How Holly has changed

It's only a few weeks since Gravel died and I do miss having him about. However, the sense of loss is mitigated greatly by having Holly in the house and while it was a bit of a mistake to take on two dogs, it's been nice to have a 'spare'.

Holly is very different in character to Gravel, who always liked to be sitting next to you. Dogs are as diverse in their nature as people and Holly likes to have her own space; she's never been a knee sitter and it's interesting to see how she has changed now that she's the only dog in the house.

She and Gravel always got on quite well, although she was definitely top dog, and when we first got her, she learned a lot by watching him. Little things like holding a bone in her paws to chew it, swimming, crossing dykes and chasing pigeons were all new activities. I never thought I'd see a Springer Spaniel that didn't swim, but Holly didn't. It took a great deal of paddling and watching Gravel (who was half seal) before she took the plunge. I think falling through the thin ice on the Thorney River also helped.

Now Holly is totally at home in the water - lake, river or sea - as the picture (below) taken at Holkham Beach by Tom Rayner on 1 Jan, 2013 shows.

When Gravel was put down and we brought him home, I let Holly see and sniff the body. She was curious and wasn't obviously disturbed by Gravel's death. When we buried him, she took little interest in the excavation or the burial. She has had a good sniff around the grave from time to time and Margaret swears that she's respecting the ground by not walking across it. I said that was probably because there's a large pot filled with geraniums in the middle of the plot, but Margaret is convinced that she's treating it as hallowed ground.

The main thing I've noticed is that Holly is much more relaxed. There's no competitiveness and no jealously, so things happen more calmly. In the morning, I get up to make some tea and take Margaret and myself a cup upstairs to drink in bed. The dogs always slept in the kitchen, but were allowed upstairs in the morning for a fuss. They loved that (and the opportunity to get on a bed), so there was a batttle to be first through the kitchen door, get the inside track on the turn up the stairs, gallop upstairs three at a time and then the final turn into the bedroom. It was always a mad scramble and Gravel, who was slower than Holly, especially in the past year, would often use some cunning to get on the stairs first and then manage to baulk her to reach the landing in the lead. Now she's on her own, Holly is no less keen to get upstairs to wake Margaret with a good face-lick, but she trots through the door. It's as if she's going out for a jog, rather than the start of the 100 metres dash.

In the evening, we often used to be sitting on the sofas with a dog each at our side. If Gravel jumped off the sofa, Holly would jump up in his place. Now she's alone, she will sometimes sit next to Margaret for a short period, but prefers her own space on her own chair (which Margaret has created by putting a dog blanket on one of the armchairs). Sometimes I go across and give her a stroke, which she appreciates, but she won't come and sit next to me.

Holly is much calmer all round and this is also reflected in her feeding. She is now often turning down the chance to lick a plate, which she'd previously have done just because Gravel would. I put some scraps in her bowl and she came to have a look and then went back to the lounge to carry on her snooze. When we had the two dogs, I'd have shared out any scraps evenly and they would both have been waiting expectantly for whatever was being put down.

It's also much easier for Margaret to walk one dog, rather than two and also to allow Holly off the lead in the park. Previously, it would have been something of a struggle holding onto the pair of them. I could manage it, but it could be hard work, and Margaret suffered with a sore thumb when she tried. Also, in the park, Holly would play for hours with a ball, but Gravel would wander off, down a dyke, chasing pigeons and pretty soon you had no idea where he was. Now, Margaret can take Holly to the park, enjoy a game of fetch, walk round the edge to cool down and then (if they're both in the mood) do it all over again.

The other favourite trip is to come to the station in the evening to pick me up. Holly enjoys a trip in the car (all our Springers have been good travellers) and she is now often waiting at the station exit with Margaret. She's often being stroked by some strange chap (Holly, not Margaret) and rarely spots me until I'm out of the door. Another new treat is to park up at Car Haven and walk through town to the station to meet me. These are exciting and stimulating trips for a dog and when we get home, Holly often just jumps on her chair and goes to sleep.

I wouldn't want to say Holly is happier without Gravel, but she is certainly more relaxed and (well) happier.