Rocky the Otterhound: Variety and teenage moody’s….. But I don’t want to!

This week has been a fairly routine one for Rocky but he has met up with quite a few old and new friends. Although we may be going to regular places for walks, we try to ensure that each week holds as many different places as possible. Only a few can be shown on the blog at a time (he has 2 to 3 walks a day), so Rocky wanted me to bring you the ones he had the most fun on.

Rocky and Rosie continue to have fun indoors and out and Rosie is picking up some things from Rocky ….. For instance she will now ask to go out or come in (well, when she remembers), she will be brave about passing objects that Rocky does not react to anymore (well mostly) and she will sit and wait for her food (that one is easy- being an Otterhound you don’t mess about when it comes to food)!




Rocky and Rosie walked along the butterfly conservation path again this week.






Rosie keeps close to Rocky most of the time as he is now her role model (is that a good thing or a bad one)?





He taught her how to investigate the undergrowth for interesting smells.

“There, can you smell the bunnies”!

“What’s a bunnies”?

How to follow a bunny trail uphill.

… And how to enjoy the many smells in the grass.

They thoroughly enjoyed the trail at the end of the path as lovely smells, such as fox, drift across the narrow walk way.

At the end of the trail Rocky had a treat for being such a good teacher ….. He came when he was called and walked on when he was told ……. He does know how to do it all but being a teenager, doing it depends on how stubborn he feels at the time!

We headed back up the trail with two happy hounds.

Rosie posed for the camera on the bank …… I wonder if she will grow out of this the way Rocky did?

Back on the path and Rocky showed Rosie how to explore the bank in places they had missed on their way down.

Then there was a spot of mountaineering practice!

“Wow Rocky, I didn’t know there were smells so high up …… Did the bunnies move or was it just very tall”?

All this was thirsty work for our young Otterhounds so it was a quick pit stop for a drink before continuing.

Then there was a lesson in digging (sorry but this is totally unnecessary – our back garden is testament to that)!

When it was time to get back in the truck to go home Rosie was as good as gold, came when she was called and was put into the truck ……..

While we were busy doing this though, our hero had decided he was having too much fun to go home ……

He wandered into an adjoining field and just sat down!

This was how far away from us he had decided to go!

We called, we offered treats we even got in the truck and drove a little way along the parking lane ……….. All to no avail he just sat there!

“No don’t want to come …..Don’t want to go home ……Don’t want to”!!!

Eventually, after 15 minutes, we got fed up with his stubbornness and “daddy” went into the field …… “Daddy’s” tactic was to use commands that Rocky had learned throughout his doggy training lessons ……

“DOWN” called “daddy” ……. Automatically Rocky went into a down position …… “Good Boy” called “daddy” as he made his way towards him ….. “I have a treat for a good boy” ……. Remarkably Rocky stayed in the down until “daddy” got up to him and gave him a treat. Then he just clipped the lead on and led him back to the truck.
We knew all this training would pay off one day!!

Another walk saw our Otterhounds in one of the enclosed fields they visit. When we got there it was empty except for us. No matter they still had fun …..

There was plenty of area to explore and always more teaching for the youngster!

The banking at the side of the field seemed to yield particularly good smells.

There must have been a whole herd of bunnies on that bank the night before because they sniffed around for ages!

But gradually our hero led Rosie up to the field again.

I often take along a ball for them to chase (well Rocky that is, as Rosie still ignores them outside of the house and garden).

But even Rocky doesn’t retrieve any more ….. Not being a retriever breed I suppose! He will wonder around with it, once captured, until he finds something more interest then just drop it.

….. It’s then that “mum” plays retriever and picks it up to throw again. “Who’s training who”?

While milling about enjoying the fresh air our hero had a new friend creep up on him!!

First there was one, then there were two ….

…….. And before he knew it he had 3 new friends to play with! Yippee!!

There was plenty of running about and having fun for Rocky and Rosie …… they really are very amiable dogs ……. Everyone is a friend!!!

Then it was back home for more fun and games!

Rockies expedition this week was up on the plain. His first time since he had gone away from us for so long, on his last visit ….. So we decided that an extending lead was the order of the day. Rocky didn’t seem to mind as he could still do his favourite things …… Such as exercising his scenting bones!

But, we had a surprise we hadn’t told him about …….. We met up with Molly and her owners!! Rocky was very pleased to see them!

Rosie was a little shy at first …..

But quickly got over that stage and into the fun zone!!

The two girls kept Rocky in the group and would pop back to him continually to update him on what smells and playthings there were around!

In fact they didn’t stray very far from him at all as he was their buddy and part of the fun.

Unusually for Rocky, he decided to explore a large puddle on the way ……. Why is he quite happy to paddle but won’t ever swim? ……… In fact, being quite happy to paddle is unusual for him these days …….. Teenagers are so hard to understand!!

We walked on to our favourite watering hole …… After all the rain over the last few months it was full up again and looking wonderful.

We decided to try Rocky off the lead for a while, as he seems more willing to stick around when there are other dogs to play with. It worked well; and we didn’t put Rocky back on his lead until the last part of the walk back …… Well done Rocky!

Anyway, totally unreasonably, in Rocky’s opinion - Molly loves the water; and being a working breed is not put off by freezing temperatures.

Rocky was astounded when she dove straight in after her favourite water toy!

In fact Molly went swimming a lot …….. Rocky (followed of course by Rosie) was getting quite concerned …..

So Rocky decided to pinch her water toy and run away with it in the hope she would come out of the water and do some reasonable playing ……

It didn’t work! So resignedly Rocky decided to stay close to her …….

“Now look here Molly, it’s not necessary to do the wet stuff you know …… I’m still not sure what being in it does to you ……. But it can’t be good”!!!

“It’s alright Rocky, really ….. You ought to try it ……Its fun”!

“No, come back silly ……”!

“Come on Rocky ….. The waters fine”!!

“Now look Rosie …… Don’t copy Molly …… Its madness ……It’ll make you feel all funny ……. Remember bath days”???

Mollie continued to enjoy the water and Rocky continued to worry about her sanity!!

Eventually Molly had had enough swimming and Rocky decided she needed a jolly good run to dry off ….. So run they did!

Walking away from the water we met up with some more new friends ……. They all had such fun chasing around and playing tag.!

Eventually though, we parted company and as his new friends headed for the water hole and we headed for the cars, Rocky tried to decide whether to come with us or carry on playing with his new friends …………

Well done Rocky ….. Good decision ……. Seems that this day was not a teenage day!

Back home that evening our two hounds wallowed in their third favourite activity (after food and walking that is) …….

That’s right …..

Night night Rocky, sweet dreams!