Latest Spaniel-shaped addition coming this weekend - must be mad

[Suzie86]

Well we already have 2 Spaniels (1 show Cocker and a working Springer) and my OH has been trying
VERY hard to convince me he needs a second gundog for ages now. Various excuses/"reasons" including as he is getting more opportunities to go beating and it is too much for just Willow to do, he wants one he can do field trials with, he wants one that he can pick up more with and Willow focus on beating as "you shouldn't REALLY do both with the same dog as they will get confused" etc etc etc. To be fair to him shooting, beating but gundog training in particular has become his biggest passion and he takes it very seriously so some of the above may well be true!

Anyway, after his extensive badgering I have finally given in and we are picking her up on Sunday! She has been bred by the same people we got our Springer from although from their other bitch and a different sire. Both parents are quite small so I'm hoping she will be closer to the size of our Cocker as Willow is quite lanky! We know the mum very well and she is an absolute star in the field as well as being generally lovely so OH will be over the moon if pup ends up half as good!

New puppy arrival of course coincides perfectly with us just having finished redecorating the lounge so just in time for general mess, toilet training and chewing up my lovely new oak unit which arrived this morning!!

*NOTE: Who am I kidding, I am of course incredibly excited and she is GORGEOUS!

Here are our current two at the sea side last summer

And here is the soon to be new arrival (at approx 6 weeks old!) EEEEEEEEEK! Although we have given her a KC reg name she is still not officially named (current favourite is Luna) so any suggestions appreciated although I think I have suggested every name under the sun to my OH!

Cinnamon Toast please tell me that having three Spaniels is a good idea!!

 

[Thistle]

She is gorgeous! I have a 6 month old working springer dog. He was lovely, but is now entering the 'teenage' phase. I also have a staffy and a lab, both girls so luckily for me they are quick to push him back in line!

 

[PorkChop]

Gorgeous

I have eight springers - so your OH is being extremely restrained

 

[Suzie86]

8???!!!! Eeeek!!! Mind you I don't see this being the end of it!! Ours live in the house but they do live in the garden when we are at work with a converted shed and he is designing a proper kennel and run area as he wants the springers to sleep out there too. So I know what will happen - if they aren't in the house getting in the way then why not get another 1, we won't notice etc etc 😄

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Omg, omg! Get a sibling too! No, really, one is probably enough. She is so cute, totally edible! She'll learn really quickly if you just let her gambol after the others, it's summer *looks suspiciously at the rain sodden garden* and your OH is clearly in desperate need of an additional gun dog.

I love her, you're making me very puppy broody! Three is easy if only one is a baby. Puppy belly! Show me pictures!

I realise I sound mental, but I adore mine, they're no bother if they're occupied when out and I love being asked if Zak is a drugs dog when he stands on his hinds to find the dummy I've hidden up in the hedge, they're the best dogs ever.

 

[MyBoyChe]

3 is perfect, the 2 older ones can take it in turns to play rough and tumble with the pup We have 2 and a little jrt now but we did have 2 springers and an IWS until 2 years ago She is totally scrummy and I agree with CT, we need pics of her little pink tummy..immediately x

 

[Thistle]

Can we have smellyvision pictures please

 

[Suzie86]

Haha thanks for the moral support guys!! I will post lots of pics of her on Sunday when she comes home!

My other two are both young and love playing chase and rough and tumble so they will keep her occupied....

We were actually really torn between 2 as one of the other little girls is a huge character. OH was trying to convince me that we could get 2 and he could part train them both, pick his favourite and sell the other as a part trained gundog. I said no chance as I cried the entire way through that guide dogs programme when they had to give the puppies back!! Hoping we picked the right one, think the other girl would be trouble she is a very brave little monkey and very adventurous! I know you want them bold to work but she was extremely bold!!

Oh and CT it was a HUGE litter (11 I think and all survived!) so I'm sure there's a couple still looking for homes

 

[AmyMay]

Damn you! So wish I was allowed another pup

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Oh and CT it was a HUGE litter (11 I think and all survived!) so I'm sure there's a couple still looking for homes

Evil Suzie86! :eek3: I can't have another, the werewolf is too bitey with other dogs :frown3: and I've already told the OH, I'M choosing the next puppies and they'll be the easiest in the litter! I won't be able to cope with naughty ones which he likes when we're ready for more!

 

[Suzie86]

Thought I would update on the puppy as it's now been a week and a half!

She's been lovely, luckily both dogs have been fine with her and actually my other springer has really taken to her. They play in the garden all day long so she is lovely and sleepy and quiet in the evenings/overnight!!

She's been pretty good so far with toilet training, she's learnt sit and we are working on stay. She's just absolutely lovely, typical cheeky puppy and you do forget quite what hard work it is and the fact that you have to be watching them at all times, but luckily the other dogs are brilliant babysitters and she's good as gold in her crate. I mostly work from home though so can't say last week was my most productive week of work!!!

Pics are rubbish as she won't stay still long enough to actually get a decent one! Taking them when she's tired or asleep is the only option Also apologies if they are enormous, they are off my phone!

The carpet is revolting in this pic as it got completely trashed building the brick chimney breast - we are replacing it with wooden floors as soon as pup is toilet trained

 

[monte1]

Oh she is absolutely gorgeous! sounds like she has settled really well.

I have three working cockers, ( ended up keeping a pup from my bitches last ever litter and he is three years old now) so three dogs is perfectly do-able.. LOL

LJR WOW 8 spaniels

Actually, I could quite go for another pup to bring on as two of mine are 9 and 10 now, but think i might end up divorced ;-)) LOL

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Wow, she's adorable! Puppy belly! She has the big domed head shape that one of mine has. Love how the shorts are covered in dog hair. I've given up trying to look presentable when I have a carousel of three dogs variously on my knee.

That picture of her with the big dog is gorgeous.

 

[Suzie86]

haha tell me about it everything we own is covered in dog hair, I spent the entire train journey into work this morning picking white hair off my black trousers!

I've tried getting a pic of all 3 but as Olly (the cocker) keeps marching off in the opposite direction when he sees her it's a bit of a challenge!! He has just completely ignored her to the point of deliberately leaving the room if she comes near him, or turning his back to her. Pretty funny

Mind you, had a horrible incident over the weekend where I managed to splash her with a little water out the kettle (thank GOD it wasn't freshly boiled so just a little hot) when she appeared from nowhere under my feet and tripped me up! Anyway I think the shock of it more than anything made her go flying out the kitchen screaming and crying, I grabbed her and legged it upstairs to the bathroom to put her under the cold shower, all the while crying hysterically myself as you do! Olly was really upset by it and worried about her, the rest of the day afterwards he kept coming over to check she was alright. So cute really. He's back to mostly ignoring her now but in a friendlier way!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

They're so teeny and fragile, aren't they? Werewolf went for my BIL's pup when we kept him for the first few weeks last year, I thought he'd really hurt him, the squealing was horrific. He was just scared. It's tempting to pick them up and protect them the whole time! (Who am I kidding, mine get cuddled and protected on a constant! :redface3

Big dog ignored the pups for ages and then grudgingly accepted them, but he's not bothered about them, even five years on.