Alfred's Blog

Home

Alfred's Blog

Please take some time to look at my DOG BLOG.

I will try to update it each week.

Alfie

07-02-10

Monday, 08 February 2010 10:28 administrator

Woof woof hoomans,

Alfred Very sorry I am late again with my blog entry. My hoomans have been busy looking after me as you will see and have only just got around to telling you all about it.

There was a thing the hoomans called Christmas. This was really fun as loads of people gave them pretty boxes for us dogs which had loads of toys and treats in. I did hear the hoomans say it was funny that we got more treats than they did, but I did see the man hooman drinking lots of the stuff he calls beer and the lady hooman made a thing she called a ‘snowball’ which we all had some of. We also had lots of a thing called Turkey – I think this is like the birds that live by us called chickens, but bigger and it was not running around anymore!

Anyway, soon after the Christmas time was gone, the strangest thing happened. Loads of white stuff fell from the sky into our garden and everywhere else. It was very cold on our pads but we ran around, jumping in it and screeching around the fields. We ended up with things on our legs which the lady hooman also called snowballs, but this time we did not get to drink them! I liked the white stuff, me and Gladys ran like nutcases, we lost sight of Edgar ‘cos he is white like the snow. Stanley and Ellie were very cool about it because they said they are now grown up and have seen it all before! It lasted a long time and we skidded and slipped but we were very careful. Now it is gone, I wonder where it went?

I have been every week to the event the hoomans call ‘shooting’. I love this because although I stay in the van when Ellie and Hilda go out to find the birds and make them fly, I get to wander around the yard and smell all the birds and guns and run in the fields too. Gladys has been out to find the birds but is just learning how to do it properly and Edgar is now in school again because the lady hooman said he was naughty and did not come back when she said because he was having too much fun finding the birds – I don’t think that is the idea of the game! Talking of games, I am still enjoying my agility game with the lady hooman. She promised to teach me how to do the pole things she calls weaves by Christmas. Well, I worked very hard and can now do 4 in a row very very fast. Sometimes I am too fast and forget the first one but then I give myself a talking to and get it right. I am now adding another set of two poles so will soon be whizzing by 6 poles and then the world is my weave. Stanley is clever, he does 12 all the time, from loads of different ways so I am going to do that and when I do I will be faster than him. It is good because we get loads of treats or toys when we play agility to show us when we get it right. I love jumping and running and tunnels, almost more than the toys or treats!

Just as my practice was going well, I got a bit of a bad tummy, not sure how as none of the other had anything wrong. I did not feel very good and so I didn’t want to eat anything. I was still having my medications and lots to drink but my hoomans got very worried as I did not get better after two days like the vet person said I would. They took me to see the vet person and they said I was very hot which is why I did not want to eat and that my poorly heart probably meant my body could not fight the infection I had caught somehow. The vet person said they would try something they call anti-biotics but if they did not work then the hoomans would have to decide what to do as I was very poorly. They put a sharp thing in my neck and then the hoomans gave me some tablets and I felt much better very quickly. I was soon making up for the days of food I had missed. The hoomans keep doing a strange thing though, by looking at my poo. They say it is to make sure I am now fine since the tablets have finished – I am not so sure! The vet person says I am a walking miracle as my heart is so poorly and that I probably cannot fight any other problems but I know my hoomans will look after me and if I get even a tiny bit poorly again they will give me the tablets straight away. I am now back to bouncing around with all the others and in my proper bed in the kennel usually cuddled up with Hilda who is my Princess.

Hope to catch up again soon,

Woof woof,

AlfrED X

Last Updated on Monday, 08 February 2010 18:56

11-11-09

Wednesday, 11 November 2009 23:31 administrator

Dear NWESSR peeps,

Alfred and pals Sorry I have been away for a while - TBH it has been so hectic at the madhouse that I have only just had time to put paw to pen. We have been busy with the hoomans going to a thing where the hoomans try to make the birds fall out of the sky by pointing a big loud thing at them once the clever dogs have made them fly. I have only been to watch so far as I get very excited and my Mum says I cannot let my cough start. But I enjoy wandering around and seeing all the birds and smelling the smells. I don't worry at all about the loud bangs. My lady Miss Hilda, she goes out and finds the birds for the hoomans and so does Miss Ellie and Master Edgar. Then at the end they bring us some back and after a while the Big Dog takes all the feathers out and cooks us them for our tea. They are really scummy with a dash of garlic!

Alfred I am doing really well in the game we call agility. I am a good jumper and I love running through the tunnel. My Mum is teaching me how to do something we call the weave poles. I like to run very fast, it is my favourite thing, so sometimes I get it a bit wrong but I always get to have another go. I am still not keen on dogs running fast into my space and sometimes I see them off but my Mum is helping me work on it so I can just ignore them. When I do, I get loads of lovely treats. I always ignore my own pack even when we run fast together, I just don't like the dogs who I don't know and sometimes my Mum says they are rude to run straight at my face. This week my Mum is taking me for a special agility lesson with a lady all to myself. This is my treat as it will be 8 months since I came to live at the madhouse. TBH, I have forgotten that I have a poorly heart, no-one makes a big deal of it, least of all me. I just take my meds twice a day with a nice blob of pate or cheese and get on with my lovely spaniel life. I will try and get my paw to paper before they thing the hoomans call Christmas. I hear it is a good time with lots of lovely food for us dogs!

Lots of licks and woofs,

AlfrED XX

Last Updated on Sunday, 22 November 2009 15:02

08-08-09

Sunday, 16 August 2009 14:25 administrator

Woof woof hoomans,

Well another busy month or so in the madhouse has flown by. Despite the crummy weather we spangles have not been idle. We love it when we can make the hoomans cars and homes really muddy and we smell really doggy! I am gradually improving my agility skills. Now hooman lady and me go twice or three times a week to a place called 'school' where we do my very favourite things like jumping and running fast thro' a tunnel thing and the only thing that happens is I get my toy or some yummy scrummy food and to do it again! I am learning to stop and touch my nose on the end of some of the fun things like a see saw, although when I get a chance I do just run at it and make it bang on the floor - the lady hooman says that is not really the idea but she does like my enthusiasm and is glad I do not have any fear of things!

At the moment, in addition to my Princess Hilda and my little Duchess baby Gladys, there is another lady to love me as we have a kennel guest for a while. She an older lady whom I could learn lots from. Her name is Ellie but her friends call her Miss 'L's'. Apparently, she spends all day and sometimes night, finding bad stuff which some nasty hoomans sell and she can find money and something the hoomans call firearms which I think are the ones which go bang sometimes. She is very clever to do this and always tells the good hoomans where it is - for this she gets only a toy to play with - I would expect at least a steak to chomp! Anyway, I was a bit grumpy with her when she first ran by our pad, but now I have fun with her. Mind you she does exhaust me, she is on the go all the time - I think we need to tell her she is allowed to stop now and then. She even makes the nutty Edgar look calm! She might be allowed to retire soon if her usual hoomans' new dog can prove he is good enough to fill her paw prints. If not, she will have to go back to work but just for now she is having a holiday with us.

I also went to see the hooman vet person for my little check. He is a good chap as he thinks I am very handsome and fit and despite my poorly heart he thinks my life is a good as it gets for a Springie. He gave me some more of the tablets things I take everyday which I have with some lovely pate, banana, fish paste or sometimes a bit of liver - shame it is only twice a day!

Yesterday it was a bit warm for a change, so the lady dog made us all something she called a 'smoothie' (bit like me!) and made it cold in a place they call the freezer. I like this place a lot as it is where the hoomans keep our bones and yummy stuff! Anyway, this cold smoothie thing was brilliant so I hope the weather is warm again soon!

Oh...I forgot to say that we also had lots of other visitors because the ducks from the pond keep coming to visit - they are very cheeky because they come right to our gate and tease us all, so the hoomans have to go and shoo them back to the pond. I think they are kamikaze ducks, after all, which duck in their right beak would come to visit a house full of spangles!

Anyway, I am off for a snooze as I need to rest my heart and head and I do like a nice cuddle up with my hoomans!

Woof again soon,

Lots of licks,

Alfred

Last Updated on Sunday, 16 August 2009 14:28

05-07-09

Monday, 06 July 2009 21:41 administrator

Hello everyone,

I am so sorry it has taken my hoomans so long to write again - we have all been very busy with training and travelling and the hot weather. You will know my greatest news is that my hoomans took all of us on a little holiday North of Watford to a place called Cheshire so that I could collect an award. This was presented to me on behalf of Mr Green in memory of his son who went to heaven because of a horrid thing the hoomans call a war. There are very brave dogs who work in the places the hoomans have these wars - they find nasty things that go bang and stuff. My hoomans first ever Springer Mighty Max, was asked to do this work when he was a young puppy but lucky for him the Police took him to find nasty bad stuff for them instead. Mr Greens' award is for the rescue dog who overcome adversity. Last year Titch got it for being a brave boy - apparently he was very thin - he isn't now he is very handsome. I did not get it for being thin - but I am quite thin - I prefer to say lithe and athletic! I got it 'cos some of the hoomans I first met were not very kind to me and then it was also discovered I have a very poorly heart and really should not be around. But, I am cool and love life too much to give it up yet so run around like all the other Springers. I am very proud of my award. Have a look at my photos.

We had a brill time North of Watford, although my hoomans were worried that we would get caught, as we did not have our pet passports! We went on a long walk in a place called Bakewell where they make lovely scrummy cakes - there was the five spangles in our pack (oh,and we took the hoomans too) and then loads of other spangles about 20 of us, all sizes and ages. Miss Gladys got stuck down a ravine and had to be saved by the Big Dog hooman, who did an impression of James Bond to get her out! Then we went to see where the big NWESSR show was going to be and the lovely people invited us to their BBQ - this is a feast of scrummy meat and stuff which we managed to scrounge a bit of too! Some of the hoomans and Spangles stayed there in funny things they called tents but we went to our dog hotel and came back the next day. It was really hot but we had loads of fun. My Lady hooman was proud 'cos I got a rosette in the dog show as well as my award. The others got stuff too - Princess Hilda was a bit miffed as she was only 2nd Prettiest bitch - she is not a good looser so I had to cuddle her up and tell her she was my best lady! Gobby Edgar got a green rosette like me and can u believe it, mad Stanley got a red one. It was for the dog the judge would most like to take home - the hooman Big Dog was disappointed that she did not really want to take him home he said she could have him and one free and take Edgar too!

Then....the mad sprocker Stanley went and won the agility stuff, jumping and all that too. Talking of that jumping and agility - I am going to my classes now - I am getting good at the obstacles and I love running thru the tunnel really fast to get my toy. I am not so good at going over the jumps that Lady Dog wants me too yet as I get soooo excited and just jump over them all!! But we love working at it. Lady dog has ordered me and Stanley some new pole things she calls weaves because we have been so good and the old ones are a bit rubbish as they fall over sometimes. I love going to practice - I get so excited. I have also learnt how to approach other dogs gently and not to take any notice when they come up to me quickly or rudely - I just look at my Lady Dog and she gives me a treat or the ball as a reward.

This week I went to see a hooman they called a vet. He checked my heart and everything - he said I was a fit chap and looking great for a boy with a serious heart condition. He gave me some more of the tablet things I have everyday. He said the best thing was to let me enjoy being a Springer - I liked him - wot a good idea - so I shall!!

Lots of woofs and licks,

Alfred XX

Last Updated on Monday, 06 July 2009 21:53

31-05-09

Sunday, 31 May 2009 22:28 administrator

Dear hoomans and Spangles,

Me again - sorry I am a bit late this week. We have been so busy at home - and I am enjoying the lovely weather and my new posh pad which me and Hilda manage to trash everyday so the Lady hooman has to tidy it - she mutters a lot when she does this!

Today we have been to cheer on Stanley and Edgar who did a funny thing called agility - where they jump over and through and on things for payment of food or a toy . They both did good but I think I will be better as I can already go through the tunnel thing really fast to get my toy and jumping is my speciality! Have a look at some of my photos to see how good I am at it. The Lady hooman is going to take me to a class soon to teach me how to do it really fast so I can beat the dogs they call Collies - apparently they were made to chase sheep which I am not allowed to do - how is that fair? Anyway - they are not good at flushing birds so how can they really be dogs - I shall show them!! There are two who live down our lane - Jet she is cool 'cos a lady but a bit of a rouge called 'Buzz' who is a maniac! Did I tell you me and Gladys found a deer carcass the other day and had a good old game of tuggy - she is mighty strong for a little girl - sometimes I just give in because I think she likes to win!

This week Frodos' Mum and Dad nagged our hoomans about being paid for looking after him. So they gave in and said they could donate to Max's fund - (Max is the cool dude who is at the Rainbow Bridge and made room for me). We went on a fab walk to remember him a couple of weeks ago - it was brill - about 50 dogs some not real as not Spangles but they came anyway and even though it was raining. Not that we Spangles care about that it is ideal getting really muddy and wet! We raised lots of money for Spaniels to be rescued. So, Frodos' Mum and Dad gave us a piece of paper the hoomans called a cheque and we have to make it into money which we will add to Max's walk money and it will all go to helping Spaniels get good homes like me.

I am showing the hoomans and dog pack wot a fab swimmer I am and my retrieving is also a bit good now - have a look at my pics to see how I am keeping cool in the sun. I hope I shall meet some of you soon at the NWSSR funday. We are coming on holiday for a while into the wilds of the North - scary for my hoomans but not me as I have been before!

Will woof again very soon,

Alfred

Last Updated on Tuesday, 02 June 2009 16:58

More Articles...