Waiting on vaccinations
Us humans are not the only ones waiting on vaccinations! Our furry little friend Coco has been patiently waiting for hers as well. She was a bit unlucky in so far as her previous owners vet did not give her the correct dose, so her vaccination schedule had to be restarted. That meant that for her own safety, she had to keep her distance from other dogs, which meant no walks outside our gardens. Now, we are lucky enough to have a decent sized garden, so it wasn't too bad for her.
Now that she knows what lies beyond the gates, we'll have to be extra vigilant that she doesn't leg it! She is really hard to catch too, as she thinks everything is a game 🤣
I never knew where Springer spaniels got their name from, but now I know exactly why, they are one springy dog absolutely full of character and mischief!
Loving the freedom
We live in the countryside, which is great for walks and we also have this lovely lake right on our doorstep which is a blessing.
The lake actually got me thinking about a potential hobby for me and perhaps the kids as they grow older. Kayaking or canoeing would be marvelous on this lake and I noticed today that this little tributary comes off the lake.
I was curious where it led to, so I searched on line and was delighted to discover that it leads to Lough Corrib, so I could kayak all the way into Galway if I feel like it. It might just be time to start looking out for a second hand kayak in decent condition.
As per usual, i digress! Now back to Coco and her discovering her new neighbourhood.
Close encounter with another dog
So, because she was not fully vaccinated until very recently, she has not really been socialised with other dogs yet. Two of sisters and one of my brothers have dogs as well, so we are going to arrange some doggy playdates! It is important for any dog to get used to other dogs and animals as young as possible, so that no fear or uneasiness takes hold.
While walking down to the lake today, we passed a few houses with dogs and she sniffed a bit outside their gates or walls, which was fine. Then one of them ambled out to meet us, a little Jack Russell who I'd say is 10 or 12 years old. I was unsure at first, as Coco's tail stopped wagging and she stood upright. In the end they just touched noses, had a little snif and then we continued onto the lake. I was quite happy with how her first close encounter went.
Having a good auld sniff!
Coco loves a good sniff of everything! I guess most dogd do in fairness, but Springer Spaniels are often used as hunting dogs, something our Coco will never do by the way. This part of her heritage though means that she has an accute sense of smell. I must say these days she also brings out my own acute sense of smell, by regularly leaving us presents on the number 1 and number 2 variety and the latter stink to the high heavens!
She is real little dote though, so I don't mind cleaning up after her. Any ideas on training her to pee and poo outside? 💩
We praise her loads when she goes outside, but i reckon 80% of the time she holds it and goes within 5 minutes of coming back in 🙈 Please share your wisdom fellow dog lovers!