Ellie the Wonder Dog

Ellie in her prime !



My lovely little Ellie, the dog who can make all the small people sing, was quietly put to sleep this morning at 11am. She was 18 years 4 months, and was the oldest registered Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in the world. (NB I say registered - there may be others who are unregistered!) She had a long and very eventful life, and I am very sad she has gone. It was , however the right decision, she had lost so much weight and was often barely able to stand.

Like humans, however her appetite was still fine, but she would only be tempted with the finest chicken breast, mature cheddar cheese or chocolate - yes I know it is bad, but she came through unscathed! I bred her myself, and she then became an engagement present for my daughter and now ex son in law, but when Baby C came along she guarded her so much that she had to come and live back with me in Paradise, so here she has been for her last 7 years.

Please go on the youtube below and find out what a remarkable little soul she was. It is an interesting watch for me, it is the school where I taught all those years ago, and where my daughter was also a singing teacher. The little girls you see are now women, probably with babies and puppies of their own, but they all remember Ellie and the bunnies, in the teaching room, being Mummy to the 4 wild rabbits.

You will enjoy it!

She sat by my side when I taught, and as in my earlier post, was such a draw for tiny little singers who found her such a comfort, and took away some of their shyness. I shall miss her!

Only once did she object to the 'noise' in the room, a particularly high and loud young soprano was singing her scales (remember from the top down!), and Ellie must have had quite enough (sensible dog!), and she rushed off her bed and hurled her little body at the singer and howled like the true closet wolf that she was! For the rest of the time I taught that particular youngster, she always made sure she left the room and escaped to the safety of the kitchen....others sang as high, and maybe louder, but A must just have resonated at a frequency that made Ellie shudder.

Maybe at sometime in the future, when I stop all the travelling to competitions, concerts and masterclasses, I might consider another little Cavalier puppy, but Ellie the Wonder Dog will be a hard act to follow.