I’d forgotten that when you have a puppy, there is a type of person you run into who is compelled to give out unsolicited advice and opinion, much like when you have a baby.

What has surprised me is the number of those people who, upon seeing you have a Cocker Spaniel, intone in a sombre and knowing manner, that we do know don’t we, that our puppy is going to be full of energy for much of her life, and thus will need a lot of exercise and input.

To those good people I say, for the record, yes, we do know this. Getting a Cocker was a deliberate choice. We do a lot of active stuff. We enjoy training a bright dog and having her involved in our daily activities. Just like our old dog.