Well peeps, this week has been very exciting. My hoomans are looking after another dog in a very large and creaky house. We are all allowed to go there and play with the new dog - he is called Frodo and is something called a Flatcoat - actually his coat looks quite ruffled to me - but then wot do I know - except he is definitely not a Springie or Cocker as he does not bounce! He did, however, steal my chew which I was not happy about - but he learnt quick!
There is a pond with nice green stuff in it and a thing the hoomans call a swimming pool but it has a lid on it - I stepped on it to get at a tennis ball and nearly fell in. I have shown the hoomans that I like the water - we have been to the lake, canal and river and I am a pretty good swimmer. I am showing the retriever boy how to do it - there are lots of tennis balls at this big house ‘cos the hoomans play something with a bat apparently? Anyway, me and Edgar and Hilda (me other spaniel buddies) get the hoomans to throw the ball and we chase like mad and get it, bring it back to them, so we can do it again. I have learnt that if I give the ball quickly and gently the hoomans will throw it again - it is brill! I am also learning to play this sort of game with a thing called a dummy - it has feathers or fur on and smells like wild things! I like this sort of work! Stanley, me other spaniel mate is not very keen on the ball - he seems to prefer to mooch around looking for hooman food bits - weird but I like him and we play a lot. One night it was my turn to stay at the big house with the lady hooman. As a treat I was allowed to sleep in the bedroom - we cuddled up on the hooman bed and I slept all night like a prince. Frodo is a bit big for that so he slept next to the bed - he snores!
I have been to watch Stanley and Edgar do something the hoomans call agility - they have to jump over things and round things and through things and then get a treat or a big play with a toy. I quite like the look of that - I may give it a go myself!
I also showed the hoomans that I a pretty swell at finding pheasants, rabbits and ducks for them (they smell the same as the dummy things) - I was good though and did not chase I just stopped and came back when the silly bird things flew off! I like to see where the rabbits live and quite often all my hoomans can see is my lovely tail sticking out of the cover. I also showed my hoomans wot a good Springer I am as I can roll in horrid nasty smelly stuff which get wedged in my collar and scruff - then they give me a wash but actually I quite like that too as the water is always warm and smells sweet! I got my new collars this week - I have two good ones (because of the poo rolling I have to have a spare) and lots of gash ones for ' just in case 'times. I love to get in the car - we have two vans and a car - I sometimes go in the van if I need to have a rest especially if it is parked in the sun.
I have learnt that sometimes we play a game called ‘clicker’ and when I work out what the hoomans want me to do a ‘click’ noise comes and then I get a treat. This week I have learnt to ‘go bed’, ‘stay for a second’ ‘be gentle’ when I take food or the ball and go and sit on a big log in the garden. I really like the game and can’t wait to play more.
We make special treats to play the game with - this week we had biscuits made with something called salmon, not sure what it is but tasted lovely. Then we made some more with something called liver - I have also eaten this liver stuff for my tea - it is yummy! When we make the treats if we are good we sit on the bed and all get to finish off the mixture from the spoon!
I have had meaty bones from a nice man in a white coat who seems to be a very good hunter ‘cos he always has lots of nice yummy meaty things where he is. I like to gnaw my bone and it makes me very sleepy!
I am doing well on my new medications - I don’t even know I am taking them as I always get a big treat with them.
My fur is growing back where they shaved me for my special scan - everyone I meet thinks I am a very handsome boy and my hoomans agree. Not sure Hilda thinks so. She thinks she is having puppies and has some milk coming for them - she smells really lovely so I keep annoying her and letting her know I am a boy dog! For some reason she sometimes gets a bit shirty with me? But the vet people gave her some stuff to take and soon she will not think she is having puppies anymore and will have an operation to make sure she can never have any.
Anyway, best go and explore some more - this week. Speak soon.
Woof woof.
Alfred
