This is tongue in cheek but may start a good thread!!!

Myself, OH and Pops (6mth old WSS) are moving back to UK around Christmas time (based in Dublin at the moment) and in preperation for this have sold my house and just moved into OH place for a month or two.

With the change in routine and environment I think I have accidentally stumbled upon the SECRET, the holy grail, the thing we all believe may be possible but never speak its name!!! the secret to a calmer Springer!!!!

The OH's place is smaller, has a smaller garden and cream wall to wall carpets!

BUT

unlike my house it has a REAL FIRE, an OLD SOFA in front of fire which we have given 'Poppy rights' and a LOUNGE CARPET.

Pops, being a typical 6mth old Welshie, normally doesnt spend much time chilling or relaxing , its go go go, sniff this sniff that, chew this, check out that with only short bursts of rest.

However tonight we have noticed a whole new phenonemum! something i thought wouldnt exist until 10 years time!, a chilled out & relaxed Poppy! throughout this evening Pops has been chilling and making like a starfish on the old sofa in front of a big open fire! She has done every sleep position known to man or dog! she's been on her back snoring like an old man, lying with her head on the carpet and rthe est of body on sofa (interesting!) and sleeping like a baby with the odd doggy dream (chasing cats i reckon!)

So there you have it!! - if you want a calm Springer in your life follow my advice:

Carpet the lounge, put a real fireplace in, pile up the logs and give up your sofa rights!!!!!

Must be why my two are sooo chilled and the 3 hrs walking /running today lol

Cream Carpet...... Tick
No room on sofa....Tick

Just need the coal fire.

LOL u know funny u should say this me and the OH were talking about it when we took dusty to the caravan he lay in front of the fire the whole time (not a real fire a gas 1 but same idea as we only have radiatores lol) no crazyness!! U really might have stumbled of upon the answer!! Good work

You will all hate me!
Got pale carpet,
Got two big pale squashy sofas, (in fact, featured on photo)
Got big log burning stove.

Dog from day one, not allowed on sofas, has to be clean(well, ish) to come in the lounge and lay on carpet.
Ok, is allowed to lay on big red rug by woodburner, toasting toes and dreaming of bunnies.

Has still been calm from day one.
Answer? I think it is that three hour burst of exercise which sometimes runs to eight! No other secrets.

Well, maybe just one little one, humans in the house tend to like being on the floor with the dog!
Sofas really are very clean!

Fippy pupster 4.5 months old...

Oh dear............so I need to convince hubby to knock through a wall and install a fire before pup arrives then?! Not even an electric one here!