Category Archives: Gone but not forgotten

Gone but not forgotten

Benny

Benny Hogan

 

So very sad to say that we said our final farewells to our beautiful 14yr old Springer, Benny.

 

Benny came to us as a 14 month old youngster in 2011 and from the moment we met him we knew he was definitely ‘our’ dog and although, understandably, a little nervous on the journey back home, he immediately became ‘one of the family’, settling in with very little trouble at all.

 

We enrolled him into the local puppy school in order to socialise him and make a few friends. He had the most amazing temperament and his friendly personality and good looks made him a hit with everyone he came into contact with. We hadn’t had a dog for a number of years but he was so good and so willing to please that training him was never a problem and seeing his endlessly wagging tail made walking him a treat for us, as so many people commented on both his tail and his looks

 

We next got him involved in fly-ball and although not the quickest of the dogs there, a tennis ball at any time was always a motivation for him. Like most Springers, mud, rain and water were great attractions to Ben and living close to the countryside, gundog training seemed an ideal way to provide him with plenty of exercise in conditions he loved. After a few month’s work he was ready to start beating on local shoots and he loved it. Despite the training, the fly-ball and chasing tennis balls over the common, he never seemed to tire, beating, however, was different and after a full day on a shoot, he’d come back climb up into the window seat and flop, happy but totally worn out.

 

Ben loved travelling and was always happy to jump up into the back of the car knowing where many destinations were even before we got to them. We travelled up to Scotland, down to the South coast and over to Austria on holiday a number of times. He loved the sand dunes and sea especially the West Coast of Ireland. He became the mascot of the local Blood Bike Group for a number of years, helping to pull in the crowds at their fund raising events and also came out marshalling on some classic car events.

 

Sadly Benny’s age began to catch-up on him and though he never complained or made much fuss, arthritis and creaky bones slowed him down dramatically and he passed away We scattered his ashes at Enville Common and at Barmouth – his two favourite haunts. He was a happy dog and he made those around him happy, he gave us so much yet asked for so little (maybe the odd sausage !). We could not have wished for a better friend and companion and despite having a tough start, he became a very contented dog. We hope we gave him as good a life as he deserved.

 

God Bless you Benny

 

Gone but not forgotten

Dan

We adopted Dan in 2010, he was the goofiest spaniel I’d ever had. He had zero recall but I was confident that would change, course it would, I’ve trained many a pup. 

At 14.4yrs old he still had zero recall, he would run at every given opportunity. He was such a food thief, bin robber, BBQ stalker and loved to sit at the foot of the grandchildren’s highchair for the morsels that fell accidentally, then eventually intentionally into his direction. He didn’t like being left alone, he pulled the stuffing out of our chair once. Never left him alone again, he went into day care when we were at work. His tail was wagged from the moment he woke up till he went to sleep at night and sometimes in-between when he dreamed. In later years he became deaf, blind and was diagnosed with canine dementia. He managed well as we kept all furniture in the same place and never left clutter about for him to fall over.

When he lost his wag, we knew it was the beginning of the end, he was ready.

Spaniels have always been our favourite breed and I’ll always support charities who help them. 

Thank you for entrusting Dan to us x

 

 

Gone but not forgotten

Milly

Milly Hickmott NEWSSR 4293.That’s me walking also I now have a playmate called Jedi he also is a springer I was picked up on the 01/05/2013 from NWESSR when I was nine months old and went to live in Suffolk it was nice there going for walks and playing ball with Jedi that’s me sharing a bed with Jedi the he’s the black and white one.

In June 2014 we attended the NEWSSR fun day and Jedi came 1st in the best condition dog all breeds and I got special they must have known then that I would attack Jedi and I shacked when there was fireworks or even a storm coming and dribble a lot but the rest of the time I would have fun then in 2015 we all moved to Spain it was loverly I was still horrible to Jedi but he didn’t care that much by now he was used to it, I enjoyed the many days sun bathing outside and the walks also in the winter you was allowed on the beach and I could have a swim and over the years it was really nice with Jedi as my companion.

That was me and Jedi after our wash and cut for xmas on Boxing Day we went for a walk and swim on new years eve I was playing a game of tug the stick with Jedi and on the 01/01/2024 I didn’t eat much and by the time I got to see Pancho our vet I wasn’t eating and couldn’t get up he did a scan and found lots of masses and one attached to my liver and that day I walked over the rainbow bridge. Thank you NEWSSR for finding me my forever home

 

Gone but not forgotten

Baxter

My handsome friend Baxter (approaching his 14th birthday) has sadly joined my previous best friend Dylan up at the Rainbow Bridge. He left last week, when a stroke meant that his already poorly back legs resulted in them not working at all. My rule is always “no suffering” and so it was time.

 

Baxter was a very different boy to Dylan, who was a springer who could be aloof and chose his friends on his terms. Baxter was friends with everybody, human or canine. His total love and friendship were absolutely unconditional.

 

We were only together for just over two years’ but it seemed to me to be much longer. He was such a gentle dog, utterly selfless in his affection for all. Except cats. Baxter was not into cats and his elderly bones became young again when he set off in pursuit of one. 

 

He became a firm favourite with all my friends, especially when I was confined to hospital last year. He had lots of friends who wanted to take him for a walk.

I shall remember him running across the cliffs in Devon in 2021. He laughed as he ran about, enjoying the freedom so much. 

 

I was blessed by NWESSR to be allowed to look after his retirement. It was a privilege to spoil him in his later years and he will never be forgotten, not just by me but many others. He left us in absolute Baxter style, in total dignity and serenity having eaten his final bag of treats as he slipped into sleep.  

 

Thanks Baxter for being my best friend. Enjoy that Rainbow Bridge freedom.

 

Trevor.

 

Gone but not forgotten

Luna

6 year old Luna was the second NWESSR dog to come into my life.

 

What times we had!  She never got to feel comfortable with other dogs, so our walks were often at odd times off the day (or night) so we had the woods or fields to ourselves.  She became comfortable with other animals so we spent much time in various bits of the New Forest.

 

With people, Luna was very wary of strangers so the trick was to develop an introduction routine so she knew who her friends were. I was amazed how well she would recognise them in the distance when on the lead locally. But then she was a Springer and  also loved scent work, chasing balls, swimming and generally messing about.

 

During the pandemic she made a special friend of Theo – a young neighbour of mine – and when the rules allowed, she played with him and generally cheered up the neighbourhood. And he learned how to get her to obey commands and she was always fascinated by him.

 

Many people will remember Luna and it was lucky we came together for the all too short time we had, and it was six happy years until a quick final illness brought it to a close.

 

Thanks to NWESSR for what you do.