My gardening friend.
Posted: 16 Jan 2014, 10:32I thought you might like to read this little article I have just written about Prince (my avatar) for his breed newsletter:-
A GARDENER'S BEST FRIEND
It is not generally realised just how useful a Welsh Springer Spaniel can be as a gardener's assistant.
I was quite unaware of the Welshies' horticultural abilities until we had a puppy called Prince. From an
early age he took great interest in my gardening activities, and one could see that his little brain was
taking on board all the necessary skills.
There is no doubt from the start that his eye for the effective positioning of plants was far superior
to mine, for if he didn't agree with where I had put a plant he would, after due consideration, deftly
uproot it and deposit it in a more favourable position, leaving me to finish the job. The resulting
effect, albeit unusual, was certainly an improvement on my original plan.
During his regular solitary tours of the garden he would sniff out a plant who's position failed to meet
with his expert approval, deftly uproot it, and bring it into the house to deposit at my feet. My good
wife wasn't too pleased with this, but perhaps she did not understand the finer points of garden layout.
He was also an expert at weeding but one day he made a grave error. He charged triumphantly into our
lounge with a massive climbing rose, an established plant several feet high, complete with an elaborate
root system. Obviously I had failed to plant it in the right place. It was then that I decided he should have
his own garden, so, not wishing to deny his artistic horticultural abilities, I divided the garden into two
parts separated by a dog-proof fence. My garden had a gate but his permitted free access.
He was henceforth as happy as a dog with a street full of lamp posts. It is debatable which of the two
gardens was eventually the best, but who cares – as long as he was happy.
A GARDENER'S BEST FRIEND
It is not generally realised just how useful a Welsh Springer Spaniel can be as a gardener's assistant.
I was quite unaware of the Welshies' horticultural abilities until we had a puppy called Prince. From an
early age he took great interest in my gardening activities, and one could see that his little brain was
taking on board all the necessary skills.
There is no doubt from the start that his eye for the effective positioning of plants was far superior
to mine, for if he didn't agree with where I had put a plant he would, after due consideration, deftly
uproot it and deposit it in a more favourable position, leaving me to finish the job. The resulting
effect, albeit unusual, was certainly an improvement on my original plan.
During his regular solitary tours of the garden he would sniff out a plant who's position failed to meet
with his expert approval, deftly uproot it, and bring it into the house to deposit at my feet. My good
wife wasn't too pleased with this, but perhaps she did not understand the finer points of garden layout.
He was also an expert at weeding but one day he made a grave error. He charged triumphantly into our
lounge with a massive climbing rose, an established plant several feet high, complete with an elaborate
root system. Obviously I had failed to plant it in the right place. It was then that I decided he should have
his own garden, so, not wishing to deny his artistic horticultural abilities, I divided the garden into two
parts separated by a dog-proof fence. My garden had a gate but his permitted free access.
He was henceforth as happy as a dog with a street full of lamp posts. It is debatable which of the two
gardens was eventually the best, but who cares – as long as he was happy.
