Rocky the Otterhound: Cats, fresh air and bad hair days

Rocky has had another full week and the ongoing saga of dogs and cats goes on. Biskitt is spending every evening downstairs with us, which is nice. As a result there is slightly less hissing on her part and slightly more ignoring of the cat on Rocky’s part. Biskitt will tolerate them both sitting on the same sofa, but only if he promises to behave. Rocky tries, most of the time he is very very good, but not always ………… but you have to remember that he is only 7 months old and as Otterhounds mature later than most dogs (something to do with their longevity perhaps?), he is still very young. This tends to give him a bit of a clutsy look, a bit of “Duh George”, but don’t be fooled Otterhounds are very intelligent – even the young ones.



Occasionally Rocky will try the “Aw, please play with me” approach!

Of course Biskitt, being an old lady and quite crabby with him, just turns away after giving her “don’t even think of it mate” glare!!

I suppose Rocky is getting the ultimate lesson in Patience, but he does get a bit frustrated at times.


Bless him, he then usually slides of “HER” sofa and sits mournfully on his own (?).

This is where we are trained to entertain him; he has done a grand job with the old sympathy vote thing!!!!

Anyway, to combat our guilt for having a cat that won’t play! ………………….

We found this wonderful, heavy duty, cardboard roll.
How do you make a cardboard roll more interesting? ………………… Stuff his favourite (duck) toy inside it and challenge him to retrieve it!!

After checking it was, in fact, his precious duck inside the roll; he has hours, NO ………… days of endless fun with it.

He tried lying on the floor by it and trying to talk it out; when this failed he resorted to chewing bits of cardboard carefully from around his duck. This doggy chore is ongoing and, being heartless, we are leaving him to it. After all, can you imagine his sense of achievement when he finally retrieves his duck??!!

This week’s major expedition saw Rocky exploring the wonders of local woodland.

Like any youngster, exploring was carefully punctuated with the “stop and check they haven’t run off and left me” routine.

Mind you, I think the pocketful of Kibble helped!


He had endless fun running around smelling the scent of everything from bunny to fox to deer …………. And anything else that had wandered through his scenting range.

While Rocky was exploring the hound dog way ………….. Nose constantly down and leading the rest of him ……….. I settled down to a steady walk, enjoying the sounds of woodpeckers and skylarks ……….. And lots and lots of fresh air – lovely!!

What does a happy young Otterhound do after a smashing explore in the woods?? ………………….

Rocky has spent some of the last 7 months perfecting the “Oh good grief I’m so bored” look.

This is one of his favourite evening routines, despite the arrival of a duck in a roll!!

So this week, in order to keep him entertained, “Daddy” decided to do some face grooming.


Can’t have our boy looking a mess all the time you know!

Rocky settled back to enjoy the sensation and a lot of attention!

I don’t think Rocky thought too much of his daddy’s sense of style though!!!

“What have you done dad, I look like a right Muppet”!!!!!

A good old shake of the head didn’t seem to improve much ………..

“Thanks a lot dad, now I look like a pom pom on legs”!!!

“Although ……………….. Mum recon’s I look rather handsome …………….. Hmmm, maybe I’ll keep it like this”.

Keeping neat and tidy took just too much effort ………… so ………… Rocky went back to looking a mess and promptly fell fast asleep!!