THE PUPPY IS CHOSEN.......
And so is his name. Say hello to Merlin, everybody. He will be coming to live with us a fortnight on Sunday; we're picking him up on the way back from the Big Session festival in Leicestershire. For such a rare breed, we're lucky to have been in contact with some other Otterhound owners who live nearby, and they have recommended a good vet, who always makes their Rebel feel relaxed.
We feel a great responsibility, actually, taking on an Otterhound. They are one of the rarest breeds in the world, and some say more endangered than the giant panda. Only 38 puppies were registered in 2008. That's not in the UK, that's worldwide. Less than 1000 in the previous decade. Compare that to approximately 400,000 Staffordshire Bull Terriers in the UK in one year alone. It is so hard to breed them because the gene pool is so thin, and one breeder told us she thought they would be extinct as a viable breed within the next ten years. Since hunting of the 'gypsy of the river' was banned in the seventies, the Otterhound has been in steep decline ever since. So little Merlin may well be one of the last.
Despite that, they have their moments of stardom. The dog in Annie is an Otterhound, and our kennel has supplied dogs for stage productions. And I remember the titanic battle that Deadlock lost in Henry Williamson's Tarka the Otter. Despite being a powerful dog, an otter could kill the hound by biting its snout and dragging it under the water. It's hide is so tough that the teeth of the hounds could not penetrate it.
If you want to know how big Merlin will get, and what he will sound like (quite impressive!), just take a look at the very short clip and the pic below. Then think bigger!! The adult males I have met can easily put their paws on my shoulders (I'm 5' 11"), and look down at me. They are 27" at the shoulder, and weigh about 130lbs full grown. But are soft and loving, cheeky and boisterous. They are the teenagers of the dog world; short attention spans!
And I can't wait.
And so is his name. Say hello to Merlin, everybody. He will be coming to live with us a fortnight on Sunday; we're picking him up on the way back from the Big Session festival in Leicestershire. For such a rare breed, we're lucky to have been in contact with some other Otterhound owners who live nearby, and they have recommended a good vet, who always makes their Rebel feel relaxed.
We feel a great responsibility, actually, taking on an Otterhound. They are one of the rarest breeds in the world, and some say more endangered than the giant panda. Only 38 puppies were registered in 2008. That's not in the UK, that's worldwide. Less than 1000 in the previous decade. Compare that to approximately 400,000 Staffordshire Bull Terriers in the UK in one year alone. It is so hard to breed them because the gene pool is so thin, and one breeder told us she thought they would be extinct as a viable breed within the next ten years. Since hunting of the 'gypsy of the river' was banned in the seventies, the Otterhound has been in steep decline ever since. So little Merlin may well be one of the last.
Despite that, they have their moments of stardom. The dog in Annie is an Otterhound, and our kennel has supplied dogs for stage productions. And I remember the titanic battle that Deadlock lost in Henry Williamson's Tarka the Otter. Despite being a powerful dog, an otter could kill the hound by biting its snout and dragging it under the water. It's hide is so tough that the teeth of the hounds could not penetrate it.
If you want to know how big Merlin will get, and what he will sound like (quite impressive!), just take a look at the very short clip and the pic below. Then think bigger!! The adult males I have met can easily put their paws on my shoulders (I'm 5' 11"), and look down at me. They are 27" at the shoulder, and weigh about 130lbs full grown. But are soft and loving, cheeky and boisterous. They are the teenagers of the dog world; short attention spans!
And I can't wait.
VIEW 10 of 10 COMMENTS
kmk:
thanks again! i would think the locations of your pics would make you the happiest in the world too, lol!
kmk:
maybe you need to switch to the banjo for inspiration...okay, corny comment but not funny. now pull yourself together and make some music 