For Het & other Ralph fans-English Springer Spaniel. Photos

Ralph was 8 months t'other day I thought it only appropriate to update some pictures, regardless.
So here is my 'puppy', so changed now..

Lovely pics, he's a lovely spaniel

Why'd you need cooling off time ? (I dont always read all the threads )

He's a lovely lad, I do love springer spaniels, they are so gentle but wacky with it.

Nice to see you back Luke, lovely pictures of Ralph, he's certainly a big boy now! My Bella is almost 8 months, I'll have to get some pictures of her too, Lily is 2 next month, I posted pictures of her in the photo gallery.

Thanks ladies, he really is a lovely chap. Trying at times, but i wouldn't expect less off a springer pup...well any pup really. He has a heart of gold and bags of charm, and his brain IS there-he is just select when he uses it
Took him out on sunday with an uncle, cousin and shotgun (was keeping down some of the rabbit population in a field they keep horses in), for the reason that Ralph is in gundog training and is at the appropriate age, apparently, to be introduced to the gun. He was a bit iffy at first but got used too it and was like a bull at the gate trying to get loose to get after those rabbits.
He really is a good dog, and although at times he drives me absoloutley bonkers-i love him like no other!

aww hes absolutely gorgeous

Really growing up and more gorgeous than ever. Thanks for sharing these Luke

Ralph looks wonderful Luke and is growing up really fast! I'd quite like my own to use as a gun dog (you know i shoot),but i lack the skill for training so i'll continue to use 'Charlie' my friends Springer instead!

Hiya Luke
Ralph is looking brilliant and so grown up...hard to believe, it just seems like yesterday he was a tubby wrinkly nosed pup!!!Springers are so special aren't they...huge hearts and loads of love, all that energy and naughtiness but so eager to please....wouldn't be without mine!!

Thanks Jen
Thanks Eunice
Thanks Steve-it isn't too difficult, im learning how from books, the net, various forums and people i know who use working gundogs-i think those people now avoid my phonecalls asking questions though!

Ah i knew you would find it eventually!
I know what you mean..time has flown, how do you think i feel? it seems yesterday i had the little tubby bum sitting on my lap sucking my fingers and when he used to run around he would slide all over the floor Now i have this huge, racy dog sitting on my lap and headbutting me when giving kisses, n finger sucking is so far gone now..he prefers to nearly remove the skin from your face by licks..and truth be told he still does tear around the house, n yes he does still slide into everything..but theres just a slight essence of grown upnes-although, i don't thing Springer's ever fully grow up?
They are a breed i will allways have, a charcter that no other breed has, and i love how Ralph allways seems to know when something is up..like yesterday i was looking for the worming tablets for one of the cats, i knew they were in the cupboard under the stairs in the big box with various pet stuff in..and a found a bottle of pills that Polly had some time ago..i thought all her medication etc had been disposed off a while ago, but it was still there, and it did make me a bit 'humph' and then before i knew it that big soppy liver head, with those curls n big eyes was there in my lap snuffling away with the nose..the nose that allways seems to be covered in some kind of crap! Same as they are the only breed i know which can manage to get things from the floor outside-like soil, securely stuck to their lips, tounge etc
It's down to Zack that Ralph was such a specification, i fell for springers with solid/almost solid liver heads after seeing zack's pictures, thus when the search began it was such a specification...n then kismet struck and i ended up with the ralphster!
He really is a special chap and life without him would...well it would be quiet, calmer, have more visitors, garden wouldn't look like a bomb site, same for house-buuuut, what a boring life that would be, eh?

LOL Luke.....and you are so right about how sensitive they are, Zack is especially so.
As for the collection of objects...I once lost an earring, found it next day hooked on the hair on the underside of Zacks ear. He also likes to collect his dinner on them

I love though, how they can manipulate that sensitivity, so that you feel ever so guilty! Usually for telling them off for doing something bad-like eating a whole tray of freshly baked scones
It amazes me what they pick up on them..Ralph got cobweb on him today, all over his nose-i couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was!!
He isn't overjoyed at the moment as the stairgate is now inplace and he can only come upstairs supervised, as he was cocking his leg alot and causing havoc when nobody was around..so he can come up, when watched. It's nice though to have a both or shower without him trying to get into the water too!
Will you allways have, at least, one springer Het?

Like me ?

PS

One day I'll tell you about all the strange things Fingal has eaten !!!

Phil

He is looking fabulous Luke.

Phil-that dog is gorgeous, his head is very similar to that of my Ralph (ralph is bred in a funny way, field type on his fathers side and show/field type on his mothers side, so a right mix of springer!)
Thanks Kirsty, you really seem to like springers-should add one to your clan!

I did seriously consider a springer for a while. My friend has three gorgeous ones. Maybe one day

wow....beautiful!!!

I thought that when I saw Ralph at the start of this thread - that's why I put Fingal's pics up. I like the mainly liver 'solid' head although Fingal does have a bit of white. Ralph looks a bit more 'leggy' than Fingal who's quite short and stocky - that's probably the 'show' blood in Ralph. Think Ralph is really nice.

You saw my other springer didn't you in the thread called Tip & Beau in the lost but not forgotten forum ? He had a lot of 'Liver' that Fingal also has (it's the Badgercourt in them) although Beau had a more 'classical' liver & white muzzle.