Beyond Adolescence - a thread to chat about grown up dogs, cake and anything else, excluding coffee.

[SpanielsGalore]

Not going to tag everyone as I don't know who wants to join. Welcome everyone. 😁

I have had two roofers here this morning. After the initial barking at heads appearing over the ridge, the dogs have been so good. They've sat in the garden and watched them working. Greeted them every time they came into the garden and didn't once try to bolt out of the gate. I heard one of the men telling them to 'stay' as he struggled through the gate with a bucket full of water, and then telling them they were 'good dogs'.
They've just finished and as they were leaving one commented on how calm my dogs are and not like 'normal spaniels'. See. Not all working cockers are 'high on crack' and 'manic'. 😇😇😇

Beautiful weather here today. 🌞 I unexpectedly got my car back yesterday. 🥳
Off to the woods to walk the adolescent nutter until she collapses in a heap. 😂

@VanGoSunflowers Eris does absolutely NOT need a pimp. She needs a good, cold, hose down.😳I'm not sure who was more mortified, the guy who owned the Dalmatian or me. I'm definitely never going to be able to look him in the face again a shame, as he's not unattractive.

You could get another puppy...in a few years. Maybe a nice little black cocker spaniel? I've always thought if I was going to get a spaniel it would be a nice black cocker - not quite sure why as I don't really care about fur colour. But little black cockers do seem to be particularly merry.

Syrup!? Nooo. I thought better of you😂Although if it was to get free shipping...and actually it'll probably be quite nice on vanilla ice cream?

The cake was the Hairy Bikers Chocolate Hazelnut one. Just with even more amareto than they suggest...

@Silverbirchleaf I shall leave @VanGoSunflowers to talk about the beans as she's recommended them to me before - I'm still working my way through my backlog of Union (I get Revelation - chocolate and treacle) and Red Brick (Costa Rica - chocolate and fruit)

All that sounds really tough with P having to travel @SpanielsGalore . Poor little P, she must be in a lot of discomfort. I hope they are able to help her and that you can get it done before the wintry weather sets in.

@VanGoSunflowers I am so gad you're loving your reading. I'd love to have your thoughts on Alchemised once you get into it.

As for this: I don’t know how those of you with heavier dogs than mine (who as you all know isn’t fully grown yet) manage!
The honest answer is that sometimes we just don't.

Hmmm @Silverbirchleaf @brushingboots I sort of love snow in theory, but then walking a bear becomes quite terrifying, especially being post menopausal and at risk of osteoporosis...

I can't keep up with this thread! Fortunately I have nothing to say on cake and coffee @LandSharksAnonymous because I'm a cheese butty and mug of tea kind of girl. Girl. Ha. Crone more like.

And whilst I'm glad that you're all loving your Dryrobes, I'm totally smitten with my Plant Hunter coat.

As far as Eris and her habits - our little tart left her "hello boys, I'm coming into season..." calling card in no less than 7 places on our walk today 😮
Pyrieberger anyone...?

@LandSharksAnonymous ha! My apologies for suggesting a pimp 😂 naughty girl. Especially as now you can’t look at the attractive dog walker!
I would definitely wait a few years if I was to get another pup, and I had a black cocker in mind too! Goth all the way, me 😂
The syrup is highly likely to be sampled once and put at the back of the cupboard. Or it’ll be served to my latte loving visitors while I take mine strong and black with no milk 😂 (mainly because I am lactose intolerant though more to my own consternation which is probably a good thing or I would have cream on literally everything including toast)

@CoubousAndTourmaIet I will absolutely let
you know how I get on with Alchemised. It’ll be a change in tone slightly, from what I can gather it’s quite a bit darker so it’ll be interesting to see if I can get in to it as easily or if I will give up and go straight for TOG! I’m very pleased to be back in to reading, thank you so much for recommending a new genre to me!
Also, you should know that Rave coffee also sells tea bags 😂

@CoubousAndTourmaIet naughty Brie! Imagine if all the boy dogs that live nearby turn up at your house in a few nights time - flowers and dog friendly chocolates at the ready? Or do we think Brie is more a bacon butty and a bum sniff type girl? 😁

I was very naughty this morning as I'm going into the office a bit late, in anticipation of working late, and stopped by my guilty pleasure coffee shop for a bacon and cheese breakfast roll (it was incredible - not greasy but the melted cheese was so oozy) and a giant quad-shot coffee. I'm practically vibrating on the train 😀As much as I love cake, nothing beats a cheese and bacon breakfast roll.

What are our collective thoughts on chip butties? Because I suddenly find myself craving one (possibly the significant amount of coffee talking?).

@VanGoSunflowers Perhaps @SpanielsGalore @YorkshireFelix @brushingboots can tell us what it is that is drawing us to the little black cockers (LBC for short because I love an acronym - my inner civil servant is coming out).

Have you tried lactose free cream? I think Waitrose do some...not sure it's up to much, but perhaps worth a shot?

I managed to get no sleep last night (hence the giant coffee this morning) as Hen has decided she now wants back onto the bed after a few nights of not wanting to be on the bed. So I spent all night with her bum about 2 inches from my nose, and Twatdogs face about two inches from my nose on the other side. And I know I bought it on myself by (A) having so many dogs and (B) letting them on the bed, but over the last few weeks they have all become incredibly clingy at night - actually ever since Clem's episode now I think about it...

I think he'd need to be Italian @LandSharksAnonymous , she enjoys a Lady and the Tramp moment with spaghetti. Vinny would probably be a good candidate with his background in the pizzeria though, and you know how much she loves a cocker 😉Ahem. Unintentional almost double entendre there 😳
Am I joining the LBC club...? 🤔Please don't mention the Pyrecocks.

Chip butties is what we scousers grow up on so I'd be lying if I said I didn't like them. I do tend towards oven cooked in e.v. olive oil these days (I know, posh scouse, me 🙄) so of course Brie is now hooked on chips too. Last night she had another fave, quad mash (potato, sweet potato, broccoli, grated Lancashire cheese). At this rate she really will be resembling Hyacinth the Hippo soon.

I can't envisage sleeping with two large hairy dogs on the bed without seriously overheating. Large hairy cats are bad enough, especially when you wake up with one lying on your chest staring at your face 😬

BBC/Met Office saying dry for us which is interesting, because it's raining. Our village is widely noted for having its own microclimate though, so it's not that unusual for our forecast to be way off. And I've got to walk down for a podiatry appointment so the Stockman coat can have an airing even if it does make me resemble a character from Michael Bentine's Potty Time 😂

(Do I win a prize for the most emoji's in one post? 😁)

@CoubousAndTourmaIet Ahh! In which case, it'll definitely have to be Vinny for Brie. As you say, with his background he should be able to cater to her needs 😳

Pyrecocks sounds like a terrible euphemism and a bad idea! Apparently 'Golden Spaniels' are now a thing...personal I think 'Golden Cock Retrievers' sounds like a far superior name but I imagine the name might put people off. Perhaps Eris is seeking a Golden Cock Retriever - it would rather explain her recent behaviour...

I love that Brie is living her best-gastro life. Last night's dinner sounds like a rather balanced meal in all honesty - probably better than anything my rabble have! Twatdog is quite the fan of a battered sausage, and Clem rather likes a bit of battered scampi but otherwise mine don't tend to eat human food - not unless it's fruit.

The hairy dogs are why I rarely ever put the heating on! I also sleep with a 2.5tog duvet rather than a proper one - even in winter😀

A 45kg hot water bottle is clearly a thing! Although it could all change once you hit the menopause...🔥

Sad but true - there would be a lot of money in both Golden Cock Retrievers or Pyrecocks. As I've said before here, there would be more demand for Brie's babies if they were poodle crosses than if we used a champion PMD stud 😞 No plans to do either btw. Hmmm. In a roundabout way you could say Eris wants to be a Golden Cock Retriever herself... or have I been reading too many spicy books? Better go back to Harry Potter for a bit.

Used to wake up with this in my face - not joking when I say that the builders who worked on our house were more intimidated by Hamish than by the dogs. He weighed 10kg and looked like a thug, but he was autistic and he had the voice of a tiny hamster, so his nickname was Hammy, aka shovelhead.

Apologies for the gratuitous cat photo, but hey, we've had cake photos so why not?

So, Brie is most definitely properly in season now - we have blood. It could explain the last few days of silly antics and being a bit whiny.

Good morning everyone! We are just back from a morning walk and didn’t see any other people or dogs the whole time! Yay!

@LandSharksAnonymous I very much admire the quad shot. I think I would have a panic attack on that much caffeine in one go 😀
I fully endorse a chip butty. Especially if the bread is freshly baked and you’ve spread a thick layer of proper butter over it!
I have tried lactose free cream and lactose free milk - both are really good actually and you can’t tell the difference! I used to get on ok with it but I’ve found it’s even hit and miss with those. I suspect it’s more of a milk protein intolerance. Some things I am fine with - cheese, kefir, butter - but milk and cream sometimes set me off. I do still have it sometimes though and just suffer the consequences 😂 it makes me feel all brain foggy and like I have mild flu 🤷‍♀️

@CoubousAndTourmaIet quad mash actually sounds delicious. And I don’t think you should stop with the spicy books 😊
I finished crooked kingdom last night and thought it was even better than six of crows!
I am totally here for cat pics. What a handsome boy 😍
I’m not sure about cock retrievers or pyrecocks or golden mountain spaniels. But I was just wondering what the result would be if we could somehow figure out how to cross all our dogs together 😂 prize goes to the best mash up of the breed’s names 😂

I also would love to know what makes LBCs so alluring ❤️

@CoubousAndTourmaIet well at least it's started! Hopefully it won't be too long and she'll be back to herself soon ❤

You have, perhaps, been reading too many books...but I agree. Eris is quite the Golden Cock Retriever. I hate to think of the mischief she's getting up to today at DMums house 🙄

Gosh your cat was huge! What breed was he? I feel you've said Maine Coon before, but that might be my imagination

@VanGoSunflowers Walks where you see no one are lovely, aren't they? 😁

Now I really want a chip butty. Sadly, all I have is canteen salad - and I have never seen a sadder offering in my life. It's gives the phrase 'limp lettuce' new meaning!

I know what you mean about suffering the consequences though. DH is gluten free and I've never known someone enjoy pain and suffering so much - his real guilty pleasure is cookies. He absolutely hates gluten free cookies and cakes. He won't touch them. But the amount of time he's rung me to say he's in pain because he ate a cookie or cake containing gluten. Sigh. Man enough to take the risk but not man enough to suffer through silently 😂

What about: A Golden Cock Retrieving Mountain Dog? (Golden retriever, cocker spaniel, labrador retriever, pyre mountain dog). Bit of a mouthful though. GCRMD 😳

Golden Cock Retrieving Mountain Dog or Gocoremodo (sounds like a South American reptile, but never mind) for short - brilliant! So when do we create the prototype? I think we could get it launched by spring or summer 2029...

You are correct @LandSharksAnonymous , Hammy was a Maine Coon. So really, an honorary dog. He was born an only kitten hence being the size of three normal cats in one hefty package😂Love my cats, but sadly only one little old girl remaining now.

I feel it's not a bad time for Brie to be in season, given that we're in a very rainy spell and there's also bonfire night coming up. It doesn't feel as frustrating to be restricted to a drive up to the moor rather than sticking to the village. Already getting very anxious about fireworks because of her being so noise sensitive, might ask my cousin for advice, but we'll also start playing some music again during the evenings and see if that helps.

New trilogy @VanGoSunflowers @LandSharksAnonymous
Will report back as to whether it's worth getting.

Golden cockerdor pie?

I'll get me coat...

@LandSharksAnonymous yes! I much prefer a walk when there are no other humans! This afternoon’s walk was the polar opposite. Dogs and people everywhere 😂 I ended up keeping P on the lead most of the time. The only time he wasn’t, he bolted over to say hello to a border collie that I hadn’t seen 🤦‍♀️
I’ve ordered that total recall book that I keep seeing recommended. Want to really double down on his recall. Which is perfect when there aren’t any people or dogs about. Hit and miss when there is.

The limp lettuce definitely doesn’t sound appealing! I hope you had something extra delicious and calorie laden for dinner to make up for it. I had to skip lunch today but my dinner was basically a fry up so I made up for it.

I see consuming dairy a bit like drinking alcohol. I know I am going to suffer the consequences tomorrow, but sometimes I do it anyway 😂 I do feel for your DH being intolerant to gluten though! Bread is one of the best things ever! Not to mention biscuits and cakes!

Loving the hybrid name suggestions 😂 @CoubousAndTourmaIet & @Bupster is anyone any good at using AI? I might try and get it to create an image of what this new breed would look like 😂

Also thanks for the book recommendations C&T and hope that Brie is ok with the season and the fireworks! It’s a rotten time of year for dogs isn’t it? My friend’s greyhound is terrified of them! We’ve had a few around here and Pablo hasn’t reacted to them so far, save for a mini half-arsed woof. I don’t know if that’ll change when they get louder and more numerous though!

@VanGoSunflowers I put it into Google Gemini - can you combine these four (named) breeds and it gave me this, which just looks like a large GR...

@CoubousAndTourmaIet so, a mix of all our dogs is a GR basically 😂
Very good looking AI dog though in all fairness.

@VanGoSunflowers My son and dh are both milk protein intolerant. Hard cheeses and butter they’re fine with , as the protein is processed out if it. Soft cheeses are a no-no. They drink goats milk as it has a much smaller protein, or soya milk.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet Gorgeous but scary cat photo.

Lovely image of a GR/Golden mountain spaniel etc.

Good morning all! Hope everyone is well this morning. It’s pissing it down here. Thank goodness for dry robes 😀

I have DS off and at home with me today. I used to find days having both Pablo and DS for the full day in the house quite difficult but I’ve realised this morning that it’s gotten much easier. They’re both currently chilling on the sofa with me, DS playing Minecraft on his switch and Pablo having a chew on a buffalo horn.

@Silverbirchleaf that explains why I can tolerate cheese and butter then! I usually use oat milk but I do prefer the real stuff. I haven’t tried goats milk in ages but maybe I will give it a go!

Morning all. 😁

Cold but sunny here, so I might not need to wear my new coat today.

I treated myself to a fish supper last night and made a chip batch. Very nice it was too. (Not sure my cholesterol will be thanking me though. 😂)

It also made me remember how much I hate driving in the dark. It's fine if nothing is coming the other way, but I get totally blinded by head lights coming at me. I blame the astigmatism. I must try yellow lens glasses this year and see if that helps.

Personally, I didn't want an LBC. Sorry K. I wanted a liver working cocker. A.K.A a choccie wocker. 💖 Hopefully I'll get one one day, although I think age and finances are against me. 😞

Well. I am rather unhappy. I've just taken my car into the garage - four new tyres as the tread would fail the MoT, four sets of break pads, new struts (for the boot to close it). My car only had it's MOT in April (at my local garage) and today it was in for a quick check at the local Volvo one before a long drive this weekend...so I'm really angry at my local garage because there is absolutely no way on this earth all of these issues could have happened in the last five months. Tbh angry doesn't really cover it. Price quoted was over £2K for all the work - 4x new tyres are about £1k!

And, I currently don't have £2K available (not even £200!) as it's end of the month (pay day Friday), and all money goes straight into savings/expenses to stop me spending it! Currently trying to decide which parent I approach first - I feel a bit like a teenager again 😭Although, of course, parents will be immediately reimbursed on Friday.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet how much did Hammy weight?

My lot don't mind fireworks to much, but I do really dislike them on principle. I knew a few people on MN give their dogs sedatives in the evening, but that doesn't really feel like a long-term solution to the problem given fireworks are pretty frequent from now until NY (at least near me).

The AI photo looks crazily like Twatdog (if he was groomed and his coat was a fraction darker)...

@Bupster Golden Cockador Pie has given me a bit of a craving for a steak and ale pie 😍

@VanGoSunflowers Did your DS join you and Pablo on the morning walk? I did find it got a lot easier once the puppies were trained and/or DDs got used to understanding that manhandling dogs did not end well for them (no serious bites, but a few sharp 'nips' of 'fuck off').

@SpanielsGalore I have to admit, one of the reasons I got my car was because of being blinded by headlights. The estate is always my go to for taking the dogs out in the day, but the SUV is used all the time in Winter - otherwise I do actually run the risk of driving off the side of the road. I've tried the glasses and they didn't help and even the tinted windscreen - which is apparently meant to help - did not help.

Ohhh. Fish and chips! What's your go to fish?

Poor K! If you want, I'll take K and reimburse you so you can get a choccie wocker...although P and N might be a tad upset? And I don't know quite how I would fit K into my house - we're already close to bursting😁

Morning all 🙂
Light rain here earlier but a bit of blue sky now, so hopefully we'll get out later.

Glad to hear that all is calm in your world @VanGoSunflowers with DS and P. I think we deduced early on that Pablo was going to be a fairly calm pup and given that your son is only primary school age I'm glad that is proving to be the case.

Chip batch sounds yum @SpanielsGalore 😋 Might be tempted to have chips tonight. I sympathise on the car lights issue - I have amblyopia and the bad eye even struggles with street lights these days.

Oh hell. Sympathies re car @LandSharksAnonymous - we're having to spend a fortune to keep ours on the road too. Hope your mum & dad can help out and keep you on the road.

Hammy was about 21lbs but he wasn't our biggest cat, that was Theo. He was spaniel size with enormous furry feet. They really are massive cats so they get along really well with the Pyries.

Missy, in her current delicate state, had an okay walk yesterday. Trotted straight past a greyhound and a doodle without even acknowledging their existence, but was all tail waggy sweetness for a cocker yet again. If I was into "woo" I'd say in a past life she had a pet spaniel.😁

I went out for an hour yesterday, which is a rarity (oh yeah, I know, I'm not setting a good example with separation anxiety training at all). Anyway, my chap was upstairs working, she was downstairs in the kitchen and he said there wasn't a peep out of her, but when I came back she was like a tiny puppy ❤ She went in circles around me with her whole body wiggling, then got hold of my hand. She is just so cute 🤗 We definitely have a strong bond and that makes me very happy.

@LandSharksAnonymous Were the tyres and brake pads flagged as advisories on your MOT? Unless you drive 1000s of miles a month, surely they wouldn't all need replacing already. How trustworthy are the dealership compared to the local garage? I'd be wondering if they were trying it on. Unless you have to put your foot to the floor to slow down and hear a screeching metal on metal noise when you do so. That's usually my sign for my brake pads needing replacing.

My (adult) children always approach me for a loan over their Dad. Probably because I just transfer the money to them and wait for them to pay it back. Whereas he would have to lecture them first, tell them he's living in poverty and then give constant reminders about it being repaid. Financially he's way better off than me, but he's more money orientated and into material possessions. And all my money goes on dogs. 😂

I drive SUV style cars as I like the higher seating positions and wanted a boot big enough for a 36" crate. Because I'm short, the sun visor doesn't help. Sunny winter days are a nightmare, as the sun never goes high enough in the sky. Gutted the yellow screens don't help. I shall be restricted to the six hours of daylight.

The go to fish up here is haddock. And everything is cooked fresh to order. No bulk frying and sitting under warming lamps for ages. It can mean a bit of a wait (although some places take phon orders and give collection times) but it's so worth it.
On a trip down to England once I went to what used to be my favourite chippy and wondered how I ever eat it. You could pour the grease out of the bag!

Have you forgotten K is only 8.5kg? She wouldn't take up much room. She could literally stand underneath one of yours. 😂
I do love her and wouldn't be without her. Even though she was a complete little shit yesterday.
My first cocker with all the issues was black. He was chosen by colour. I learnt my lesson and went for breeding over colour after that. P was the only pup available in her litter. (He kept the two blacks and sold the two liver and whites.) K's liver brother was available, but breeder advised the black bitch would be better suited to P. It was a very head or heart decision.

I’m a relative newbie to SUV and love it. The driving position is so much better, and the lights on it are so much better than my old Astra, which makes driving in the dark easier (but still not a fan).

Nice walk in the woods today.