“Where have you been?” I hear you all saying. 🤔 (And a big THANK YOU to those of you who did contact me to ask if I was OK. I was genuinely touched by your concern). But, the truth is, I’ve not been anywhere, very interesting anyway. That’s why I’ve not really had the opportunity to take any photos. OK, Jude and I did go to the County Show towards the end of August (and I may yet post some pictures of that), but otherwise it’s been a case of playing golf and looking after a new addition to our family, called Tomos…
Jude and I have been considering having a dog for a while but, as we’re always going here, there and everywhere, we’ve never really found the ‘right time’ or had the opportunity. However, last summer, we bit the bullet and chose Tomos from a litter of 9 English springer spaniels. As you can see from the pics below, he’s grown somewhat in the past 6 months… And, as any dog owner will tell you, when they’re young, they do take up a lot of your time.
It was thanks to Tomos that yesterday I went to ‘reccy’ a short walk around Coed Cymerau Isaf (wood). As you can imagine, he likes to run free, off the lead and I was looking for somewhere a bit different from the usual fields and beaches nearby. Key elements are a relatively enclosed path with a lack of sheep or other animals for him to chase and this walk looks to be perfect. 👍👍😊
Alittlebitoutoffocus 
Hi Mike,
Long time no see… 😉 Now I know you had a very good reason. Tomos has grown a lot since he came into your home. Now comes the time that he can accompagne you on a hike. As I can read, he liked the walk trough the woods and he followed without a lead. That’s how it should be… I’m sure you will have a good friend with Tomos and he with you both. Give him a big hug and we hope to see more of him in your new adventures.
My best wishes for all of you and many greets,
Rudi
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Thanks Rudi. 😊 Though I didn’t actually take Tomos on that walk, as I wasn’t sure if it would be suitable. I also did another short walk afterwards (post to come), again to check the route, but it had too many open fields, with sheep, and a dangerous drop into a stream, so I’ll not be taking him on that one. He’s also limited to how far he should go until he’s at least 1 year old, so the big hikes with him will have to wait. 🐶
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Can he play golf?
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I had high hopes that I might be able to teach him to at least find golf balls, but on the evidence so far (he didn’t spot his, much bigger, ball which was only a foot away from his nose), I have no chance! 😌
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🤣🤣😂
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To be fair he is now learning to play ‘scent’ games, where he finds hidden objects and that might lead on to golf balls. Like Baldrick, I have a ‘cunning plan’ to spray my golf balls with some sort of smell and see if he can find them. I just hope he doesn’t pick them up and either chew them or run off to the other side of the fairway – unless I can train him to drop them next to the flag… Now there’s an idea! 🤔
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Sorry for my mistake Mike. I know that your dogs are limited in their walk as I had always dogs myself. We had Golden Retreivers and they started to make longer walks when they were more than 6 month (medium walks). In those years they were most of the time not on a lead, excepts on the streets. They were well trained and we had never problems with cows, sheeps. They seemed to understand that it were no play mates. The only animals that got their interest were rabbits but as they found out that they were to fast they lost this interest too. Their biggest interest that lasted their whole life was water….. they loved to swim !
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So far he loves to chase anything that moves… his ball, birds, butterflies, leaves blowing in the wind and sheep if they don’t stand still! The breed is supposed to love water and swimming but, so far, he’s only ‘paddled’. But then, the water temperature is quite chilly, so I don’t blame him at all!
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He’s still a young dog and they always act like crazy on everthing that moves. Their way to discover the world 🙂
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Yes, he’s certainly very inquisitive and active. I think that was one of the reasons we chose him out of the litter. All the other pups went back to their bed after eating but he went off exploring. He loves to sniff around and we’re now starting to play ‘hide and seek’ with e.g. one of our gloves. The only trouble is once he’s found it, he runs off deliriously happy and won’t bring it back!
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Pingback: Ceunant Cynfal (Gorge) Walk from Llan Ffestiniog, N. Wales | Alittlebitoutoffocus
Ha ha ha, a problem to be solved, he must learn to apport 😉
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Very welcome back, Mike! Finally! I have been waiting for this post for a long time now. What an adorable, sweet, four-legged family member you have by your side now and for many years to come 🐕💙 Tomos will for sure be an invaluable companion when you are out exploring nature and going for long walks. Yes, of course you know that, you’ve already started. Looking forward to accompanying you on your hikes. Now you can put the golf clubs on the shelf. 😁😂
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Thank you Anita! I knew you would appreciate a few pics of the puppy! As you will appreciate more than most, he’s not happy when he’s on the lead and loves to sniff here and there and explore. The issue currently is getting him back onto the lead when we encounter other dogs or whatever in open countryside. But we’re working on it. 🤞🤞😊
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Sounds great! With patience and determination you will get there. Tomos is learning fast now that he is still so young 😁
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Wow, Tomos has grown in just six months! Glad to see you back, Mike. It’ll take some time practicing and growing, but I see a new budding hiking pal!
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Yes, he seems to get bigger by the day. But it’ll be another 6 months before we can both go on any ‘big’ hikes. Hopefully he will have learnt to come back to me when I call him to put on the lead by then!!
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