A-Z Challenge - O'

O - Otterhound, Old English Bulldog, Old English Sheepdog

This post has an old feel about it as the Otterhound is an old British dog breed.

Two Otterhounds

The Otterhound, one of the ancestral breeds for the Airedale Terrier (see A), is now a Vulnerable Native Breed. A scent hound it was, as the name suggests, bred for hunting otters.

Otters have been on the list of protective species since the late 1970s and otter hunting has ceased. The number of Otterhounds has decreased despite some switching to hunting mink.

As I boy I remember going on otter hunts on the River Chater in Rutland. I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said I remembered the hounds - I never saw an otter either.

Old English Bulldog

This chap we met on a walk at the Portrack Nature Reserve at Stockton-on-Tees. This ancient breed was developed for bull-baiting around the 13th century. Now that;s a 'sport' I'm glad no longer exists.

I'm sure we would all recognise the 'Dulux' dog from the advertisements.

Old English Sheepdog

Once known as the 'Bobtail' English Sheepdog due it's docked stubby tail, the Old English Sheepdog makes many fictional appearances. The one I always remember is 'Boot' in the strip cartoon "The Perishers" in the Daily Mirror.

The first Perishers' cartoon

Other Sheepdog stars were Colonel in "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" and Digby in "The Biggest Dog in the World." 

Perish the Thought - Sepia Saturday

The first cartoons I remember when I was a boy during the war were in the Daily Mirror - the world famous Jane, who struggled to keep her clothes on, and the strong man Garth. And then there was Rupert the Bear and his Nutwood pals - in the Daily Express, I think.

After the age of 11 I learnt Latin and French and started on Mathematics, This was perhaps a good thing before I came across this man.

Réné Descartes (1596-1650)

So I had no problem understanding what this French philosopher  said - "cognito ergo sum" or in French "Je pense donc je suis." I also could handle the Cartesian coordinates which had been named after him.

By now you must be wondering what on earth this has to do with this week's SS prompt.

Well it reminded me that another of my favourite cartoons was The Perishers, which included Boot, an Old English Sheepdog.

Boot went on holiday to the seaside each year where he always had an encounter with a crab in a rock pool. Imagine the crab, looking upwards to see 'eyeballs in the sky' as Boot looked down on him.

Many years ago someone gave my wife and apron. It now resides in the USA. I'm pleased to say that it has been modelled for me and some photos sent across the Atlantic to grace this post.

Boot in a dilemma

The model wishes to remain anonymous as she will not admit to ever wearing an apron.

As for Boot he really is in tizz.

As the background to the apron is blue perhaps while you think about this post you should listen to:

before crossing over to Sepia-Saturday-206. to see whether you can find some more apron strings to pull.