The Newest Member of the Farm ~ JOEY

Joey

How to describe him.....well, I just don't know. Kidding! Joey is a sweetheart in the best sense of the word. He'd never hurt a fly and is definitely the cutest little boy I've ever seen! His droopy eyes, and princely ears, well they just pull you in! You just can't say no to him! 

Joey was a present for Mom's birthday. Benji's getting up there in age and Mom has been compaining about not having a dog of her own. So my sister and I decided to get her a puppy! How original right? We drove 6 hours one way to pick him up. It was well worth it!! 

Joey is an English Springer Spaniel, bench type, (er, for those who don't know what that is, there are two different "types" of ESS, bench, and field. Field is obviously the working retriever, pointer, gun dog, and bench is the show type. It's funny because most Field type ESS look nothing like the bench type ESS, they actually look similar to Border Collies with long ears.) When we purchased him he was 4 months old, so he is now a very wise and mature....5 months! 

A little review on the ESS (English Springer Spaniel), while I don't particularly care for the looks of some of the ESS dogs, I do like Joey and how he looks, I would prefer if he didn't have such droopy eyes, but they seem to be perking up with each passing week. The ESS is a good bird/gun dog. Bred mainly for retrieving birds shot by their owners, they tend to be a little aggressive and untrustworthy around birds. What I absolutely love about this breed is their keen ability to recognize inside from outside. Inside they are very calm, quiet, and gentle, outside...well...that's another story. Joey has brought things out in the yard I didn't even know we had! Chewed most of it beyond recognition, but otherwise he is a princely little guy. He's so clumsy and uncoordinated at times he's just plain comical to watch. He has been deemed my "Foster Dog Energy Zapper" I've been using him to wear out my foster dogs so I can actually work with them and train them. He's quite adapt at it, I might add. Outside he's 90 to nothing. 

Mom really enjoys Joey, he's her baby. He keeps her company when Dad isn't home and when I'm not in a "company" mood and I'm being anti-social. I've taken over his training since Mom simply doesn't have the time being that she now works 6 days a week. But, enough blabbing from me. Here's the little guy.....