Staffordshire pottery spaniels have become highly popular among collectors in recent years, especially among owners of Cavaliers and King Charles Spaniels. The area around Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire became known as "the Potteries" because of the abundance of local clay and coal which made it an ideal area for pottery and ceramic production. Among the many famous companies from this area are Aynsley, Doulton, Minton, Twyford, Burleigh, Beswick and Wedgwood. Although dog figurines were made by pottery companies in Staffordshire as far back as the early 1700s the main era for these fireplace mantle spaniels was between the 1840s through to the 1890s. Although many other dog breed figurines were made it is believed that the spaniels popularity was mainly due to the affection that Queen Victoria had for her small spaniels. Staffordshire spaniels soon became a favourite Victorian home decoration and soon came to epitomize Staffordshire ceramics.

For much of the twentieth century these pottery spaniels fell out of fashion and were regarded as a relic from the past, but since the 1980s their popularity has grown enormously and original Victorian figurines can command quite a high price. Quite a lot are now made in places like China and some unscrupulous dealers try to sell then off as originals, so please be aware. Most of the very early models were made by pressing two moulds together, and on these you can see a seam down the side. On the originals the interior surface was smooth, but much later they were produced by the slip-casting technique and have slight indentations. The early models have no holes but as many moulds still exist it can be easy to produce these figurines.

Above left is a very obvious modern day figurine while on the right is an original.

Until a few years ago Lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) was virtually unknown in the UK. It first emerged in France but has since spread to many countries in Europe, Africa and the Americas. When it was first noticed in the UK it was mainly confined to Wales and the South West of England, but it is now endemic in many parts of England and there has also been a number of cases reported north of the border in Scotland. It was first noticed in Scotland in 2008. Although it is now fairly widespread the actual numbers of dogs that get the disease is fortunately still very low. However, the very wet summer that we have had so far could cause a dramatic increase in affected dogs.

Lungworm is carried by slugs and snails and a wet summer can create a massive population explosion of these molluscs. Although slugs and snails give off a foul tasting substance as a defence mechanism to prevent them being eaten some dogs appear to ignore this! Some of these molluscs are very small and accidental consumption can easily occur. Also contact with the slime trail in food bowls or on toys may be sufficient to cause infection. It is therefore wise to regularly check your garden for these creatures and dispose of them. But please do not use slug pellets as these can also be dangerous to dogs if consumed. The lungworm larvae takes several forms as it develops within its host. It is first picked up by the slug or snail and if this is eaten by a dog it grows and then migrates from the dog’s gut to the pulmonary artery via the bloodstream. The pulmonary artery is a large blood vessel attached to the top of the heart leading to the lungs. The developing larvae then grows into the adult parasite in the pulmonary artery and lays eggs which move to the lungs via the bloodstream. In the lungs small nodules are formed containing eggs and larvae – these nodules cause many of the symptoms of lungworm disease by damaging the lungs and if not treated early can prove fatal. Dogs infected with lungworm can spread the parasite into the environment as the larvae of the parasite are expelled in the dog’s faeces. This increases the chances of other dogs becoming infected.

The first High School Musical movie was released in 2006 and since then the trilogy of films has become a massive hit among young kids. Last year Disney films produced a spin-off called Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure and looks at Sharpay Evans’ life after her graduation trying to get a role in a Broadway show. The film was released as a Blu-ray and DVD pack even before it was premiered on the Disney Channel. In the film Sharpay has a Yorkshire Terrier named Boi who falls in love and runs away with a beautiful Cavalier named Countess. She is pictured below with Bradley Steven Perry.

To see a few extracts and to watch Countess dance on stage check out the links below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNlUKI1jYos&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETU8NidPBPQ&feature=related

http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/sharpays-fabulous-adventure/

That’s a question that we are often asked and the simple answer is "Whatever is comfortable!" If your dog could choose he or she would probably say, "My owner’s bed!" For a young puppy we usually suggest using a strong but snug cardboard box with soft bedding in it. As the puppy grows you can increase the size of the box. If you buy a very small bed for a young pup it will soon become too small as the puppy grows and you will then have to buy a bigger one. It may therefore be wise to wait until the puppy is about three months old before buying a proper bed. There are very many types to choose from as shown below. There are soft beds, hard plastic beds, wicker beds, framed beds, etc. All are excellent and it is really down to your own personal preference.

Some people who have several dogs may like to have a separate bed for each dog. We have a few beds but our mob all prefer to share one!!!!

 

In early July the painting The Lock by John Constable was sold at auction at Christies for a massive £22.4 million! Towards the left of the picture and peering over the lock is a small dog that looks very much like a tricolour Cavalier type spaniel. It is quite likely that it is one because Constable had earlier painted a portrait of his mother Ann with a tricolour in her arms. It is doubtful if it is the same dog as the portrait of his mother was painted about fourteen years earlier but it could indeed be a relative.

This lovely little black and tan puppy emerging from the grass is Tasha, owned and bred by Leila Grandemange of Grandeville Cavaliers, WA, USA. This is probably one of Tasha’s earliest outings exploring the big wide world. Leila’s online page Pawz and Prayer has some great features and is always worth a visit at http://pawzandpray.com/