Hello everyone. I have been viewing the topics on COL for over a year, but being completely computer illiterate I have not had the confidence to join. However, a week ago, I discovered some threads from Pete and Jo about their cocker, Jarvis, and realised that he is litter brother to my Ellie so that gave me the push I needed.
I am mum to a wonderful orange roan cocker called Ellie and it is her third birthday today.
We had had 2 cockers as family pets before I was married, Dylan, a golden, then Rumpole, a blue roan and tan. I saw a lot of Rumpole after I married as I only moved a mile down the road but could not have a cocker living with me as I worked full time so it wasn't fair. After a few years I went part-time and my doggie maternal instinct overwhelmed me and I desperately wanted another cocker of my own.
My OH had never had a dog and could not understand my longing. It took a few years, yes a few years, but eventually he relented and said he would come and look at some puppies from the same place from where we had got Rumpole, but insisted it was just to look and nothing more. There was litter of golden puppies and with them was one beautiful 8 week old blue roan puppy from another litter who had all gone to new homes. She had been reserved from birth but the people had never even been to see her and had not turned up to collect her. OH picked her up and she licked him and then fell asleep on his chest and then cocker love hit him. He asked if we could have her, yes him who was adament that we were not having a puppy, wanted to take her home there and then. We called her Sophie and loved her so so much. We were very lucky to have her for 14 years, but even though I knew we were lucky to have her for so long when we lost her it was so so hard.
It broke my heart, just as it did when I lost Dylan and Rumpole and the poodles we had when I was little. I decided that that was it, I was not having another dog as I just couldn't love another one as much as I had loved Sophie (and the others). OH had other ideas. He, who was against even having a dog for many years, was adament that we were having another dog and as soon as possible. He dragged me out of bed where I was sobbing my heart out and said that I had to spend the whole day finding another puppy. I know to some people that might seem far too soon, but honestly it was the best thing for us.
I was new to the internet then and not very good at finding things, but over the next week I rang every cocker spaniel club who in turn gave me other people's numbers who in turn gave me even more people's numbers. Everyone I spoke to either didn't have a litter, had a litter but were all sold or were expecting a litter but were all sold. Still I battled on as no way were we having a puppy farm dog, which would have been easy as there is a dreadful place selling puppy farmed dogs not far from us, but it just encourages them to breed more. 3 years ago today I rang another number to get an answerphone, was leaving a message when the lovely breeder came on the phone and told me the puppies were being born as we spoke. She interrogated me thoroughly, which I thought was wonderful, and agreed we could have a puppy subject to her meeting us and being given her final approval, when the puppies were older.
The 5 weeks until we could go and see the puppies felt like 5 years but the day finally arrived. We were really struggling which one to choose as they were all lovely when Ellie climbed onto my OH shoe and squealed her heart out as if to say 'me me, choose me'. So that was our puppy, she had chosen us, and we are so glad she did. She has given us so much happiness over the last 3 years and we love her so very very much.
As a doggy person said to me when I lost Sophie and said I couldn't love another dog, "you can love another dog, you just love them differently". That is so so true.
Anyway my next hurdle to cross is to learn how to post photographs. It may take a little time as I really am computer thick, but I will learn and post some photographs of my beautiful little girl.
Would just like to say, all your cockers are wonderful too.
