"What's a tweet up?"

Bugler and Jaunty greeting Tilly in the usual way!

A while ago - maybe a couple of years or so - I asked this question. I thought social media was all about communicating with people you didn't know except through twitter or facebook.
No!
It seems that all over the place people who have 'met' and been friends on social media for ages or sometimes only for a little while decide to get togther and meet up. In the case of twitterpals, it's called a tweet up.
We've had one of those today.

Gunner welcoming Albert and his 'dad' August 2015

We've 'known' Albert Spanner for quite a while - since the BestestGundog first joined Twitter. Of course, at first we didn't know we knew him, he was just someone we followed and who followed us. But over time familiarity grew and the characters developed and Albert & Gunner became friends.
And then last August Albert came to visit. Bringing pressies & treats.. which Gunner rather liked. He lives down in Cornwall so it wasn't just a quick whizz down the road.
And today Albert came back and brought his new
sisfur (sister!) Tilly - and some rather nice treats again - with him. And, of course, this time Skipper got to meet his Uncle Albert too - which was all very exciting, and a bit daunting, cos he's been tweeting with Albert all his life........
Luckily the weather was kind again so Albert,Tilly, Jaunty and Bugler all got to go on foot to the local pub - where they were joined by the Big Boss and Skipper (socialisation school we called it) ... and then back on foot too.....

By paw to pub and back - tough luck guys!

Albert & Jaunty managed to run probably twice as far as everyone else but luckily we found some large puddles en route and a rather nice bowl of water not too far from the end...... much to Jaunty's delight.... Never one to hold back, he jumped right in and had a good old wallow - tough on anyone else who wanted a drink.... Did he care? I think Not.....

"Mind if I get a drink too Jaunty" said Albert

And then back home it was rest time for Jaunty & Bugler whilst Skipper continued his socialisation schooling out on the terrace where there was more talk and cupsateas (as Skipper calls them), whiling away a pleasant few hours on an English summer's afternoon...... What could be nicer?
A thoroughly relaxing and enjoyable day spent in the company of some very friendly dogs....... and, amazingly, they did all get on - no doubt because they'd all known each other for such a long time.....

Socialisation School #1

Socialisation School #2

There was a lot of snoring going on in the evening........ We shall do it again...... and with other twitterpals too if we can organise it...... and now we all know what a wonderful thing a tweet up is....

Gunner's Calendar - July Pic

Gunner 10 August 2012

Gunner was 5 when this photo was taken. It's in what was our special running and training area - not that Gunner and I were doing much training when he'd got to this age. Although I know differently now - thanks to young Skipper and Co. - I didn't think there was much else I could teach the dog after he'd done 4 seasons of work. So, we just used to go down to this area and hunt about and then sit around in the long grass and watch the birds flying around us.  This particular piece of ground lies below and alongside our own fields and, being poor quality farming land, was always left fallow so was a haven for wildlife. We often saw snipe, newts and other creatures we couldn't identify in the long grasses. Gunner thought it was great for hunting in and would snuffle and sniff all over the place.  No other people (except the farmer very occasionally) ever went there. No other dogs either;except one, who I think belonged to a local farmworker and which used to be given a run on the 'way to work' very first thing in the morning, but only for two or three years. So it felt like it was 'Our Place'. It always will now.  Soon after this photo was taken the land was fenced off for 'beasts' and several ponds were scraped out, which were supposed to attract wild life. Strangely, there is less wildlife there than formerly which is what happens when man interferes with nature. Anyway, I don't go down there anymore with the dogs.  Also, the land is now incorporated within the territory of a local shoot so dogs are most unwelcome, especially spaniels... though goodness knows why when they are welcomed onto other local shoots. But then, this particular shoot owner is quite neurotic!!!
Anyway, on this particular day we had been mooching about in the long grass, the sun was shining and the birds were singing and it seemed all was right with the world. Gunner was happily relaxed and had just caught sight of some Canada geese strutting around not far away from us...... he never missed a thing....