Our 'Rugby'Springers 

When my son was 11 years old he asked if I would take him to watch his school friends play rugby at our local rugby club. We, including the dogs, wrapped up warm and went along on a cold Sunday morning.  The coach invited Karter to join in with practice and from that moment he was hooked.  Every Tuesday and Thursday evenings as well as Sundays were now all about training and playing. Rain, sunshine, wind, snow, whatever the weather, the dogs and I took to the road and off we went to support the team.

The dogs have every coat going, in fact more than me, they are prepared for every eventuality.  On the field I can’t fault them, they will sit and lay quietly, to joining in and jumping up and bark, cheering the lads on. People don’t always remember my name, I’m just Karter’s mum, but they’ll walk past and say hello to the dogs knowing their names.  Younger spectators will come over and ask to stroke the dogs. My Springers are happy to oblige, they love cuddles. Sometimes they’ll even take them for a wander while I’m engrossed in watching a game.

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My son is now 25 and is still playing rugby.  The club treats us as family and our English Springers are included in the rugby family.  They are welcome in the club house as well  as pitch side. It’s not unusual for the dogs to be treated to chunks of meat from the kind kitchen staff and even people having a pre-match lunch sneak food out to them.

Our youngest ESS is a proper boy's boy, and a huge fan of playing with balls and chewing the odd training cones given the opportunity.  It does make me chuckle when these strapping men walk past and you hear “Hi Murphy” as they come off the pitch and sit on the ground to cuddle him or Lexi rather than go to subs chairs.

I often get asked what breed they are. Sometimes I’ll be told they’re big Cocker spaniels and once I was told that my black and white boy Hobbes was a Munsterlander!  Our ESS go everywhere with us, they are part of the family.