Chewy's Blog

Chewy's big moments from the last year - moving house from Warrington to Saughall - learning to poo and wee outside, learning "paw" and "wait". Learning about tummy tickles, snoring, sleeping in his bed with us, that water is great - but you don't swim according to Chewy you stick your head under water and blow bubbles.

Given that Chewy had been locked in a shed for 6 years before he became our awesome "long boi" and had to learn everything. He is living proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks. No one should ever think that a rescue dog no matter what their background is a bad idea.

Next up is coming away with us in our camper van and being at our wedding. Willow is our ring bearer (we love Chewy but he'd only get in a sit-chew-ation which is what we call it when he gets tangled).

We love him so much - here's some photos from today*. There's some of Willow his best friend and little sister.

All the best Mark & Cat

A year ago, on January 4th. we went to see the wonderful people at CAESSR to meet our "long boy" who has quickly become an indispensable part of family.

When we picked him up he was scared, confused and so thin you could feel his backbone. This was all despite the love that CAESSR had shown him - he just wanted a safe place with humans who love him.

In the year since Chewy became an Ormerod some highlights have been ....

• Learning how to get on the sofa
• Learning that being on the sofa is amazing.
• Learning what stairs were and how to go up them
• Learning that the weird blue stuff is called water and is AMAZING
• Learning to blow bubbles (but still no swimming)
• Learning that snuggles are AMAZING
• Learning that tennis balls, doggo toys, boxes, pens, wires,
• Playstation controllers, paper, pencils and post are AMAZING especially
  if you chew them
• Learning that if you sometimes come back when called you get treats
  and cuddles
• Learning that if you get hopelessly lost dad will womble round for
  hours until he finds you
• Learning that if you get stuck behind a fence with a hole *right* next
• to you dad will cut himself to shreds in order to pick you up and rescue
  you
• Learning that you can actually go through the hole in the fence a few
  weeks later

But best of all he's learnt that he's our Chewy and we love him so much.

Here's to another amazing year with the most wonderful spaniel we could have wished for.

There's so many happy memories of our CAESSR rescues its hard to know where to start but here's our attempt, starting in June when ...

Chewy continued to go from strength to strength as his fitness came back. He filled out, learnt about the joy of weeing on molehills (to this day we fear that to the diminutive Talpa europaea his approach is synonymous with that of a god of foul smelling rain) and running around in random directions. He was happy. For a few weeks we were only able to walk him on his own and whilst he bonded so well with us he lacked a canine companion to teach him the art of dog. As a result, the concept of doing anything other with water than drinking or sploshing through the shallowest and stillest of puddles was still anathema to him.

So in early March when we crumpled and welcomed a small golden ball of energy otherwise known as Willow into our lives I had hopes that she might help him with his sense of aquatic perplextion. Despite her being a rescue too, her background meant that she was already a pretty confident little girl despite the upheaval of being kennelled and losing her routine.

On her first proper off-the-lead outing she went from prim and proper princess to mud splattered bog snorkeler in a matter of seconds leading to her first bath with us. The result of the initial rinsing was a large volume of what looked like a rather fine, thick gravy. Much warm water and plenty of doggo shampoo later she had pretty much reverted to her initial colour, smell and texture. On her next outing we passed the old Latchford canal – now in the care of the Wildlife Trust and a wonderful overgrown haven beloved of ducks, kingfishers, geese and midges, into which Willow dove nose first and proceeded to happily swim in circles.

Chewy had a lightbulb moment – something which, bless him, is something of a rare occurrence – and to our amazement jumped in after his little sister. Not being sure whether he should sit there and float or sink – sadly he doesn’t seem to possess the canine innate ability to swim – Willow took him in paw and the two of them proceeded to go ballistic. Despite still not having learnt to swim he absolutely loves water with his little sister having given him the confidence to try and enjoy it. Chewy’s favourite method is to wade out until he is up to his chest and then proceed to stick his head under water in order to blow bubbles.

The lesson from this is that life for Chewy and Willow seems to be much more fun with a canine companion. Willow has taught him so much since she became part of the family and its a joy to see how much he copies her mannerisms. His first actual trip into the sea was spurred on by Willow jumping into the surf like a pro. He immediately hared off in the direction of North Wales leaving a trail of spray and befuddled seagulls behind him.

We have no doubt that in Chewy’s case his little sister has been instrumental in letting him grow into the confident happy dog that he is now. And of course we’re incredibly grateful to CAESSR without whom we wouldn’t have these two wonderful spaniels with all their soggy exuberant joy in our world."

Thank you.

We first became aware of Chewy (or Lenny as he then was) as a rescue sprocker who needed urgent adoption as he was struggling in kennels. As
soon as he came out of his pen we fell completely in love with him and since then he's continued to become an indispensable part of our family.

Poor Chewy had been kept shut in a farmer's shed for the first 6 years of his life so everything has been a new and exciting adventure. Over
the last few months he has learnt to swim, sit, play with toys and recall.

Sadly Chewy has a serious heart condition which means following initial surgery (his previous owner neglected to address this) he has a requirement for regular medication and check ups for the rest of his life. This doesn't impact on his day to day happiness however and you couldn't ask for a more loving, loyal or happy spaniel.

Having two sisters - one an 11 year old rescue staffy cross and the other an 19 month old CAESSR cocker has helped him to learn how to "dog". Its been a
joy to watch him fill out and grow from a skinny scared boy to the chunky happy-go-lucky bundle of sprocker he is now.

Thank you

Mark and Chewy