Another fun, well wet actually, Sunday, visiting friends with Millie, the 9 month old retriever puppy. They live near a National Trust Forest so we planned sometime ago to take the dogs for a nice long walk followed by a leisurely Sunday roast, but we didn’t reckon on the weather being quite so dreadful. Anyway, not ones for fair weather dog walking, off we plodded, well wrapped up to the elements. The problem was how to keep two very excited dogs clean. Answer – IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!
We stayed under tree cover as much as possible but they were both filthy and we had a breath holding moment when they were romping through the trees and we spotted a herd of deer, which spooked and ran out into the open. How would our pups react????? Remarkably well, surprisingly. Both came back to call – I think Tess was a little nervous actually, probably recalling her bad experience with a horse who kicked out at her once, which was no bad thing. I thought Welsh Springer Spaniels, by nature, would be very interested in anything related to hunting. But no, she behaved impeccably.
They then had a little swim in the lake, which cleaned them off temporarily, but boy was she cold. She’s so tiny compared to an almost fully grown retriever that she looked like a little drown rat and sat shivering while we enjoyed our mugs of hot chocolate. Once we set off again she soon warmed up and ended up even muddier. But what fun – maybe she really is a gun dog after all!!!!!
A good hose off when we got home, followed by a big warm cuddle and some yummy roast chicken and she was as right as rain, although I must say we had a very subdued Monday. I don’t think a life as a working gun dog would be quite the life for our little Welsh Springer Spaniel some how!!!!!!!!!!!
