Another new friend

I'm the oldest - I want it!








This is Tess getting to grips with a young Golden Retriever called Milly. Good friends of ours unfortunately lost their previous Golden Retriever and despite our best efforts to convince them they should get a Welsh Springer Spaniel they got Milly instead and she is adorable.

In true Welsh Springer style Tess was happy to play for ages and they had a great time together.

Birthday Girl

"The birthday twins"

You haven’t heard from us for a while as it’s been a busy summer, but on Monday it was a big day for Tess – she celebrated her 2nd birthday.

Gosh has that time flown by. And when I think what hard work the puppy months were and now she’s a big girl, all grown up. Well almost!!
She’s still a lively little thing with lots of character, but is so much more mature and manageable, and life for me is more fun and far less stressful now.
Believe me it does get easier with time (and patience!).

We spent the day with her brother, Wilby and his owners, which was lovely. We had a cold but sunny walk and lots of play with her new Frisbee, which replaced the old, chewed one. Then back home for a yummy treat and more play. They still get excited when they’re together, but do have moments of rest, unlike in the early days. And boy, did they both sleep well that night. Come to think of it, she was quite calm the following day as well – perfect!

It will be interesting to see how she develops over the coming years. It has made me reflect on how much joy a dog brings into your life, plus a little stress, frustration and commitment, but I guess its worth it. She brings us so much pleasure and we couldn’t love her more.

Our darling little Tess.

Mischief Making Brother

Of course I haven't been digging.............

Great picture of Wilby the Welsh Springer Spaniel doing what all good Welshie's love to do - help with the gardening!!

Watch this space for more stories about Tess's summer!

WILBY TO STAY

What an exciting life Tess leads.

Only just back from her holidays in Norfolk and her brother, Wilby, comes to visit. Wilbys owners, who have become our good friends, were on their way to Norfolk house hunting and dropped him off en route.

We will never know if dogs sense they are siblings but our two instantly recognise each other and do not pause for breath all day. They went completely mad this time when they met and play never stopped. Wilby, being the male and bigger of the two is definitely the dominant animal but Tess holds her own. Like children they both want the same toy at the same time, want each others food and equal amounts of petting so looking after them on my own was exhausting (but fun!). As Welsh Springer Spaniels they both have the same characteristics which is interesting to watch. By the time the adults sat down to eat in the evening they were contented but exhausted pups.

In the main they were boisterous but well behaved, although Tess’s puppy toy lost an ear and snowman lost his squeak. A small price to pay to keep them entertained.

On Sunday we had a long walk then took them to our local pub for lunch. This is the first time Tess has sat inside a pub while we ate and she coped admirably. This probably had a little to do with both dogs being pooped!

Come Monday Tess was hunting for her brother so she must have had a great time but I certainly think one dog, especially a Welsh Springer Spaniel, is quite enough!

A fun but challenging weekend!!!!!

Norfolk Holiday Day 4

"tiring work these holidays!"






TESS - Mum and Dad are a bit cross. It’s raining! Goody, I can curl up on the chair and carry on with my sleep.

No way! We can wrap up and go for a nice walk on the quay and see who we meet. Then back for coffee and papers before heading to Wells next the Sea. We’re not going to let a little rain spoil our holiday. Terribly British but we sit on the Quay in our car and eat the most delicious fish and chips, bet you did’nt know that the Welsh Springer Spaniel likes chips!

Then we have a drive along the coast to Burnham Market, (the Hoste Arms is worth a stop and very doggy friendly) and onto Brancaster. A bit damp, but nice to see the sights. Lazy afternoon again at the cottage, finishing my book ‘Marley and Me’ and eating comforting chocolate.

We have a final walk on Blakeney Quay and out on the marshes. We’ve fallen in love with this area. The weather is now a bit bleak but interesting to see the changing scenery with the tide coming in. What a fascinating place. Lovely last evening with a feast of cheeses, wine and one very contented little pup.

A very successful first holiday with our cherished little girl.

Can’t wait to do it all again!

Norfolk Holiday - Day 3

Thank goodness the weathermen always get it wrong. Another sunny day. We’re right on the quay so have a nice leisurely walk on the marshes and bravely let Tess off her lead. This place must be doggy heaven. Meet friends, who moved to Norfolk a couple of years ago, for lunch in a local pub (another crab salad!) then head to Holkham Bay. Surely the most stunning beach in Norfolk. This was one Welsh Springer Spaniel in her element meeting new people who adored her and running in and out of the surf chasing an old tennis ball she had found. Then headed up through the pine woods. So far so good until Tess decided to explore the undergrowth and found the worst smelliest, muddiest stream in Norfolk. POOH! So back to the beach to clean off, before heading to our friends new home for a takeaway, and a kind donation of Pedigree Chum and a poppodom for Tess. So many new experiences!

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I’m having the best time. Today met some nice new people who make a huge fuss of me (naturally!) then we went to another beach. Heaven! This time it was a sandy one which was nice to run on. The man kept throwing a tennis ball into the sea, which was great fun. Mum even took off her shoes and got very wet! Things got even better when I managed to find the best mud ever – it really smelt lovely. What is their problem? Why do they shout so loudly? And why did I get dragged all the way back to the sea and thrown in? Humans are so strange…………………………….

Back home my new friends give me some yummy food and keep asking when I can come and stay again – must keep this cute look up a bit longer even though I am a very tired Welsh Springer Spaniel……………………………

Norfolk Holiday Day 2

"anyone for a swim?"








Can’t believe we’re lucky enough to wake up to sun so off to buy supplies from the superb local deli for tonight’s supper and then to Salthouse, a pebble beach not far away. Tess adores the beach and was quickly in the sea chasing a stone and running in and out of the surf. One wet pup and lots of great photos! Lunch at the famous Cookies Crab Shop and back to the cottage to sit in the garden. Sadly just got settled with a good book and glass of wine and the predicted rain started. Thankfully it doesn’t last long and we head out for a short walk which turned into a long one when out came the sun again. Perhaps a little too long as Tess pushed her luck, and dived into a muddy estuary and promptly went back on her lead. She is not to be trusted! Typical Welsh Springer Spaniel.

Nice lazy evening with more red wine – can you see a pattern emerging? And one very sleepy little pup.

This is definitely the “Norfolk life”.

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“Whoopy! Another walk! This time on the beach. My favourite. Did get a bit of a shock though when Dad threw in a stone and it went a bit deep. Still I guess I have to learn to swim sometime. There’s nothing to it! And once up on the grass again there are lots of holes to poke my head down – why do they keep yelling at me?! Back to our new home for a play in the garden where I keep getting told off for finding sticks and cables and all sorts hidden behind the shed, then off for another walk. What’s with all this exercise?? Oh well – can’t complain. Especially when it involves mud! Oh no here comes the lead again. Why do they always spoil my fun?!

Our First Holiday With Tess - DAY1

"I saw it a minute ago!"

We’d been looking forward to this holiday for so long – A week in Norfolk with our Welsh Springer Spaniel.

Thank goodness we have an estate car as it was loaded to the brim – travelling with a dog is worse than packing for a child. How could such a little thing need so much stuff? Various leads, bowls, food, toys, throws and towels – something for every eventuality.

We had a good drive reaching Norwich in about an hour and headed straight for Felbrigg, a National Trust property and the woodland walk. Tess travels like a dream but managed to find the dirtiest, muddiest puddle available as soon as she was out of the car. Despite this we had a lovely walk, followed by a super lunch (my first crab salad of many this week), then took the coast road to Blakeney and the cottage we were staying in.

Tess took on the role of security consultant checking out every room and every corner of the lovely enclosed garden. Fascinating. We strolled out on Blakeney marshes and had a quick pint in the local where someone even recognised Tess as a Welsh Springer Spaniel. Fame at last or is that infamous! We had a lazy evening with cheeses, classical music and copious glasses of red wine. Well we were on holiday!!! And a holiday with a dog is a little different to the usual round of restaurants and sightseeing, but nice just the same. Tess fought between exhaustion and inquisitiveness – she hates to miss anything – but finally fell asleep, as did we.

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Tess sees things slightly differently!

“Well I don’t know where they’re taking me now but the car is packed and I’m harnessed on the back seat yet again.

After my busy week with Nesta (my Welsh Springer Spaniel friend) I’m happy to curl up for a long sleep but there’s lots of stopping and starting and I really can’t miss anything. I think I recognise this journey but who are these men in bright jackets lingering around the roundabout – they’re not doing much? Better give them a bark just to say hello. We finally stop at a lovely place and go for a nice long walk. Boy what a lot of mud! Not so keen being tethered to a table leg while Mum and Dad have a yummy feed but my Boneo’s not bad and there’s lots of interesting people to watch.

Then we’re off again, this time to a new house with a great garden to explore. I’d better make sure its safe for the humans. Now we’re going for another walk, this time with lots of water and birds flying everywhere. Yippee! I don’t usually get so many walks in one day but I’m not complaining. Gosh this is going to be fun. Now they’re drinking again and I’m tied to another table leg.

Well its been fun but boy am I sleepy – can’t wait to curl up in my bed and dream about tomorrow.

Never a dull moment with a Welsh Springer Spaniel

"Butter would'nt melt!"






They say things come in threes and this weekend it has already happened.

One - It's lunch time and I leave my plate with some food left on the coffee table. Tess is asleep so I think it is safe for a few minutes before clearing up. Wrong! This Welsh Springer Spaniel can smell food at 50 paces and is up in a shot and downs the piece of pate in one go, not even a savour or chew. We did pay the price later, if you know what I mean and she sent the rest of the afternoon feeling sorry for herself.

Two - We are late to bed Friday night and put Tess out into the garden as usual only to see a black cat disappearing over the fence. Luckily she did not see the cat but caught the scent and went ballistic tearing around the garden sniffing out every available spot. I don't think I have ever seen her scent quite so frantically before!

Three - A lazy Saturday morning reading the papers and then let Tess out into the garden for her morning constitutional. Suddenly she appears from the bottom of the garden with something in her mouth, what it is it? A baby bird! She dropped it initially but as it tried to fly away she grabbed it again and triumphantly ran around the garden with her prize trying to eat it. It was a bit of a circus trying to catch her and remove it although we succeeded eventually. Perhaps our Welsh Springer Spaniel is trying to tell us she wants to be a real gun dog!!!

Tess's Holiday

"Long Walks With Friends"

It was with mixed feelings we dropped Tess off at her holiday home on Sunday night. She was going to stay with our friends and their Welsh Springer Spaniel, Nesta, while we were away for a few days. On the one hand we were looking forward to having a 'grown up' time away, on the other hand we knew how much we were going to miss our baby girl.

We had a lovely long walk together and pampered her all day before driving over to leave her the night before we left. Being such a clingy dog we thought it would be heart wrenching getting away. Not a bit of it!! In her usual Welsh Springer Spaniel fashion she had to investigate every nook and cranny of her new surroundings. The garden was of special interest with lots of new smells and strange new creatures she had never seen before......... tortoises. How we all laughed as she sniffed and chased the terrified animals around. We expected we would have to creep away but she was far too busy elsewhere to bother about us - cheek!

It appears the whole week was filled with playing endlessly with Nesta, very little sleep, lovely long walks, chasing birds and diving in the river. Oh, and terrorising the poor helpless tortoises. It was such a relief she was so well looked after and just as spoilt as she is at home, while learning something from the more mature Nesta. So much so she can't wait for her next 'holiday'.

It seems we missed her more than she did us. How fickle are dogs??!!

A small taster

Well, Tess is now back from her summer holidays and as you can see, in true Welsh Springer Spaniel style, she could not wait to go into the sea.

Watch this space for stories from her stay with her friend Nesta, who is also a Welsh Springer Spaniel and her trip to Blakeney in North Norfolk coming up over the next few days.

New Obedience Class

We’ve now had 3 weeks of our advanced obedience class. It’s been a bit of a shock to the system going from being one of the best dogs in the class (thanks to all the new puppies!) to the ‘new girl’. Week one was a bit like starting a new job – you don’t really know what to expect and just keep your head down and try to take it all in.

And did we have lots of new things to learn!

The ‘sendaway’ was first on the agenda – you have to send your dog away to a designated area where she has to lay down and wait for the next command, which is a recall. Although I had started practicing something similar in the garden, she did not respond in the same way in front of an audience. Typical Welsh Springer Spaniel!
Tess would much rather investigate the room, sniffing all the new scents and ending up on the stage. This caused chuckles from the other owners but much frustration for me. I know she is capable of much more……..

Next came the retrieve – not one of Tess’s strong points. Play comes much higher on her agenda! Thank goodness for the more familiar areas of ‘sit and stay’ and recalls which she does with ease.

Tess is a typical Welsh Springer Spaniel – full of fun and play but still able to learn and willing to please so although we haven’t got off to the best of starts I am confident we will get there. Eventually!!!!!!!!
In the meantime I guess that old saying ‘ no pain no gain’ is appropriate!!!!

Our second class was certainly an improvement on the first thanks to some training during the week using some very tasty treats! She is beginning to grasp the ‘sendaway’ although I can’t get her to ‘lay down’ on command from a distance. More practice needed.

We were given a good tip on retrieve – make her wait while placing her toy between us then call her to fetch and take it from her mouth with encouragement before she can race off with it, drop it or attempt to ‘kill’ it. Something else to work on! We also did some very useful heel work off the lead. This is invaluable as control of your dog, when out, is essential. I was so pleased she stayed with me rather than racing off to play with the other participants! And a little surprised!

Well what was in store for us at week threes class. After a week of practice I was very confident. Ha ha!!!!! Tess had other ideas! After three painful attempts at the ‘sendaway’ – yes, the very thing she can do perfectly at home – there was a definite improvement. Our retrieve, however, was rubbish!!!!! Tess just sat and stared at her toy and then at me and refused to move let alone retrieve. Now how out of character is that? Even our new trainer commented that she didn’t realise Welsh Springer Spaniels could be so contrary!

On the plus side she did do some excellent heel work, sit and down stays and recalls. By the end of the class she was concentrating much more and listening to me so I know we will improve. Just how long will it take is the question but it will be fun finding out. And as one lovely lady in our class said ‘ she is still a baby’……………

Still the only way is up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bad Weather

Not sure I will ever quite get to truly understand the Welsh Springer Spaniel breed. Tess, our Welsh Springer Spaniel, just loves playing in the river, jumping into puddles and running into the sea, but just like me she is not keen on the bad weather.

We have had two days of almost non-stop rain this holiday weekend. We did manage to get a quick walk in yesterday morning before it really started raining but once we got back she refused to go into the garden until early evening by when I suspect desperation had set in. We did push her out once but she just stood next to the back door blinking as if to say “you must be joking”.

At one point I even tried shielding her with an umbrella (honestly) but she was having none of it. Very sensibly this Welsh Springer Spaniel would rather stay curled up in doors asleep in the warm.

How did she manage to last nearly all day? And to think we worry if we are going to be out for more than a couple of hours!!!.

OBEDIENCE CLASSES

I’ve been taking Tess to Obedience Classes now for about a year and was so excited when Arlene finally announced that she was ready to move up to the Advanced Class with her partner in crime, Willow, another lovely Welsh Springer Spaniel.

We love going to the beginners class but for a while now I’ve felt Tess had progressed well and needed more challenging exercises. Welsh Springer Spaniels are very intelligent but do have minds of their own and need stimulation.

There are so many new puppies in the class now and its hard to recall that Tess was so distracted and just wanted to play rather than respond to my commands. Then suddenly it just seems to come good and you feel so proud. How I want to encourage those new owners to persevere and they will see results.

I was bursting with pride in our last lesson on Tuesday night. She isn’t perfect by any means but she tried so hard and did everything I asked of her. My little star!

I know many people don’t feel classes are necessary and in fact we have friends whose dogs are very well behaved and have never attended a formal class but I do notice they aren’t as well socialised with both dogs and people as those who have some training.

We’ve met some lovely people and of course, many different breeds of dogs and its nice to share tips, funny stories and advice. Arlene, our teacher, has been a huge support and oh so patient!

Personally I’d advise anyone with a new pup to enrole as soon as possible.
We have so much fun!!!!!!! Roll on next week and our new class and apologies to the regulars who will have to put up with two such mischievous monkeys!!!!!

THIS WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH!!!!!

We’ve already told you about our visit to friends in Norfolk and how Tess dominated poor Finlay, a mature Border Terrier, in his own home. There was also a little bit of jealousy showing itself too for the first time ever. Is this a Welsh Springer Spaniel trait??

So we did chuckle this morning when Tess went up to wake up the Master of the house. We don’t usually allow visits upstairs but she did let us have a lie in today as it’s a Bank Holiday so we didn’t mind too much. Anyway after a few minutes snuggling up to Master Tess caught sight of herself in the mirror. Now how on earth did another dog manage to find its way into her domain? After some scrutiny of this new arrival she decided it wasn’t acceptable and started barking furiously at it. Strangely it barked back. How could we even think about bringing another pup into her home and another Welsh Springer Spaniel at that?? UNTHINKABLE!

It took some time to convince her that it really was only her own reflection staring back at her and really nothing to worry about. PANIC OVER!!!

I guess we won’t be getting her a new playmate just yet!

Trip to Norfolk

"Well it is cold in Norfolk!"







Had a lovely weekend up in Norfolk with some old friends of ours, Tess as always had a great time in true Welsh Springer Spaniel style.

Our friends have a lovely Border Terrier called Finlay who is a lovely, placid dog but then Tess arrived. First things first, she discovered Finlays dog flap and what a treat, I can go into the garden whenever I want to without waiting for someone to open the door! Needless to say Tess spent a lot of the weekend in the garden.

We paid a visit to a country show but Tess did not seem to enjoy herself amongst all the crowds, she was very keen to leave and only seemed happy when she was on open ground away from the crowds. Something to be aware of there.

However on the Sunday we went for a long walk in one of the many country parks in Norfolk and even though it has not rained for 2 or 3 weeks in Norfolk, being a typical Welsh Springer Spaniel, Tess managed to find the only black muddy puddle within a fifty mile radius, stood in the middle of it and spent the rest of the walk looking like she was wearing black wellington boots. A couple walking their dog though it was hilarious although not so much when she threatened to jump up at them with wet muddy paws!!!!

The other funny thing we noticed this weekend and have not seen before is how jealous dogs can be. As I was sitting on the sofa Finlay the Border Terrier thought it would be nice to jump up and sit on my lap, Tess was having none of it and even though she was perfectly comfortable on another settee she was straight over to point out that only she was allowed to do that. Welsh Springers, never a dull moment!!!!!!!!

"Norfolk fresh air works its magic"

Handy work

Doing anything round the house with a Welsh Springer Spaniel is never easy. The post man knows this only too well as he gets barked at mercilessly as he quietly goes about his business.

Last week the plumber came round to fix a tap and got jumped on. Luckily he has an equally exuberant Cocker Spaniel.so he wasn’t fazed.

At the weekend we attempted some gardening. Anyone with a Welsh Springer Spaniel will know they love gardening! Unfortunately!! As fast as you do something they undo it so everything takes double the time and attempting to dig in some farmyard manure, well I’m sure you can guess!

This week a friend came round to sort out a problem with some floorboards. Again she went mad but this was accompanied by loud barking. Now could it be because he had a beard we wondered? Or perhaps she felt the need to protect me as I was in the house on my own? Who knows how a Welsh Springer Spaniels mind works!

Tomorrow we have another man coming to measure up for some new flooring. Now I wonder if he has a beard?……………………………………………………

Agility Classes

What fun we had last week. I took Tess to her first agility class. We had a taste at the Christmas Party with a very small course which she loved. As Welsh Springer Spaniels have a mind of their own I thought it would both stimulate her and train her so off we went on Thursday.

The course consisted of a number of jumps about a foot high, an A frame, see saw, walk way, poles to weave and finally, a tyre to jump through.

First go I led her around on the lead. Exhausting for me but a piece of cake for Tess. She cleared every jump with ease. Nothing fazed her, so second go the trainer decided to let her off the lead for the jumps. Well, she whizzed round and before I could catch her, had cleared the A frame and was ready for the see saw! I couldn’t keep up with her! Hopefully a great way to keep fit for both of us! It wasn’t a very controlled exercise by either of us but not bad for a first attempt.

Roll on next week!!!!

TESS AND THE POSTMAN

What is it about dogs and postmen?

We have a lovely man who delivers our post but every morning Tess goes completely mad, barking and running round in circles, then jumps up next to me as if to say ‘its ok - I’ll protect you’.

Once she goes to the front door and sees the post has arrived she calms down. We can even be driving through the village and pass him on his bike and she goes mad. Could it be the uniform or the bike I wonder? Luckily he likes dogs and is quite happy to say hello and give her a stroke, then she’s happy.

We were trying to find a way to stop this then someone pointed out that it is quite a good thing to have a ‘guard dog’ to put off unwanted visitors so now we just grin and bare it. Imagine a Welsh Springer Spaniel as a guard dog!

Just hope the postman (and others visitors) can live with it too!!!!!

Tess and her Boyfriends

Tess has so many "friends" that we can never walk far without stopping to say hello or her insisting on a quick cuddle with everyone and a play with the passing pooch. And she does love the boys!

When we first ventured out to our local park she fell for a beautiful English Springer Spaniel pup called Sam. They adored each other but it was not to last! As they grew and needed more exercise we moved on to a new bigger area for dog walking where her loyalty soon changed.

She loves Bracken, another English Springer, Gus a beautiful Hungarian Vizla pup, and numerous Black Labs. Barney is a boisterous Bedlington Terrier but more like her brother. But her true love is Flash, a very handsome black and white English Pointer. Like all Welsh Springer Spaniels Tess has such good taste! They were besotted with each other the moment they first met and despite his powerful size they play beautifully together – he is so gentle with her. Now call me stupid but I have seen him see off another dog who dares to get too rough or frisky with his girlfriend. Honestly!

Other dogs may come and go but her heart will always belong to Flash!

Very funny Mike!

A guy is driving around the back woods of Cambridge and he sees a sign in front of a broken down shanty-style house: "Talking Dog For Sale."

He rings the bell and the owner appears and tells him the dog is in the backyard.

The guy goes into the backyard and sees a nice looking Welsh Springer Spaniel sitting there.

"You talk?" he asks.

"Yep," the Welsh Springer Springer replies.

After the guy recovers from the shock of hearing a dog talk, he says "So, what's your story?"

The Welsh Springer Spaniel looks up and says, "Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told MI6. In no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running."

"But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security, wandering near suspicious characters and listening in."

"I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies and now I'm just retired." The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog?

"Ten Pound," the guy says.
"Ten Pound? This dog is amazing! Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?"

Because he's a liar. He never did any of that stuff."

Tess goes for a sleepover!

Welsh Springer Spaniels are known to be very sociable dogs, sometimes they can even be clingy. Tess follows me everywhere, and I mean everywhere! But she is maturing so we felt it was time she had a spell away from home. Luckily the opportunity presented itself when Nesta, a 3 year old Welsh Springer Spaniel at our obedience class, invited her for a ‘sleepover’. Tess knows her and her family well so we jumped at the chance to a have a night out at the theatre, knowing Tess would be in safe hands.

Saturday dawned and we met at our favourite spot, for a nice walk together. We then popped her into the boot of our friends car and drove away quickly, not daring to look back. Remember she travels on the back seat of my car usually (with a safety harness) so this in itself was a trial, but it apparently worked. We did miss her but what a treat to wander round the house leaving all the doors and baby gate open without having a dog at your heels! Just like the old days pre Tess.

The next day we all met up again. Out of the car jumped Tess, straight over to my Mum and husband but guess what?? She totally ignored me! This continued on the walk and for the rest of the day. So out of character but she was obviously repaying me for sending her away!! Just like a child!

But this was a small price to pay as the experiment had worked. She had a ball playing endlessly with Nesta and of course had been totally spoilt with lots of cuddles and attention. Apparently she loves Lego and didn’t really want to go to bed but all in all a great success. And boy did she sleep when she got home!

You’ll be pleased to hear she did eventually agree to speak to me again and can’t wait to visit Nesta and her family again. Or perhaps Nesta will come to us next time.

The Welsh Springer Spaniel

The Springer Spaniel was bred as a hunting dog, specifically for hunting rabbits, birds and other game in the undergrowth and getting them to run or fly and this is how the term “Springer” came into being and hence the name. In the Principality the Welsh Springer was know as a separate and distinct variety of Springer Spaniel and it’s roots can be traced with certainty to the eighteenth century although the term ”Spaniel” in fact dates back to around the 1300’s.

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is a strong, merry, active Spaniel easily identified by its rich red and white coat and comparatively small ears. It is smaller than the English Springer and larger than the Cocker Spaniel with dogs measuring approximately 19 inches and bitches 18 inches.

Whilst many Welsh Springer Spaniels are still used for hunting many are also kept as pets. They are happy to live in the home or kennelled with a companion but can become noisy if bored. At least one good free run every day is important. Even if not being trained to hunt, some training is essential in order to have a sociable and socialised pet. Welsh Springer Spaniels, in particular males, have immense energy and a strong nose for scent, even if you do not!

How popular is the breed? According to the kennel club, in 2006 there were 350 Welsh Springer Spaniels registered compared to 15,000 English Springer Spaniels which perhaps shows why the Welsh Springer Spaniel is less well known than the English.

For more information on the Welsh Springer Spaniel visit the Welsh Springer Spaniel Club’s web site at www.wssc.org.uk.

Tess goes to Obedience Classes!

It was always my intention to take Tess to obedience classes. There’s nothing worse than a badly behaved dog or child!!

Whether you train your dog yourself or attend a class it is imperative your pet is socialised with other dogs and understands some basic commands to ensure theirs
and your safety. Welsh Springer Spaniels also need lots of stimulation so as soon as Tess was old enough we went to puppy classes, which really start the socialisation process and teach them to interact with other dogs.

I then found a local class on a Saturday morning and couldn’t wait to get started. But the first hurdle was getting Tess into the car!

I have a small hatchback and so we brought a car guard with the intention of her travelling safely in the boot. No such luck!!!!! It was impossible to get her in without a fight and although everyone told us to persevere it was becoming a fraught and dangerous exercise, so next we decided she could sit on the back seat. Off we went to buy a seat cover and a safety harness. More expense! This also didn’t impress my little puppy. She didn’t want to get in the car and once forced in she writhed and wriggled and twisted her harness around her. At this stage I felt I would be trapped in the house forever, never to go out again. Whose idea was it to get a dog anyway?! But with gentle persuasion suddenly one day she just seemed to accept this was the way it would be and settled down.

So finally I made it to class and after introductions and explanations we started heelwork. This was totally alien to Tess whose main purpose in life is to play so having all these other dogs around her was like puppy heaven! Anyway we ploughed on and made it through the first class. Week Two wasn’t much better and a very badly behaved Border Terrier decided to pick on Tess constantly. He did have a muzzle on but by the end of the hour this frankly was an unacceptable irritation and not what training should be about in my opinion.

Before the next class I happened to ask Tess’s breeder for some advice on local kennels and grooming and she put me in touch with a lovely lady who breeds Welsh Springer Spaniels and has six of her own, so should know what she is talking about. By chance she also ran a class so after a brief chat I decided to take Tess along to meet her and we have never looked back. We have learnt so much and have such fun, meeting some lovely people along the way and, of course, their gorgeous dogs. Tess adores going and I swear looks forward to Tuesday evenings. We do heel work, sometimes off lead, sit and stay and lie down and stay, and our personal favourite, recall. For all sorts of reasons it is so important that your dog will come to call (or the whistle) and sit on command so this must be mastered. The feeling of pride when your pet successfully executes any of these commands is indescribable.

I know classes aren’t for everyone but the change in Tess has been immense. She loves to please and we have so much more control over her. Her understanding of what we want from her grows from day to day and it is such a pleasure to have her in our lives.

The highlight of the year was definitely the Christmas party. Yes even dogs have social events in their diaries!!!!! There must have been a least 20 dogs with owners attending, very excitedly! Humans had soft drinks and nibbles, while the dogs, bedecked in tinsel, had an agility course competition with prizes!

This was the first time Tess had seen such a course and she took to it immediately, clearing the jumps easily. And guess what? She came 3rd, bagging herself a big box of biscuits. One happy little puppy!

So guess what we’ll be doing in the Spring?
Yes agility classes here we come!!!!

When Tess Met Wilby or He's My Bruvver

When we collected Tess her breeder suggested we might like to be put in touch by email with the other new owners. I loved the idea but for whatever reason not everyone wanted to join in. Maybe they had busier lives or plenty of canine experience but I did strike up a new friendship with Wilbys owners and what a lifesaver that proved to be! Maybe it’s because we share the same name (and as we later found out, similar outlooks) or just because we both love to ‘chat’ but we started sharing stories almost immediately. As I’ve already said those early weeks were somewhat difficult at times. Tess is our first Welsh Springer Spaniel and we really were learning day by day so to have someone who was going through the same experiences, mostly frustrating ones, is what kept me sane. We were soon chatting everyday and both puppies were equally challenging to say the least! As soon as one did something naughty the other matched it! Could it be telepathy we wondered!! But often when one of us was having a particularly bad day the other had a puppy that was behaving (well almost!) and we could give each other support and hope!!

Such was our new friendship we finally decided our puppies should meet. Would they recognise each other – would they even like each other?

We live opposite sides of the M25 so we had to pick a suitable meeting place. As Tess hadn’t done any long journeys and Wilby was well travelled we decided to meet at our house. The day dawned and it was a particularly hot one. Good – the pups could meet in the garden. No harm could be done as Tess had already wrecked it – Welsh Springer Spaniels love to garden! We waited excitedly for our new friends to arrive – I just knew from our emails that we would all get on but would the pups? No worries there! They went completely mad, racing round and round the garden and play fighting. Definitely sibling love!

We went off to our favourite walking spot, The Magog Downs, in the hope of wearing them out. No such luck! The excitement carried on all day but it was a huge success both for dogs and owners so we couldn’t wait to do it all over again! So much so, that we repeated the experience in November to celebrate their first birthday. This time it was our turn to do the journey and Tess was a dream, sleeping nearly all the way, only this time we had completely different weather – wet and muddy making our walk interesting. I swear the Welsh Springer Spaniel loves to be as dirty as possible. Pass a muddy puddle and they're in there!

Tess and Wilby obviously adore each other and we are convinced they know they are brother and sister so we had another successful day. Good food and company, plus a bottle of bubbly to celebrate making it through the first year amid tears and laughter, helped.

And the icing on the cake was exchanging birthday presents and treating our pups to their very own birthday cakes, made by Wilby’s mum, out of giant boneos, cheesey icing and doggy choc drops. Yummy! Who says our dogs are spoilt!

After such a busy day we ended up with two very sleepy little bundles and grown ups already planning the next adventure.
Watch this space…………………………..

Visit to the Vet

Friday was ‘vet’ day. Not our favourite outing anymore.

When we first brought Tess home we booked an introductory visit to our local vets. Our breeder had already had a vet check and gave us a signed declaration of Tess’s fitness but it was nice to meet our vet and introduce him to our new addition. Thankfully both loved each other. Everyone adores a puppy so a huge fuss was made of her with lots of cuddles and treats and she lapped it up, they don’t see many Welsh Springer Spaniels at this practice. First hurdle over!

Puppies do have a certain immunity from their mothers in the early weeks so we took Tess back to the vets for her first inoculation at about 9 weeks, then the follow up at 12 weeks. We still had a happy puppy at this stage. We had a couple more trips over the next few months. Once when we were worried about her weepy eyes (new owners tend to over react I guess!), then again when she swallowed a large piece of balloon, which terrified me. Puppies will put anything and everything in their mouths so you must be vigilant. I panicked and rushed straight round to the vets who promptly gave her an injection which brought the offending article up quicker than it went down!!!!! Panic over! While Tess was being sick in one surgery a very naughty English Springer was doing the same next door after eating something very poisonous from the owners shed. The delights of life with a dog!

Quite when Tess decided she’d had enough of visiting the vet I’m not sure but suddenly she’d run in excitedly, realise where she was and head straight for the door. Quite comical to see! Maybe she remembered being left there all day when she was spayed at 6 months (Yes, before her first season but as advised by the vet!) or perhaps there’s a smell that dogs associate with negative feelings – a bit like us going to the dentist! Whatever it is we’ll never know but she suddenly decided she wasn’t going there without a fight in the future. So last Friday was a challenge. She didn’t even want to leave the safety of the car! Thank goodness we were first in. Sadly our lovely vet was away so a locum administered her annual booster (while shaking and cuddling up to me) and gave her a check over. All was fine and we left as quickly as we had arrived and went straight for a long walk to take her mind off her ‘ordeal’.Till the next time…………..

Photo's

Have found a great blog which has got loads of pictures of Welsh Springer Spaniels, do have a look. http://www.flickr.com/groups/welshies/pool/

Tess sees snow for the first time

Tess our Welsh Springer Spaniel had her first experience of snow today and absolutely loved it. She kept asking to go outside and on her walk she came across some children building a snowman and wanted to help!

In typical Welshie style she just bounced around, chased the snowflakes and had great fun trying to catch the snowballs.

Cheapest Toy

Well Tess has been a typical Welsh Springer Spaniel and has decided she does not need her "toys" any more. Why? because she has decided that an old pair of sports socks, one stuffed into the other is much more fun.

She has been chewing them, shaking them around as though trying to kill them and then thowing them up into the air and barking at them as if they were misbehaving.

It just goes to show that a Welsh Springer Spaniel is very capable of making up its own games and having fun, now where are my other pair o socks!

Walks with Tess

Well injections, worming and flea treatments all taken care of. Now we can venture into the big wide world!

First stop Puppy Classes run by our vets. Socialisation with other dogs is so important so we enrol immediately. For such a feisty outgoing pup she behaved very unexpectedly, creeping into class she hid under my chair and left a puddle on the floor. She was the biggest puppy in the class but seemed to have lost all her bravado. Week two was a different matter – definitely our Tess – bold and cheeky, chasing all the other pups around. And by week three she was in charge having lots of fun. These classes are a great way to introduce your puppy to the outside world in a controlled environment and the girls who run them are full of useful tips.

So the next hurdle was to go out for a walk. We headed to our local park and on the advice of my sister let her off her lead. Very scary, but the best advice possible. I was terrified and intended to keep her on a lead until her 10th birthday but you must be brave. Puppies are very nervous and keen to stay close to you for safety so couple this with recall training and a tit bit reward when they respond and you can’t go wrong can you???? Distractions are the biggest problem as puppies do have selective hearing so beware of anything more interesting than you!!!! Which lets face it to a pup is everything!!

Tess quickly met other local dogs and would happily play all day if we let her. Remember the rule – 5 minutes exercise for each month of your puppy’s age in the early months. You don’t want to overwork them at too soon. She also fell in love for the first time (but not the last – she’s very fickle!) Her first love was Sam a very handsome English Springer Spaniel just a little older than her. She was immediately smitten and would chase him all over the park. Very touching and comical to watch. This is what I meant by something more interesting than me!!!

But as Tess grew in size and confidence the park was not enough. Luckily we live close to a dog owners paradise – The Magog Downs. Now Cambridge isn’t known for its hilly terrain but this is a super area for walkers, joggers, kite flyers and especially dog walkers. It has hilly downs surrounded by wooded areas (a favourite haunt for a Welsh Springer Spaniel) all circled by a 3 mile fenced dog walk, a totally safe environment for even the naughtiest dogs. Once we’ve completed our walk we end up in the dog play area, another fenced field specifically for dogs to roam off the lead.

Not only does Tess have a large number of ‘best friends’ but so do I which adds another dimension to my dog owning life. We meet owners with every breed imaginable from Labradors and Retrievers, Spaniels and Terriers of all kinds to more unusual breeds such as Vizsla, Rottweilers, Deerhounds, Lurchers and Pointers. It really is a doggy heaven!! Tess’s favourites (and mine) include a darling little border terrier, a puppy Labrador and Retriever and an English Springer Spaniel and her latest love, Flash, an English Pointer. They are besotted with each other despite the size difference. Some days we don’t even manage our walk as we all converge in this area and they all chase balls and Frisbees and each other round and round until we are dizzy watching them play. Once again a super way to socialise the dogs and such help for me swapping stories with the other owners and getting advice from those who have had years of doggy experience.

Dog owners are such nice people!!

The Early Days

Let me introduce myself – I am the female human in this family and during the week the one who looks after Tess single handed. I let her out in the morning, feed her, play with her, attempt to train her, groom her and take her for long walks. We also go to obedience classes but that’s another story!!!!!! And boy have I found it a challenge bringing up a puppy!

Tess is not only our first Welsh Springer Spaniel but also our very first dog and nothing could have prepared us for what was to come! Of course we did our research, spoke to dog owning friends and read the books. How hard could it be to bring a cute little puppy into your home??

I now believe it must be like having a baby – as they grow up you forget those difficult first months. Why else would everyone make it sound so easy when actually it’s exasperating! But owning a Welsh Springer Spaniel is eventually rewarding, as I now know.

It took us many years to take the leap into puppy ownership. We yearned for a life in the country, taking long walks with our faithful pet but our suburban life style, both with stressful jobs and a busy social life, not to mention fabulous holidays, didn’t quite fit. Finally I gave up work and suddenly a dog became a real possibility.

Next decision was what breed. I wanted a small cuddly female but my husband wanted a ‘real dog’. So terrier v Labrador. After much searching a solution was found on the Kennel Club website http://www.kennelclub.co.uk/- a Welsh Springer Spaniel – a medium size and biddable gun dog with medium exercise requirement and not too many registered each year so a little bit unique. Luckily we soon found a litter just over an hour away and arranged to visit the breeder. The minute we arrived and met the mother we were smitten. Perfect and just what we were looking for. Too good to be true though as all the litter were spoken for. We did however find it really helpful talking to the breeder and establishing that the Welsh Springer Spaniel was the breed for us so we were over the moon when she phoned us later that evening and asked us how serious we were. VERY!!!!!! She must have trusted us because she offered us a puppy. How happy were we! Christmas was spent planning and reading and spending and talking endlessly about the new addition to our family.

Finally the day arrived and we went to collect our Welshie and that’s when the fun started. Did I say fun??!!

We somehow muddled through that first weekend together then I was left alone with this little bundle of sheer trouble!

On the plus side she took to her cage really well. I suppose it’s a safe place to be with a nice cosy bed and her toy and vet bed our breeder had given us. After a few noisy nights (ignore say the books – very good advice) she settled really well. House training also seemed to go ok – yes we had lots of little ‘accidents’ around the house but thankfully never any poohs! The trick we found was to be vigilant and take her into the garden when she wakes up, drinks, eats or plays. One trait that was difficult to cope with was ‘anxiety or excitement wees’. Whenever we had a visitor (and there are many when you have a new puppy everyone wants to meet) she would wee with excitement. And this carried on for many months. The other thing I wasn’t prepared for is how lively a new pup can be. She’s beautiful when she’s sleeping and totally mad when she’s awake! There never seemed to be any in between.

Oh and she kept soiling her bed. Now all the books say they will never soil where they sleep so why oh why does the washing machine seem to be in constant use????? I was totally frustrated by this. And what is the attraction to gardening? Constant chewing of bark and twigs and pulling up plants – what is poisonous to little pups? How much more could my nerves take? And her favourite thing was shingle and pebbles – please don’t let her choke…….. Back in the house and the coffee table became the appeal. Maybe she’ll fall asleep soon……………….

Each day went on like this and my life no longer seemed my own. I only leave the house for short periods but in fairness no real harm was ever done. As each day drew to a close I longed for hubby to come home and share in the pain. Whatever made me think I wanted a dog? I just wanted to throw that puppy book out of the window! Nothing seemed to work!

But of course nothing stays the same and day-by-day subtle changes started to occur. Once she had all her injections I knew I would be able to take her out for walks and then surely she would use up some of that energy………….

Does the Welsh Springer Spaniel like water?

Well Tess is certainly one Welsh Springer Spaniel that likes water. Even today we have come back from a walk and she has found the muddiest puddle that she could and jumped straight into it!

We first introduced Tess to water when she was about 6 months old. We had taken her on a walk that took us past a small stream that was very shallow and with very clear water. She walked to the edge and then noticed her own reflection in the water and started to pat the water with her paw. This of course created a splash which initially confused her but then she seem to have decided her reflection wanted to play so she started patting the water with both paws, barked at her reflection and then jumped into the stream. She then spent the next few minutes just splashing in the water and having a great time.

The next time that Tess encountered water was her first opportunity to actually go for a swim. We had taken her to part of a canal network a few miles from where we live for a walk and there was a sloping jetty into the water, which they use to launch small boats. Tess was on an extendable lead at the time and started to walk down the jetty and into the water. The next minute she was swimming and was having great fun although we kept the extendable lead attached just to be on the safe side.

Now whenever we are near water we have to be careful as she can develop that Welsh Springer Spaniel habit of selective hearing and before we know it she is into the water. As you can see from the photo Tess absolutely loves the water and whent this picture was taken she had followed a chocolate coloured Labrador into the water, despite out best efforts to call her back.

She has also been to the beach once and had a wonderful time running into the surf and chasing a tennis ball across the beach. It is great fun watching her play but then you realise that somehow you have to dry them down to get them home and then the fun can really start!!

A little bit about the Welsh Springer Spaniel

Appearance

The build of the Welsh Springer Spaniel should be slightly off square, meaning that the length of the dog should be slightly greater than the height at the withers. However, some dogs may be square, and this is not penalised in the show ring as long as the height is never greater than the length. In some countries the tail is generally docked and the dew claws are removed.

Eyes should be brown in colour; yellow eyes do sometimes occur but are not acceptable for the show ring. Ears are pendulous and lightly feathered. Nostrils are well developed and are black or any shade of brown; a pink nose is to be severely penalized in the AKC standard for the show ring, in Britain it is a recognised (and probably the original) type. A scissors bite is preferred.
Height at withers:

- Dog: 18-19 inches (46 to 48 cm

- Bitch: 17-18 inches (43 to 46 cm)

- Weight: 35 to 45 lb (16 to 20 kg)

The coat is naturally straight, flat, and soft to the touch, it should never wiry or wavy. It is weatherproof and gives protection from all kinds of thorn and brush. The back of the legs, chest, and underside of the body are feathered, and the ears and tail are lightly feathered. The only colour is rich red and white. Any pattern is acceptable and any white area may be flecked with red ticking.

Temperament

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is an active, loyal, and affectionate breed. Some might be "reserved" with strangers, but should not be timid, shy, or unfriendly. The breed is well known for being affectionate to all members of the family, especially children, and accepting other pets of the household with a friendly, playful attitude.
The breed is a quick learner but is sometimes "deaf to commands", especially if there is something more interesting in the environment. With correct training, they can become very obedient dogs.
The Welsh Springer was bred for work and endurance, and as such needs exercise to keep healthy and content. Without adequate exercise, a dog may become bored and design its own (usually destructive) means of keeping busy, often to its owner's displeasure.

Health

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is generally a healthy breed but some can suffer hip dysplasia, eye problems and, also, like other dogs with large heavy ears, they are prone to ear infections . The average lifespan is approximately 12 to 14 years.

History

The Welsh Springer Spaniel was originally called the Welsh Spaniel, but was also known as the Welsh Cocker. It was recognised by The Kennel Club, after the breed had gained popularity, in 1902 under the name Welsh Springer Spaniel. Until then it was shown alongside the English Springer Spaniel. It had been transported to America in the late 1800s and gained recognition by the American Kennel Club in 1906.
Some experts believe that the Welsh Springer Spaniel and the Brittany Spaniel share the same ancestry.

The day we brought Tess our Welsh Springer Spaniel home.

It was with both a sense of excitement and nervousness that we set off to pick up our first Welsh Springer Spaniel. We had read the books, surfed the net and gathered as much information as we possibly could but we were doing it for real now.

We had just over an hours drive in the car to reach the breeders house and had spent the morning getting our own house ready setting up her cage and bed. Needless to say we arrived rather early and spent half an hour sitting in the car around the corner from the breeder until we were nearer to the agreed time to collect her.

As soon as we went in we were met by three welsh springer spaniel puppies running around playing and generally being mischievous but they were so adorable. We had met the mum and the whole litter some four weeks previously when we had come round to meet the breeder and see if the welsh springer spaniel breed was the right dog for us and of course for the breeder to feel comfortable that we were suitable to be dog owners. What was amazing was how much they had grown since we had first seen them.

We spent about an hour doing the paperwork and asking some final questions of the breeder. It was difficult to believe that we going to be taking home this beautiful puppy and feeling very guilty about taking her away from her mum. I have to confess that I did quietly go over to her mum, Briny, who was in her kennel and promised to take good care of Tess for her and it was almost as if she understood as she nuzzled my hand.

Then it was time to go. Tess was in the back of the car with her new mum, sitting on her lap with an old blanket for the journey home. It was obviously rather stressful for Tess being taken away from her mum as she was making little whimpering noises and shaking from time to time but eventually we got to the motorway and that was the cue for her to fall asleep for the rest of the journey home. If this was how a welsh springer spaniel was going to behave then I was very happy.

Eventually we arrived home with no “little accidents” or drama’s and brought her into her new home. The breeder had kindly given us a fleece and toy, which had, Briny’s scent on which would hopefully help her to relax and we had her bed already for her then we just sat on the floor and let her begin to explore her new surroundings. In truth I thing we probably sat on the floor with Tess for about 2 hours just watching her, guiding her and stroking her and really not quite believing that she was ours and what lay before us!!

Let me introduce you to Tess our Welsh Springer Spaniel

Our Welsh Springer Spaniel Tess is now just over one year old and is very much part of the family. She is our first dog and has proved to be both rewarding and challenging in equal measures.

Tess is a very friendly and sociable dog who just loves to play with other dogs and introduce herself to people. Like all Welsh Springer Spaniels she has a lovely Red and White coat that is very soft to touch and her markings make it look like she has freckles on her snout.

Her kennel club name is Northey Soul Dancer and she comes from a wonderful line of Welsh Springer Spaniels from the Northey (McDonald) kennel. Her mother, Briny, is a lovely dog who’s kennel club name is Northey Sun on the Sea and her father is Shandwick Raffles. Both Mum and Dad are from very successful kennels, with her Dad winning Best Puppy in Show at the Welsh Springer Spaniel Club Championship Show in 2004.

Tess has so many of the Welsh Springer Spaniel characteristics as you would expect

- she is lively and playful
- likes everyone including other dogs
- responds well to training and enjoys it
- can get rather over exuberant at times jumping up at people
- suffers from separation anxiety if left alone for to long
- on walks jumps into all the muddy water
- enjoys gardening, especially digging holes and pruning
- greets you with wild enthusiasm when you come home



For all the challenges and the stresses that having your first dog has brought us we would not change this little Welsh Springer Spaniel for the world. She is loyal, friendly, trusting, fun and part of our family. She is growing up quickly into a wonderful dog who we love to take for long walks and she just cannot wait to meet other dogs and play.


SJR