An Autumn Run

Tess doing what all Welsh Springer Spaniels love to do - running in the woods. Picture from her brother.

Its rather sunny

Tess would like to know why Welsh Springer Spaniels do not have sun glasses !!!!

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013 TO ALL WELSH SPRINGER SPANIELS AND THEIR OWNERS!!!!!!

Once again we have to apologise to all our Welsh Springer Friends for our silence last year!!!!

Especially to James who invited us to join his Springer Spaniel Community!

As Tess gets older – she hit 7 last year – she seems to get less inclined to write about her exploits preferring to actually live them, but she is still going strong and having lots of fun!

She had a lovely Christmas at home with us and isn’t complaining about the snowy weather that has arrived with a vengeance in 2013 as you can see from her photos. 

 Her brother and owners joined us for New Year which was great fun too.

As you know we hate leaving Tess behind and usually holiday in the UK, finding a doggy friendly cottage, often in our favourite Blakeney in North Norfolk but last year we buckled and finally went abroad, leaving her with her second Mum!!!  

 In fact there was quite a houseful as they now have a second Welsh Springer Spaniel, Taffy – mad or what??? One is enough for us!!!

We had a fabulous time in Venice and even managed a couple of weekends in Norfolk but for the first time ever we were dog free. Lovely to do ‘grown up’ stuff but very odd being dog less in an area where everyone seems to have a pooch to walk!!!!

As always we celebrated Tess and Wilbys birthday together and they always get extra special treats. They still love each other but are much quieter together – if you can ever call WSS’s ‘quiet’. 

Having said that we have been working hard to curb her natural enthusiasm when anyone visits or even approaches the house. An app to stop barking was found on the IPad and it seems to be working, accompanied with a very calm instruction to be ‘’quiet’’.  Or maybe she’s just growing up!!!!!!!!!

Anyway all the very best to all those Welsh Springer owners out there and hope you are all having lots of fun with your dear pets.

I Can Do That !!!!

Christmas Update

Well, we are getting very bad at updating you with our Welsh Springer Tales!

Another year has just flown by and as usual we celebrated Tess’s 6th Birthday with her brother Wilby. Much fun was had by all with a lovely long walk in the grounds of Sandringham, followed by chocolate cake for the humans and doggy cup cakes for the Welshies! But as we told you, after our break with tradition, holidaying in Somerset which was wonderful, we left Tess with Wilbys owners and had a week in Blakeney for the first time without our beloved little girl. It was a little strange but, although Norfolk is very doggy friendly, it meant we could do a few things we usually can’t with a dog in tow. We visited Titchwell Bird Reserve, had a tour of Holkham Hall, and ate in some lovely restaurants which don’t allow dogs.

Tess had a ball spending every day on the beach or romping in woods and gained the nickname ‘Dora the Explorer’ as she is the most nosey little spaniel having to investigate everywhere and making our friends just a little nervous as to whether she would actually come back! I was very happy she was in such good hands and was very relieved she behaved herself most of the time and especially at bed time.

Unfortunately we have had to put Tess into kennels a couple of times this year, but she seems
very happy and trots in without looking back. We also left her for a day with our usual dog sitting friends who welcomed a new Welsh Springer Spaniel pup into their household this year. We felt it was unfair for her to stay for any length of time while they were settling in their new addition, but it was a good exercise to see how the three of them would get on, and I’m pleased to say, all was well. Apparently puppy followed Tess everywhere which wouldn’t have pleased her much and she seemed very pleased to see us when we arrived to pick her up after our day in London, visiting Buckingham Palace and the Royal Mews. To be highly recommended!!!

So we’re heading towards Christmas yet again. We can now safely put the tree up, but make sure all presents and chocolates are kept at a safe distance from little paws!! We’ll be visiting friends in Sherwood Forest so Tess will have a brilliant time with acres and acres of woods to play in and celebrating the New Year festivities at home with parents visiting and no doubt bringing a little
something for our dear little Welshie to open.

So it just remains to say a Very Happy Christmas to all our Welsh Springer Spaniel friends
out there and all the very best for a peaceful and prosperous New Year !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011 Update

Another year seems to be flying by and Tess has been too busy to write her blog!!!!

We should have told you about our wonderful snowy Christmas which we spent in the Yorkshire Dales in a village called Askrigg. You may have heard of it as it was used in the tv programme, All Creatures Great and Small, and recently mentioned in The Dales. We stayed in a beautiful cottage right in the heart of the village, which had the most friendly community spirit making it a memorable traditional Christmas. All the more fun as there was lots of snow on the ground, making for fun dog walks and magical scenery, including frozen rivers and waterfalls. Tess loved it although she had to stay on the lead most of the time as there were so many sheep around, plus a few rabbits and chickens!!!! Too tempting for a little Welshie!!!!!

Now we all know how the Welsh Springer Spaniel breed isn’t the most common but have you noticed how you often bump into one in the most unexpected places?
One day when we were walking through the fields we saw a spaniel approaching. As it got closer we realised it was another Welshie. Always exciting to see our favourite breed and the dogs always seem to recognise one another.

A little while ago we were spending a weekend with friends, leaving Tess behind with her usual sitters, and spent the day in the Peak District. More stunning scenery. And would you believe, we were strolling round Bakewell and bumped into another Welshie!

This year we have decided to have a change and will be holidaying in Somerset, rather than Norfolk, so watch this space for more stories. We’re not deserting Norfolk completely though as we’re having a short break in Blakeney later in the year, but this time we’re leaving Tess with her brother. Should be interesting……..

Oh and our good friends who often dog sit for us and are Welsh Springer Spaniel owners – you all know Nesta – are getting a puppy! Now what will Tess make of that I wonder????????????????

Welshie Winter Gear

Happy Christmas

Its December again! This year has flown.

Tess has started opening her advent calender and counting down the days to Christmas!

She was five last month. Where have those five years gone? She celebrated as always with her brother, Wilby, with a cake I made out of liver, with a yoghurt and chocolate drop topping Delicious! I think liver must rate as a Welsh Springer Spaniels favourite treat, closely followed by cheese. But then there’s sausages, scraps, doggie choc drops, Boneos – the list is endless!

I think we must be the luckiest county in the UK at the moment. Just a smattering of snow, but very, very cold. Not that Tess minds, but our morning dog walks are very icy. The worse bit is the snowballs that collect in her paws – compacted bullets which are difficult to remove until they melt. Must be very uncomfortable. And the funniest thing, when I get her ball out of the car, its frozen solid!! Not that anything comes between my little Welshie and her game of ball catching!!

Oh well I hope all our Welshie owners are staying warm and safe.

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and good wishes for the New Year to you and your dogs!!!!