If you follow us on Instagram / Facebook, you may have caught wind that we have a new puppy here at Farm Adventure Yorkshire!

Introducing Connie

First cuddles!

Ah the chewing!

To give you a little insight into the background ; Bonnie’s mother, Bracken, was 50/50 labrador/springer spaniel, and her father was pure labrador. So we figured that makes Bonnie 25% springer, and 75% lab right? Bonnie was a blonde / yellow bitch, with a beautiful flash on her chest which comes from the Springer influence.

So obviously with these things, Bonnie was part of a litter, and has brothers and sisters out there. Back in 2011 when Bonnie was born, all us owners joined a Facebook group so that we could all see how the siblings were doing, and just chat if we needed to!  So being part of this group, meant that when it felt like we were ready for a new four legged friend on the farm (aside the cows, sheep, pigs and cats!!), we could see if any of the descendants were having pups out there.

Bonnie & Connie

Long story … well kinda (!), but Bonnie has a sister called Scout who looked almost identical, and obviously a yellow lab. Scout had a couple of litters of pups. From her second litter came a pup called Nala (which of course is an awesome name!!) who, because of her dad, was fox red in colour. Now Scout was the same as Bonnie – 75% lab. The father of her pups was pure lab. So this means the Springer part gets diluted again, but it’s still there! So Nala is 12.5% Springer is our guess, not knowing exactly how genetics work ‘n all that!

Nala then met a handsome labrador (fox red again), and had her first and likely only litter of 10 pups! Eeeek … any mother / parent winces at the thought of one, nevermind 10!! So she has 5 girls and 5 boys, beautiful fox red labrador puppies.

I managed to get in touch with the owners of the pups, told them who we were, and they were soooo lovely, and happy to let us have one of the pups, knowing where our chosen pup would be going to live … on a beautiful farm in North Yorkshire!

She is Bonnie’s great Niece is the point of all of the background information! We wanted another pup from the same bloodline because Bonnie was such an amazing pooch, inspite of her short life of only 8 1/2 years, she was everything we wanted in a dog.

Connie was born, and came to live with us in January 2021, and has been a very good distraction in these COVID times! Distracting me from the business heartache that we are going through. Seriously, she is a pain (because she’s a pup!!), but just when I get time to be on my own with her on a walk … the distraction is amazing. And the rewards are so imminent. I mean if only for the strange positions she sleeps ; see our Insta!

As a farm dog, some of the first things she needs to learn and do well at, is to behave around the animals. You can’t blame a puppy for getting excited when other strange animals are there, but if you can, you train them as soon as they are on the farm, to behave. I’m no expert, but when I have an opportunity with our own sheep to show Connie the ropes, I will take it. And the only way I find to do this … is to use my bloody annoying high, excited voice, and with a pocket full of treats, as soon as she gets excited, get that recall going! She’s a lab, she’s food motivated, and I’ve been on it since Day 1 with making her understand what recall is and how much fun it is!!

Today, when out on our walk, she spotted a cat, gave chase, and then out popped a pheasant from the bushes as well. I went into excited recall mode, and she actually came back!! Tomorrow could completely fail though, so I’m taking today’s win!

Hanging out with the family

Enjoying her space and trusting her. She didn’t run everywhere on the farm when she came here – her confidence has grown over the past month. That in itself becomes more of a danger for her running off / doing things she shouldn’t!

Clearly relaxed with the kids!

Meeting the Cattle. She won’t go up to them fully yet, but they are intrigued with her as well!

So as much as she’s been so much fun, she’s like every other puppy out there … learning many things, including confidence, what’s best to chew, what tastes good (to a dog, that’s anything!), and what she can just have a lot of fun with!

Eggs are very tasty and healthy! Note to Self : I will not leave the bowl of eggs out in her reach! She literally helped herself to this one!

The Pre-washer! She has a love of the dishwasher now! To clarify now, this is in our home! We would NEVER let her do this in any of our catering areas!!!

The Andrex Puppy. Someone didn’t get the memo that it’s covid times and this stuff she’s currently shredding, is a little important!

Merchandise Destruction. She has no respect!

I’ve realised that actually with no-one here in North Yorkshire, it means I can hopefully get her to a point where she will be trustworthy with clients and everyone visiting! Bonnie was just so easy and laid back. Some may remember that she would just be hanging out in your accommodation with you during your stay, and I’d have to call her away from your party to come home to bed! The next challenge is to get Connie to that point too!

I mean, butter wouldn’t melt 😉

Rob & Connie. Rob’s a friendly farmer really .. he just spent 5 minutes trying to get a nice picture with Connie while she jumped around, biting him, and generally being a pain!!

First time in the snow. Actually didn’t want to spend too much time in the cold wet stuff – it’s a little different when you’re so low to the ground!

Exploring the fields! There are quite a few hazards for a pup, including great big water troughs which are fun when they have a big sheet of ice on top!

So, fingers crossed, she’ll start to meet some of you when our first doors open for Farm & Tractor Experiences, along with our accommodation! God, I’m just expecting her to keep running off with slippers, bags, coats – anything you bring with you! I’m sorry in advance!!!!! 😉

Laura xx