Sunday walk

This morning we went to Deene Park which is very close to New Lodge

We had a lovely walk around the park (not allowed in the posh gardens bit) and came across this lovely stag sculpture.

Awning Day

Yesterday morning we went to the 'van for the weekend.  This was the first time we had visited since we left it at New Lodge at the beginning of July mainly because Mum was horse shopping one weekend  and Murphy was unwell the next.

So, this was the weekend that we got to put up the awning and I decided to take some photographic evidence of the various stages.

Stage One - layout the floor and poles.  Mum did the poles and got a bit confused with what went where (she doesn't  normally get involved at this stage usually coming in at Stage Two and being told just to 'stand there and hold that').

Stage Two - framework is up and stable

Stage Three - the bit Dad hates ... ready for pegging out and tightening all the joins (Mum had left to get coffee at this stage)

Stage Four - it's all finished and ready to use

Looking good - well done Dad who promptly went for a sit down with Murphy while Mum and I went for a walk.   'We won't be long' she said and then took me on the Bulwick/Blatherwycke/Laxton circuit which is about 5 miles!

A Welshie first

Mum went to the Game Fair at Ragley Hall today to watch the first gundog demonstration ever by a Welshie team.  Here they all are just before they entered the ring

BBQ

Finally our 'not so new anymore' patio is put to good use as a barbecue and eating area.

Now they've gone mad .. dinner last night, breakfast this morning and Mum is tapping away on the 'puter there now.

Coolio

Murphy says a great big thank you to Aunty Debbie for suggesting Mum buy him a cool coat.  She picked this one up yesterday and he seems to like wearing it.

He did refuse to pose which is unlike him ... but then he had just been given 2 tablets and some Loxicom and Dad had squirted what I think is some very nice tasting stuff to make him eat, down his throat. 

I know I don't need anything to make me eat, but when Dad spills a bit on the floor, what is a boy to do?

How early?

An indecently early start to the day with the alarm going off at 5.30am!  Mum and Dad headed out at 7am with Mum's riding instructor Ella to drive to somewhere near Stanstead to look at, of all things, a horse.

They got home around 1.30pm all very pleased with themselves as they had bought Mena.

She is a 7 year old piebald and came over from Ireland about a month ago.  Mum says she is really lovely, very calm and friendly.

Thankfully for the garden she won't actually be living with us but at our local stables where Mum rides every week and where I am sure she will be spoilt rotten by the girls.  She will be collected next week, so hopefully I can meet her sometime soon.  I promise to be on my best behaviour.

Dery does it again

Another weekend and another test, this time the Lincs. Gundog Puppy Test where she snaffled a 3rd place against Cockers no less.  Well done Dery!

Also, I have an apology to make.  Not that it wasn't lovely to see all those trophies Fergus won a few years ago in my recent post, what I should have added was this photo of him just after winning his KC Certificate.

Photo courtesy of Tina Smith

Chillaxing

We took our van to its summer home this weekend - yes back to New Lodge and our favourite pitch overlooking the fields and the dog walk (this is so Dad can gauge when it is empty for us to run around it!)

After setting up and having a good long walk with Dad (Mum and Murphy turned back after a while as he was getting a bit warm) what better way to spend the afternoon than with a relaxing snooze before dinner....

Guest author

Not to be outdone by a youngster, Fergus has kindly written a piece for me about his recent experience at a working test.  I don't have a photo of him at the test (if you read to the bottom of the piece you will see why), so have posted a photo of him and all the stuff he won in his heyday during the 2008/09 season.  I think it shows he knows a thing or three.

As most of my friends will know I have been rather busy recently imparting my great wisdom and knowledge to two young pretenders, also known as my 'sisters' Dery and Lola. 

For young 'uns they're both really quite smart, though I'd never admit that to them!

Anyway, let me take you back to May, when I was supporting Dery in the Working Minority Breeds Spaniel Club working test...........or so I thought!

Unbeknown to me (and Mum!!) Aunty Tina had entered me in the Test too, which was also a Kennel Club Working Gundog Certificate assessment. I think it's fair to say Mum was in a state of shock and panic when she found out! She muttered something about me not having done a working test for 7 years - I ask you, what a cheek, did she think I couldn't remember what to do?

First of all I had to do a walk up with several other dogs and handlers, a bit like being in a beating line, but we dogs had to walk to heel off lead. Several of the other dogs didn’t know they had to wait to be sent for the dummies when they were thrown, but I did, and I waited patiently for my turn. Next I had to walk to heel off lead again while another dog hunted and did a retrieve next to me. Then I got to do some hunting, I had to sit when a shot was fired, then a dummy was thrown and when the judge had told Mum I could get the dummy I went and found it and took it to Mum. The last thing I had to do was retrieve a dummy from over an obstacle. The obstacle was a fallen tree, with lots of interesting smells on - much more interesting to a lad who's retrieved thousands of birds than a boring canvas dummy, but after a good old sniff I picked the dummy anyway and took it back to Mum.

When the results of the test were announced I was rather pleased to be awarded 2nd place and even happier when the names of those who had been awarded their KCWGC were read out. There were only 5 passes, but I was one of them!

I'm so glad Aunty Tina entered me and had faith in me, even if Mum didn't! It was great to show off to everyone and prove there's life in the old dog yet!!

I haven't actually got my certificate yet, apparently I am going to Crufts in March to be presented with it there. How exciting is that? Watch this space for a full report in due course.

Trophies and ribbons 2008/09