Exactly 6 months ago today, I delivered Annie Mo, in our hallway. Since then, our little owl has blossomed into a beautiful baby girl. It’s amazing how, looking back over such a relatively short period, she has grown and changed, and formed into a character of her own. Our St. Patrick’s Day baby, is a joy to behold.

Exactly 2 years ago today, Elsie (a dog) was born on a goat farm. Elsie has been out for a run in the woods with her new friend today (another dog). It sounds like she’s had a smashing time.

It’s been great having a dog. I had a dog when I was a kid; my mum and dads dog really – a boxer called Emily, who apparently, taught me how to walk. She used to let me hang on to her neck and eventually, I got the idea of using my legs. Growing up from being a baby with a dog around, I think developed a strong affinity with dogs and I’m quite please we’ve got a dog now so my 4 will remember a chunk of their childhood home spent in the company of a dog.

Emily was lovely, but there’s something extra special about having your own dog and being a dog’s master. I’ve had cats most of my life, and fish, and I’ve decided that they couldn’t give a monkies about one person over the next, and there’s nothing quite like ‘man’s best friend’. She’s pretty much my shadow when we’re out and about – even at festivals and outdoor gatherings – like the other night at the gig in the woods – there was loads of people there; it was the middle of no where, dark, a new place and she still followed me about. She’s a great companion.

I’m quite please that she’s let me teach her stuff, especially good manners. She only eats food if it’s on the dog shelf (floor) and only if I say so most of the time (apart from the now infamous Cake Dog incident). She doesn’t scrounge, and she doesn’t bark much (but that’s arguably more breeding, as quality gun dogs are selectively bread for various traits including not barking, so I’m told, and she was bread as a gun dog.). She fetches sticks (again, the gun dog in her – a natural born fetcher of stuff) but the best and most practical thing I’ve taught her is to shut doors on command. We stopped the training once I’d got her to a level I was happy with. I could have carried on – she would have made an excellent agility dog (so I’ve been told) but we’re just happy without. We still do the odd bit of training – more for fun though. She loves it.

Next up is thinking about a litter off her. There’s already 5 first refusals on her pups, from people who think Elsie is approximately brilliant. That’s Eirene’s project though. I would have had her ‘done’ but Eirene wanted a litter. She’s just a non stop brood machine that one. We’re on the look out for a hansom boy Labradinger / Spingador (half Labrador, half Springer Spaniel, as she is) if happen to know one – let me know!