Ralph was a Springer Spaniel.
He was a merry beast with a sense of fun that never left him in his nearly sixteen years.
There was nothing better in his opinion than running for miles, chasing rabbits, seagulls, ducks and sometimes, less successfully swans.
He loved to be dirty and sort out foul smelling detritus to roll in. Well it disguises their smell when hunting. Dogs aren’t stupid you know.
He didn’t just use disgusting things to roll in either.
There was no meal more delicious than a rotten fish washed up on the beach, a decomposing pigeon, crunchy beak and legs too, or other things that you really don’t want to know about.
He would have died, of course, on his chosen diet, if his bowels hadn’t been so super efficient.
I will not tell you why canine diarrhea and Georgian floor boards are a bad combination but, believe me, they are.
So if you are wondering why Ralph was such a wonderful pet, it was because he was fun, lively, faultlessly obedient when he knew he would not get away with evil, and the very epitome of man’s best friend.
He laughed at my jokes, played my games, and snuggled up to me when I needed uncritical love.
He knew all my secrets too because he was always so understanding when I consulted him on serious issues. His advice was always good and it was always what you wanted to hear.
The truth is, if you are feeling down and depressed, he said, go out to the woods and run around like a mad thing until it is time to eat and go to bed. You humans make such a fuss about unnecessary things.
He was also a very beautiful puppy:
Springer Spaniels rule, OK!
This animal series is a delight. Thank you.
Wish I had a pet. I had a rabbit, 4 chickens and two parrots and some fishes when I was kid and a cat with eloped from me lol…
But when i grew, due to the unpleasant incident with a stray dog, now i am scared to have pets :(. I hope someday i over come it.