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!!!!

Slimline Welsh Springer Spaniel

You might remember I mentioned Tess had put on a little weight while she had a limp – understandable but just like humans its so easy to put it on and so difficult to loose!!!!
Anyway we have switched her food to Joe and Jacks, a vet devised complete food, which she loves, cut down amounts and tried to be careful with treats. Our biggest downfall too!!!!! But I think the biggest impact has been exercise. Although we have good daily walks I realised she wasn’t really getting any cardiovascular exercise so dug out the old ball thrower. What a difference it has made.

She would chase that ball all day if I let her and she is now back down to her fighting weight of 15kgs and got her trim little waist back. What a beautiful Welshie she is!!
Now if only I could follow suit……………………………

A Funny Story

On one of Tess’s stays with our friend Laura a funny thing happened.

Well it could have been disastrous, but alls well that ends well, as they say!
She hadn’t been there long when I received a phone call – ‘’nothing to worry about but Tess has been attacked by………the tortoise’’!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well once I have established no lasting harm had been done I laughed at the ridiculousness of it! Apparently when tortoise get amorous then get quite violent and ‘bite’ even though they have no teeth. Tess got in between such an encounter and he told her off, giving her a little wound just under the eye, as you can see from the photo.

She was fine, but did require quite a lot of tender loving care and milked it for all it was worth!!!!! Typical Welsh Springer Spaniel !!!!

Although she obviously wasn’t too upset, as on her next visit she tried to pinch the piece of lettuce he was nibbling!!!! Just to show who’s boss I guess!!!!!!!!!!!!

WELSH SPRINGER SPANIEL UPDATE!!

Well life for our Welsh Springer Spaniel Tess is still eventful!
Since her last blog she’s had lots of visitors to stay.

First Maddie the English Springer Spaniel, mad loopy dog that that she is, although I must say she was on her very best behaviour. She really responds to a man’s touch and did everything to please, including watching the FA Cup with Steve!!!!!
Her brother Wilby was here in June, and we’ve just had Freddy to stay, another Welshie who Tess seems to have fallen in love with and displayed some inappropriate behaviour!!!!!

Over the summer we’ve been to a BBQ, where she was much better behaved than when we last tried it. At least everyone’s burgers and wine glasses stayed untouched!
Then a weekend stay in Suffolk, visiting Flash (her first love you’ve heard about previously) and his sister Dizzy. A trip to the beach at Aldeburgh was much appreciated.
She’s had a few weekends away, while we’ve been on dog free trips, which she loves. Always difficult to tell if she’s cross with us for leaving her or annoyed we’ve brought her home!!!!!!

We have a constant stream of visitors coming throughout the summer, which she loves. We are doing a bit of training to try and stop the excitement, and control the noise levels when both the paper man and postman arrive in the mornings, but I think we’re fighting a loosing battle.
Any ideas to solve this problem would be gratefully received!!!!!!!

Oh well that’s it for now.
Next report will probably be about our forthcoming trip to Blakeney, on the North Norfolk coast – our favourite spot as many of you will know!

Hope you’re all having a great summer too!

Look Familiar?

Thought you might like to see this photo we took of Tess.

It was during all that snowy weather and we tried a new walk and she shot to the top of this mound, scaring the life out of us both!!!!

It reminds us of a very similar shot of this wonderful breed on the front of Anne Waltons must have book, The Welsh Springer Spaniel.

What a very special breed they are!!!!!

SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PRESENT

As we’ve already said, Steve celebrated a big birthday in January and as a surprise present I had a picture painted of Tess, as an everlasting memory of our little Welsh Springer Spaniel. Well, what do you give a man who has everything!! He was stunned by the likeness and we hope you agree, it is a superb portrait of this wonderful breed. It was painted in pastels by a very talented artist, Lorraine Gray, and if you would like to see more of her work or have a picture of your own pet, go to her web site http://www.pastelpetportraits.co.uk/. You can also see the original painting of Tess, but here is our framed version.

Where have we been?

HELLO ALL!!! Bet you’re wondering where we’ve been since September.
Tess is still alive and kicking but life just seemed to get in the way.
Here we are again though. And what a busy few months it’s been.

First Tess developed a limp. Nothing to worry about we thought, it would soon sort its self out. NOT! After a visit to the vets he assured us it was probably just a sprain and gave her an injection and some tablets. Nothing happened so after a suitable length of time he decided to xray the offending limb. Still nothing so shes been eating a luxury (that means expensive!) Hills Prescription feed for joints ever since and so far so good. Lack of exercise (and too much Christmas excess!) has meant she’s put on a little weight, but more of that later!

Of course November is Tess’s birthday. This year she was 4 and as usual we celebrated with her brother Wilby. They are definitely maturing, but still have typical Welsh Springer Spaniel traits – nutty, nosey and clingy, following you everywhere! We had a lovely weekend in Norfolk, walking at Sandringham and Burnham Overy Staithe. And, of course, raising a glass (or two) to the siblings!! They get on brilliantly, which is lovely to see. They are such a gentle, lovable breed.



Along with December came the snow. Most dogs love romping in the snow and Tess is no exception. I think Cambridgeshire was the least hit county in the UK, thankfully, and we managed to function as normal, but sympathised with the rest of the country. HOW DID YOU MANAGE IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS?? Still managed lots of nice dog walks???

Christmas was a magical time. We had a quiet festive holiday spent at home with our little girl. We had a long walk on Christmas morning at our favourite Magog Downs, along with lots of other dog owners. What a good excuse to get out in the fresh air. And Tess just loved opening her presents. But, just like us, she had a little too much to eat and we entered the New Year trying to loose a few pounds. She’s shot up from 15kgs to just over 17kgs which is a worry as she is quite small for her breed, although still within the accepted breed standard. So no more turkey for her!!!!!!!! Of course at this time of year – cold and wet and muddy – they probably get shorter walks so hopefully the extra pounds will drop off!!

And so to 2010.
Steve celebrated a big birthday so Tess went to stay with our usual dog sitters while we had a ‘grown up’ weekend away in our favourite Blakeney. Strange to be there without our little Welsh Springer Spaniel, especially when we met a little working cocker skidding round in the mud on the marshes, but nice to be able to dress up for dinner and visit the local RSPB bird sanctuary at Cley, which we can’t usually do with a dog in tow! And now its February. Roll on Spring when we can have a nice walk without having to spend ages cleaning the mud from paws, feathers and tummies. Oh and my wellies!!!



And watch this space as Steve got a rather special birthday present, but you’ll have to wait till next time to see that!!!!!

Messing About on the River

Well yet another adventure for Tess. We went to visit friends in Marlow and spent the day on the River Thames. We’ve done this before, but this is the first time we tried it with Tess. Thankfully the sun was shining and as usual she was very excited. Most of the dogs we saw sat patiently on their owners’ boats enjoying the scenery and smells, but not our little Welsh Springer Spaniel! She wanted to be in there so, of course, I had to hang on to her harness for most of the trip. She did eventually settle down but the combination of water, ducks and swans was just too much for her so a firm hand was needed. Navigating locks was interesting too! And there are quite a few on the Thames! We had a lovely champagne picnic on the riverbank, then headed home for an evening BBQ. As usual happy and exhausted!!

This weekend Tess’s brother Wilby (plus owners!) came to visit. We thought it would be fun to visit the local country fair on Sunday, but Tess really isn’t a conventional Welsh Springer Spaniel - she hates gun shot and crowds so not the most sensible place to take her for a day out! Still she settled down when we headed home for a leisurely lunch and a few treats to take her mind off the ordeal.

Summer Fun

What a busy summer we’re having and how fast is it racing by?

It all started in June when we had our annual visit to Blakeney on the North Norfolk coast. We had the best time and picked probably the best week of the year weather wise, so spent the whole time in the sun. We visited all our usual haunts – Sherringham Park for a woodland walk, making sure to catch Tess before she did her favourite Welsh Springer Spaniel trick – finding the only muddy puddle for miles around! Meeting up with her brother Wilby for a day at Holkham Hall, first with a walk around the beautiful lake and then, after some refreshment for the adults, a play on the famous sands. A swim in the sea at Salthouse, avoiding all the fishermen, and watching a breeding pair of avocets with their chicks. And of course lots of walks out on the quay and marshes. For the first time we trusted her to go off lead to play in the water to cool off which she loved, but did make the mistake of letting her off on our walk to Cley, only to loose her momentarily as she waded into dark black muddy marsh and came out looking like she had four wellie boots on!! We also walked from Blakeney to Morston then onto Stiffkey, well almost, but it was so hot we turned round and headed for the pub once Tess had played in the creek – doggy heaven!!!

Once home we went to friends for Sunday lunch and they kindly allowed us to take Tess, mainly because their daughter adores dogs and had met her before. It was again a lovely sunny day and we were able to sit in the garden where they had thoughtfully covered up the fish pond. Of course Welsh Springer Spaniels are very resourceful and Tess didn’t realise if she stood on the cover it would collapse and she would be joining the fish!

Another weekend another trip and this time to Sherwood Forest to visit friends who run the scout centre. What a beautiful spot with long walks in Rufford Park and Clumber Park, both highly recommended. As usual Tess gave us a scare when she went chasing rabbits and lost herself in the woods. I don’t know who was more frightened but alls well that ends well and she came back very sheepishly!

She then went to stay with her chum Nesta while we attended a super 50th birthday party in Cambridge, starting with a punt on the Cam with champagne, an Italian meal and lots of drinking in the sun. The following week we had friends to afternoon tea with their 3 year old twins – one not too sure about dogs and one absolutely loving Tess, keeping them both our of mischief all afternoon. Well almost! Never put a child on a picnic rug with iced buns and a very naughty little springer – down went the bun, cake, icing, smarties and paper case all in one go, not to mention the mini sausages!!!!!!

Finally the grown ups got to go on a human only trip. Last week we headed up to Edinburgh to visit the Tattoo, stay in a nice hotel and do things other than dog walk!!!! A super fews days was had by all, including Tess who went to stay with her other best friend Maddie, the English Springer Spaniel, and her very kind owner Sue.

They sound like they all had a ball though I’m not convinced Sue had any sleep at all, especially as she’s just taken delivery of two very cute and very naughty kittens!!! Chaos I suspect! And Tess came home in a sulk. Now was that to let us know we shouldn’t leave her or that she was having such a great time we shouldn’t have dragged her away!!!!
Who know what goes on in a Welsh Springer Spaniels head………………

This coming weekend we’re off on another adventure but that’s another story so you’ll have to log on again to find out what happened next………………

WELSH SPRINGER SPANIEL DAY OUT

We have just joined the South East Welsh Springer Spaniel Club and enjoyed our first event at the weekend. Leaving home at the crack of dawn in torrential rain we arrived in sunny Sussex to a ‘’Pick and Mix’’ Day, spent in beautiful blue skys and sunshine. The day consisted of obedience sessions, gun dog training, ringcraft and, if you wished, you could enter to your pet in the Good Citizens Award. It was wall to wall Welsh Springer Spaniels – what a magnificent sight. Each one looked different but all were perfect specimens – well to their owners anyway!!!!!!

Tess finds crowds a little intimidating and as she can’t bear being parted from either of us, made a huge fuss if one of us was out of sight – rather difficult when you are trying to impress with your skills as a dog handler! But she did manage her sits and stays which we were pleased with, and had an introduction into what is expected in the field for a real gun dog!!! It was great swapping stories with other owners and getting advice from experienced breeders and lunch wasn’t bad either!!!!!

If you would like to hear more about the SEWSS Club log onto www.SEWSSC.org.uk and see pictures of our day and many other events.
Can you spot little Tess in amongst all those other Welshies????????

Double Trouble

As if one Welsh Springer Spaniel was enough of a handful, how about two!!!!!
Our good friend Laura has Tess to stay so often we were pleased to be able to return the favour and have Nesta to stay for a couple of weeks. Well, how hard could two of these adorable dogs be???!!!!!

We didn’t have a very auspicious start when our visitor managed to escape through a tiny hole in the fence (never underestimate a springer!), into the stream bordering our garden and into the neighbouring property, to hear a voice calling ‘’is this dog yours’’.

Apart from that Nesta was a very well trained house guest, so I can’t complain, but its just the logistics of handling two. Imagine two of them joined on a double lead – Nesta dutifully trotting beside me and Tess tearing off in the opposite direction! Or harnessing two into the back of a two door car. Or trying to get them to eat out of their own food bowls. Or each playing with their own toy. They behave just like children – I WANT THAT ONE!!!!!!!!!

But I did soon get the hang of it and had a relatively fun couple of weeks.

We especially enjoyed an eventful day out at Brandon Country Park on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
It’s a beautiful place to exercise dogs. Firstly you trek through woodland, then come across open scrubland, finishing around a picturesque lake full of reeds, iris and water lilies. Oh and ducks!!!!!!!!!!!!
They were the picture of good behaviour while we kept them on leads until out of earshot of the road, then they did what all self respecting spaniels do and frolicked in the woodland – Welshie heaven. Then off went Nesta, flushing out pheasants and something equally tasty!!! We must have looked a picture climbing over scrub and gorse bushes in hot pursuit of a happy dog while our own pet looked on in amazement!! Of course she came back safely and was duly put on a lead. Thank goodness, as our next encounter was with a pair of muntjac deer. Very tempting! Exhausted we had lunch sitting in the sun enjoying the lake, rounding up a super fun day.

I’m not sure whether I’ll be searching for a Welsh Springer Spaniel pup in the near future but I did miss Nesta when she finally went home. Our house was suddenly very quiet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best Friends!

We’re having a new kitchen fitted so decided to send Tess to stay with Nesta for the week to keep her out of the way of all the chaos. She’s such a nosey little girl she’d drive the kitchen fitters mad! She’ll be back on Friday then Nesta is staying with us for a couple of days. I came across these wonderful photos of them together which proves they really are the best of friends and don’t mind sharing!

Just like so many other Welsh Springer Spaniels we know.

CAN I HAVE A HUG???

Tess recently had a visit to the vets and had to have blood taken. He took her into his surgery and emerged minutes later and said she was a very brave girl. She looked such a picture with a bandage wrapped round her leg but as you can see from this photo, did look like she needed a big hug!

What a brave little Welsh Springer Spaniel!!

Photo shoot

I like this photo of Tess as it shows the Welsh Springer colours and markings really well.

I like snow

"Its not cold!"

Well this is one Welsh Springer Spaniel who really enjoyed the recent snow falls. Any excuse to go out in the garden and run around or, as you can see, just sit down and rest in it.

There was one day where all the snow had stuck to her fur like snow balls and froze. Took ages to remove them all but Tess did try to help by eating them!