By the way, what does this photo say about the fact that most people say dogs and cats don't get on??

Rosie really does like a blanket!

She is also enjoys a bit of a cuddle but she does like something to rest her head on!!

Oh yes, did I mention that people say that dogs and cats don't get on??

Sometimes a comfy sofa just isn't enough, there is often a need for a little bit of elevation, apparently!!

This position seems to work if you are a couch potatoe who doesn't want to stand up, unless it's absolutely necessary!

Finally, late at night there is nothing better than lots of comfy cushions if you want to have a gnaw on a chew stick .....

Unfortunately Rocky often leaves it till it's very late at night ..... Then, try as he might; he just can't beat the snoozy need!

Ahh, bless! Night night Rocky, sleep well and dream of one day staying awake long enough to finish your chew!!

Rocky the Otterhound: The big White!

Like the rest of the country we have been experiencing lots of lovely snow. Not as much as some other parts of the world, but as we only get it every 30 years or so it seems a shame not to enjoy it!

We are lucky enough not to have to rely on our own experience to enjoy the snow; some of our greatest enjoyment has been in watching our animal family have fun with it!! We hope you like it too ......

The first to venture out was Mij, none too sure but just having to explore!

She has been out lots since the initial snow fall but (just like a cat) these trips have been as short as she can possibly make them ........ Not comfortable enough, obviously!!

Rocky and Rosie were keen to explore too!

Rocky soon had his nose well in the white stuff .....

"What does this smell of then"?

Rosie's snuffling around uncovered an apple that I had put out for the ground feeding birds ...... New toy!!

Although neither of our Otterhounds will play ball, Rosie spent some time picking up the apple tossing it away then pouncing on it again.

We have no doubt though, that if we swapped it for a ball it would be totally ignored! She wouldn't be fooled!

The "Ughh! My nose is very cold" look!

"I spy a playmate"!

"Come on, play with me Mij"!!

"No! Zizz znow iz too freezinc"!!

"She's gone, well how do you like that"!!

Rocky looked on in an iced up sort of way.

"Will you play with me Rocky"?

"No"!

"If you run away I'll bite your legs till you play"!!

"Rat's! I'll have to distract her"!!

"You just sniff this really good smell Rosie, while I pop inside for something"!

"Oh no you don't ........ Got your leg"!!

And eventually she annoyed Rocky into a beloved wrestling match.

Moving up into the garden Rosie thought she had it made ......

"Sorry Rosie, no more this morning .... I can hear my nice warm sofa calling"!!

"Be like that then lazy hound ..... I'll play with the white stuff on my own then"!

And she did .... for hours!! Bless!

Night time walks were interesting for them ... most of our snow fell by night.

"My nose isn't tickling very much ..... It's too cold"!

"So is mine ...Herumph"!!

But after the bunnies had been out at dawn our hounds begun to find some bone tickling smells ...... Or should it be hound disapearing smells?!

Bunnies, bunnies, bunnies!!

Post bunny hole exploring!

"Ooh, ooh, I've got a bunny home smell" ........

"Hello bunnies ...... Come out and play"!

But bunnies are warm loving animals, so they stayed all tucked up in bed!

Snow does make Rosie smile though.

Not so much Rocky, but he does have some fun along the way.

"Look Rocky, I've got an ice cream"!

Rocky's usual position when out in the snow.

It may make life tough for a while, but snow really makes the world look nice!

Night walks are colder, but I think it's only our hounds noses that get cold ..... Well, they will keep dipping them in the snow!

"Will you stop with the photo's please ....... I'm trying to find a scent"!

Rocky and Rosie may have totally different personalities but when they do the Ottehound thing ...... they are always in perfect unison!

See what I mean?

So what do our hounds do when they have had another full day of playing in the snow ...... Going out to find interesting scents and generally just being Otterhounds? ......

Night night Rosie!

And night, night Rocky ..... Dream of some lovely white stuff that's full of scents and lovely and warm when you put your nose in it!!