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!!