GYPSY (Princess Spanyella)
Sire: Gypsy King
Dam: Mitzi of Bannockburn
1982 - 1997
If I have a favourite dog, it would be Gypsy. Another English Springer, this time liver and white. Gypsy was 9 years old when she came to live with me. We already owned Jackdaw, and wanted a second dog, but not another puppy. I contacted the English Springer Spaniel Welfare, and was put in touch with Animal Samaritans, a charity that rehomed all kinds of animals, and was told that they had an adult Springer for re-homing.
I was thinking about a slightly older bitch, maybe 4 or 5 years old, but when I got to the kennels in Kent, I was presented with a very bedraggled and rather neglected looking dog. I know I wanted an older dog, but she was positively geriatric! My head told me this wasn't a good idea, but I put her on a lead and she walked like a dream, so - into the back of the car and back home to Wiltshire. I never regretted my decision, and had 6 wonderful years with this beautiful, intelligent dog. An MOT at the Vet, a change of diet and plenty of country walks turned her from a sorry looking dog into a proud and beautiful one. She even won rosettes at the village dog show, and it broke my heart when she died.