Nicole's dogs: Annie and Grace, both Labradors, and Lily, a Springer Spaniel (pictured above with their cousin, Stanley)
If you've been to one of the many shows we attend every year, the chances are you've met Nicole. She works most weekends in show season! When Nic is at HQ, she's either loading the show van or packing orders. She's a dab hand at embroidery too. As a qualified Vet Nurse, she's our in-house expert when one of the dogs is poorly and the voice of reason on all things dog. She loves the outdoors and spends all her free time camping and hiking with the dogs, gundog training or picking up at the local shoot.
In a dog obsessed office, she's next level...
GRACE
Grace, 4, is a pretty yellow Lab. Bought for gundog work, she's hardworking, loving and skilled. Grace is also neurotic, shy and unpredictable! One minute she's scared of you, the next she's cuddling up so close it feels like an invasion of your personal space. We don't really know what goes on in Grace's head, but she's a lovely girl and a great companion to Nic when bagging another Wainwright in the Lakes.
LILY
Lily, 5, a Springer Spaniel, was also bought as a puppy for gundog work. Extremely loyal, she's a constant and faithful companion. For a Spaniel, surprisingly, she has zero disgusting habits - unbelievable we know! She lives life to the full as a trained gundog by Nic's side and is a great all rounder, enjoying all aspects of gundog work with joy and sheer abandon.
ANNIE
Oh God, where do we begin with Annie...her life story needs a book not a blog. Nicole adopted her at 11 months when she came in for treatment at the Vets where she was working at the time. After having all her teeth out on the right hand side, it was discovered she had a neurological condition. As a result of all this, her tongue flops out on the right, she drools a lot and her walking style is a bit ploddy - but don't tell Annie that, she thinks she's THE QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE. Annie's health problems have resulted in her achieving legend status, especially in her own mind. She has an enormous ego and to be honest, is completely deluded. Nic is her servant and Annie is the master. If Annie doesn't get what she wants, she has a massive strop and fumes for days. She's sassy with a capital S and a character with a capital C. In her world, others serve her, she is perfect, humans stupid and dogs OK-ish. Unsurprisingly, her complete disdain of everyone just makes us love her more...she's fabulous.
TOP MODEL MOMENT
Lily wears size M/L in our Drying Coats after a long day of gundog work to keep her warm on her way home. Being a Spaniel, she loves water and is often soaked, but even when she's not her Drying Coat will help her muscles stay warm after working and prevent Nicole's truck from getting covered in muck!
Keep your eye out for the next instalment of The Office Dogs!
Next time, we'll be talking about Alison's pups: Lovely Lulu and Mischievous Mac!