Through A Dog's Eyes

The Beginning

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 17:40:35 GMT

I came into the world one hot July day but I remembered little about it. I only knew that I was surrounded by warmth and licks from my mother whose name was Heather and my siblings. Sometimes I got occasional glimpses of my father whose name was Jack but not often. I saw the light of day for the first time in something they call a kennel. It was a place where animals like me stayed whilst their humans were away. The people who owned this kennel also bred dogs - Border Collies and Bichon Frise.

We had “maids” to look after us and keep our living quarters clean. It was a noisy place with constant barking. The Bichons were opposite my family and they yapped all the time but my mother told us to ignore them and always behave like ladies and gentlemen which we did. Now and again, different people would walk in and stand looking at puppies. Quite often they would disappear with a puppy and we would never see it again. We did not know where they went or why.

Everyday was pretty much the same but, regular as clockwork, a day would come around which was a bit different because the kennel closed much earlier on that day. I did not like this day much because we were left to our own devices for many hours. Well, it just happened to be that particular day and I knew it was time for the maids to shut up and leave us because we had just had our lunch. I and my siblings were on solid food by then. So, I was very surprised when a lady and gentleman walked in. I was curious. They did not even spot us, they went straight to the Bichons. Strange things these dogs were, bundles of white curly hair and they seemed to be on springs, leaping up and down all the time. Well, this couple stood there looking at them and the man shook his head. He was obviously not impressed. The lady continued to talk with the kennel owner but the man wandered over and suddenly saw us. He called the lady across. She came and looked at us and shook her head. I heard her say something about “big feet” and “big dogs”. I gathered later that the man had told the lady that she could only have a small dog and she pointed out to him what he had told her. A conversation ensued but in the end they walked away and all was quiet.

I was even more surprised when less than ten minutes later they came back again.The kennel owner was not best pleased. He was anxious to close. Well, they walked back to my family.I had seen all this type of thing before, so instead of pushing to the front as my brothers and sisters did, I decided to be very laid-back and casual. I sat at the back of the stall with my head cocked on one side taking an interest in what would happen next. I was very surprised when the man pointed at me! In came the kennel maid and picked me up and took me outside our pen so that they could get a better look at me. She put me into the arms of the man and I knew immediately that I liked him. He had big strong arms, kindly eyes and was very gentle. He stroked me and smiled at me and I could not resist reaching up and licking his face. His face broke into a big beam. Then he handed me to the lady and I liked her as well. She had a soft voice and hands even more gentle than the man and she gave me lots of hugs. My siblings were all whining because they wanted to be cuddled as well but I was the lucky one.

The next thing I knew I was being carried outside, away from my family. I never even had the chance to say goodbye to them. We went into another room and the man and lady whom I came to know as Boss and Mrs. Boss sat at a desk and signed some papers. Then they walked around picking out things, dog food, something called a collar and a lead and some fluffy things called toys. All the time I was waiting to be put back in the stall, this was making me a little nervous. I did not know what was going on.

Suddenly I was outside in bright light and the air was filled with different smells, aromas I had never experienced before. I was carried in the lady’s arms to something I came to know as “the car”. It was strange in there, smaller than my stall and I was very scared when the man turned a key and a loud noise and vibrations shook me and we started to move Yes, move and without any legs! The world started flying past and I could make no sense of it. Yet, somehow it was strangely exciting and the lady stroked me all the time and told me I was beautiful.

She was very kind even when I did something naughty. All the excitement of what was going on, the movement of the car and the fact that I had had my lunch upset my stomach and I could not stop myself. I was sick all over her. She did not get cross. They stopped thecar by the side of something called “the road” and she cleaned us both up. After that we continued in the car. I was tired and feel asleep. When I woke, two more people had appeared. I did not know who they were, but they were a young couple and very close to the lady and the man. Apparently, we had called at their home so I could be shown to them. They came out to the car and petted and fussed me for a while and then we drove on again.

Eventually the car came to a stop. I was carried up to a door and inside . No concrete floors here but soft stuff under my paws. Now there were all sorts of other new smells. After a few minutes of looking around they took me through another door and for the first time I really saw the outside. Green stuff under my feet, the warmth of the sun on my back, air smelling fresh and sweet, a sky so wide and blue. This was nice, I liked this. I did a little wee and they told me that I was a “good boy”. Then I was taken back inside, given some more food and some milk. They made me a nice comfy bed and I fell asleep. It had been such a strange and exciting day. I wondered whether it had all been a dream and when I awoke I would be back in the kennel with my mother and seven brothers and sisters. Little did I know that the next day would be even more exciting and I was to meet some new companions.

To be continued....

Written by jeanno43

Tags: blogplugs, border collie, biography

lFinal Chapter

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 16:06:45 GMT

The glittery days were gone once more and soon it was time when humans celebrate the turning of the year. I dreaded the loud bangs late at night more than I had ever done. Maybe it was because I was not feeling well. As always, Boss and Mrs. Boss were calm and re-assuring.

I had slowed right down by now. I could not longer run over the fields with Jesse. He raced ahead whilst Boss walked slowly with me. He would sit on a bench and I would stand next to him and watch Jesse and all my other animals friends tearing around as usual, unable to quite understand why I could no longer do what I had done all my life.

It was a couple of days after the time of bangs that I found I truly could not rise from the floor without help. Collies like me have very strong front legs and powerful chests but even these could not help me lever my back legs from the floor. Boss always lifted me and once I was up things were not too bad. Boss said nothing to Mrs. Boss but I think she knew because she saw me struggling on a couple of occasions but I know Boss did not want to worry her, she had troubles of her own.

One morning, I lined up with Jesse (after help) to go and fetch the newspaper. That was always something I loved to do but this day was different. This day my hind legs trembled and shook. Boss thought I would be alright after getting going but things did not improve. It seemed to take ages to get to the shop. I could not sit down, it hurt to much so I stood on my ever weakening legs and waited patiently. On the way home, it happened. My right back leg gave up altogether. I could not move it at all, it dragged uselessly along the ground. I was far too big a dog for Boss to pick up and carry so there was nothing to be done but try and make it home. Boss kept stopping to allow me breaks but when I finally got in my paw was all bloody from being scraped along the pavement. Boss cleaned it up. I could not even make it farther into our home than the hall. I just laid down and stayed there.

I heard Boss talking in grave tones to Mrs. Boss and then Mrs. Boss started to cry and so did Boss. I knew they were sad for me, sad that I was hurting, sad that I had changed so much without ever knowing why.

I heard the word vet and boss picked up the phone. We had some time to wait for an appointment. Boss took himself into the kitchen and attempted to read the paper but from the sighs I heard, I do not think he was able to concentrate. Mrs. Boss went into the bedroom and stayed there for a long time. Then she came out into the hall where I was still lying by the front door. She went into the kitchen and came back with one of my very favourite biscuits in her hand, ones I was only given for a special treat. As she approached me, I tried to get up to greet her but could not do it. She knelt down and gave me the biscuit which I did manage to eat with my usual relish. She put her gentle arms around my neck and buried her face in my fur. She told me through her tears that I was such a good boy and that she loved me so very much. She looked deep into my eyes and I could see that love, not only sense it but see it. I licked the salty tears from her cheeks and tried to comfort her. I did not know what was upsetting her so much but I suspected it was because I was ill. She spent a long time stroking me and talking to me and then she left and went back into the bedroom and shut the door. Some time later, Boss put on his coat, popped into the bedroom and said goodbye to Mrs. Boss. He put on my lead and helped me to my feet. My tail still wagged at the thought of “walkies” but I did not know how I was going to manage. However, this was not a walkie, Boss headed for the car. For some reason, for the first time in my life, I did not want to get into it. I sat down somehow and absolutely refused to budge. Boss coaxed and coaxed but it was no good. In the end, and I do not know how he did it, he got me into the car and we pulled slowly into the road. I looked back - Mrs. Boss was standing at the window, curtain pulled back, watching us and I could see she was crying very hard. I remembered a day like this seven years before when Bonnie had gone in the car with Boss and never returned. I had the feeling that I might now be taking the journey that Bonnie had to take. I looked back at my beloved Mrs. Boss with all the love and affection I could muster and I so hoped she saw it and felt it.

Boss drove very slowly, more slowly than I had ever known. I drank in the roads where I had so often walked, the shops I had so often visited, seeing some of the people who had always patted me and given me treats. It was as if everything was sharper and clearer today than it had ever been.

We reached the vet and somehow Boss got me out of the car and inside. The vet was waiting, watching me walk. When he saw one of my back legs trembling and shaking and the other one dragging, heshook his head. He examined me tenderly. Mrs. Boss had recently found a lump on my leg and I had heard her tell Boss to mention it, so my examination was even more careful than usual. The vet found a few more lumps buried deep in my fur that Boss and Mrs. Boss knew nothing about. There was a long conversation. I heard Boss’s voice break and then crack and I saw the water running down his face. He signed some papers and then I was taken into another room where I had something put into my leg.

When I was brought back into the room, the vet took a large soft blanket and laid it on the ground and he and Boss lifted me onto it. Then the vet went and left us alone together. Boss knelt beside me stroking my head and neck, talking softly to me, reminding me of all the wonderful times we had shared together, telling me I was the best dog ever, such a good good boy. I gazed into his eyes, seeing them all red, the water pouring down his face and his shoulders shaking.

I knew then. I knew that this was goodbye. I knew I would not be going home, not going back to Mrs. Boss, Jesse and Tinker. I was taking a journey, going on a different sort of walk and they could not come with me, not this time. I was very sad and I would have cried as well but us animals are not capable of tears. Somehow I was not afraid. I did not know what was going to happen or how I would take that walk but I knew that my wonderful owners would never do anything that was bad for me or hurt me in any way. They never had and they never would. I trusted them completely. Those moments between Boss and myself were very precious. Just the two of us. That special time that nobody else shared. Like before I had left home and Mrs. Boss had shared special moments with me. I knew they would feel dreadfully sad and I knew how much Jesse would miss me as I had missed Bonnie. I knew he would search for me as I had for Bonnie and never be able to understand why I was not there anymore, but I knew I was leaving him in safe hands and a wonderful home.

After a time the vet returned and he knelt and put his arm around Boss’s shoulders. A few words were exchanged and then Boss just nodded. The vet filled up a needle with something and pushed it into the thing in my leg. I kept my eyes on Boss the whole time, wishing I could tell him just how very much I loved him and Mrs. Boss. I think he knew. I was gazing at him and gazing at him and the pain suddenly disappeared from my body and Boss’s face faded before my eyes. I was free, nothing could ever hurt me again. I had gone to meet my mother and my father and all those dogs I was descended from. I was not aware when Boss gently closed my eyes for my final sleep and gave me one last lingering, loving hug.

So you have read my story from the day Boss and Mrs. Boss found me until the time I took my last goodbye, our last parting. I was not destined to grow really old like my dear friend Bonnie, I only had ten years but they were ten years full of love, joy and adventures. Thank you for sharing my journey with me.

My name was Pip. I had a wonderful life.

Tags: blogplugs, dog, border collie, biography

From The Beginning Please

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 15:53:48 GMT

I ask any new readers who come to this journal, and new people do come along from time to time, to please read from the beginning so you know the whole story. It is only fifteen chapters (postings) so will not take too long. Thank you.

Postscript From Mrs. Boss

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 11:59:38 GMT

Mike and I were both brought up with dogs from a very young age. I remember my parents dogs, from the age of three and even recall their names, Dinah and Midge. There has never been a time in my life so far that I have been without a dog and usually two, so dogs have been such a big part of my life for close on sixty years. They have all been characters and individuals in their own right and I recall them all with affection.

Once in every pet owner's life, there comes a special animal, one that for some reason or another stands out from all the others. That indefinable something you cannot exactly put your finger on. An affinity that you have not experienced with any other animal. It is a true blessing. Pip was that dog for us. He took hold of our hearts and never let go. There was something about him that endeared him not only to us but to so many other people. After we lost Pip, it was so hard for Mike to take Jesse out alone and to be asked by so many where Pip was. Other pet owners he meets regularly at the fields, cried for Pip, they loved him as well. Total strangers have stopped Mike in the street and asked him where the other beautiful dog is. We had condolence cards from people. Pip touched so many lives.

Just the other day a person came up to Mike and said he just had to ask. He had always seen Mike around and thought of him as "the man with two dogs". He had tears in his eyes when Mike told him.

Pip is back with us . We have his ashes in a beautiful box and we will not be parted again. When our time comes, Becky has instructions that he is to go with us.

We have Jack now. We love him but in a different way. He has made us smile again. Tomorrow he will take his first walk outside. Jack, we hope, will be a lovely dog. He has a lot to learn as all puppies do. He will be his own dog, we will love him for his own special ways but he is not Pip and never could be. He would have to be a truly remarkable dog to compare to Pip.

Mike and I know that Pip would be pleased for us. He would not be jealous. Pip loved all other animals including our rabbits which he felt it was his duty to protect. He would lie for hours in the garden guarding their pen when they were outside. His heart was as big as he was.

I have tried to see the world through his eyes, to speak as if he could have spoken. His story was not easy for me to write especially, as you will all understand, the final chapter. It is a terrible decision to have to make, many of you will have been there, but it is the last act of true love that we can do for our animal companions. For selfish reasons we do not want to let them go. It is being unselfish and doing what is best for your pet that makes a good and responsible owner, however hard that might be, however much it tears you apart. True love sometimes means having to let go.

Pip will always be in our hearts and in our minds. He has left us with precious memories. The house still feels empty without him. Opening the biscuit tin, however, quietly you tried to do it, always brought Pip running. The ringing of the phone which he always thought was for him had the same effect. So many of his ways that we miss so much.

In writing his story I have shared with you the happy and the sad, the ups and the downs. I like to think that if he could have understood such things, he would have approved of "his" story.

I hope I have done him justice.

Goodnight, sweet prince.

Chapter Fourteen

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 12:44:22 GMT

By the time Nathan was old enough to ride on my back, another new little human had joined our family. His name being Daniel and I loved him as much as I loved Nathan. I was so happy for the humans that they had been blessed in this way.

The vet was growing old as I was growing old. We were very fond of each other. He had known me since I was a tiny pup and I trusted him completely.

When Boss took me there as it was obvious that something was wrong with my back legs, he took lots of pictures of me, I suppose the sort of pictures that Jesse had when he smashed his hip in that terrible fall. It did not hurt. Then Boss had a very long conversation with the vet as they studied the pictures together. Boss looked very worried but the vet seemed re-assuring.

He took a bottle and stuck a needle like thing into it and then put the needle into me. I never liked this but I also never complained and never made a sound. Then Boss was given some little round things in a bottle and from then on I had to take two of those with my meal every day. I do know that the vet told Boss that there was nothing they could have done about my condition, part of it was hereditary and part of it was because I was an exceptionally large dog for my breed. I know Boss was upset because he mentioned to the vet several times that I was only ten years old, quite young for a dog to have the conditions that I did. I just listened to what they said although I could make no sense of most of it.

Well, soon I was back to being my old self. My legs did not feel so stiff and my back did not hurt so much. It is wonderful what humans can do for us animals.

I enjoyed every minute of the summer. Boss had found the new lake and would take us every day as the vet had said swimming was good for me. Well, I loved swimming now and could not wait to go every day. Boss would throw things into the water and Jesse and I would swim out for them. I was always the first in and always the last out. I wanted it to last forever.

Mrs. Boss would spend ages playing water games with us in the garden, spraying the hose over us when it was very hot and we would jump and try to catch the water and Boss and Mrs. Boss would laugh. It was a golden summer, truly golden in every way.

However, I was developing problems with my stomach. I seemed so hungry all of the time. Once, to the amazement of Boss and Mrs. Boss I stole some sausages that were on the surface in the kitchen. I had never ever been a naughty dog, never taken anything I was not supposed to but I was just so hungry. Luckily my humans soon noticed and it was back to the vets once more.

I was very sad when I got to the vet. My old friend was gone. He had "retired" whatever that meant. So I had to get used to a new vet but he was very kind although he did not know me. He was gentle and spent a lot of time with me and explaining things to Boss. Apparently the little round things I had to take were not agreeing with me and were affecting my "liver" whatever that meant, so I had to stop those immediately and I was put on an entirely new course of treatment.

That helped a good deal and I was no longer so hungry all the time.

The weather was changing and the days were growing shorter, soon the cold weather would be here. Swimming came to an end. Boss would not take us when the water was very cold. I missed it very much but hoped that next summer we would do the same again.

I knew that with the arrival of the cold weather, it meant that the time of tinsel and glitter was approaching again. I got as excited as usual. I knew it meant our own chicken to eat and our presents and that we would go out on that special day with tinsel around our necks as we usually did. People would always smile and pat us when they saw us wearing this shiny stuff.

The day dawned. As usual Boss and Mrs. Boss gave each other presents and a hug. Then it was our turn. I so looked forward on these occasions to getting my two new squeaky toys. Jesse and I had always gone mad with them, running up and down the hall, squeaking them for all they were worth. This day was different. I still got excited when the humans helped me open my presents, but this time I did not want to play. I felt very old. I had a few little goes with them to please Boss and Mrs. Boss but I got not get up the enthusiasm I had always had in the past.

I could not tell them but I was hurting really badly again and finding it difficult to get up once I laid down. On a couple of occasions Boss had to help me so I think he suspected although he said nothing to Mrs. Boss.

Mrs. Boss became sad. She had taken some pictures of us dogs as she always did at this time of year as she liked to see us wearing the shiny tinsel, but when she looked at them she told Boss I looked "old" for the first time and that my eyes had lost their lustre. I knew that they were both worried about me so I tried my very hardest not to let them know how bad I was feeling. I wanted them to be happy at this happiest of all times of the year.

Chapter Thirteen

Sun, 19 Feb 2006 12:59:39 GMT

Jesse and I loved going to the village with Boss. He would often walk us there rather than going in the car and we were both so popular. People knew Boss as "the man with two dogs". All the shopkeepers knew us. We would sit patiently tied up outside something called "the supermarket" and so many people would pat us as they walked by. When we went by one shop a smell of cooking would issue forth and the man that owned it would stopBoss and always give Jesse and I something called "chips" and sometimes a bit of fish which we both loved. Sometimes we went to a place where Mrs. Boss bought plants and things to put in the garden. This place also had an animal section and the owner, Vic, would always give us dog biscuits or sometimes a chew. So, we were spoiled dogs, not just at home but outside as well. Boss got to know so many new people because of us and we got to know a lot of dog friends. Everyone knew myself and Jesse.

Becky and Dean would often take us out. They liked to walk a lot and we would go with them to the woods and follow the trails all around. They would hide from us and we would gallop to find them. I think Becky and Dean loved us almost as much as Boss and Mrs. Boss. This would only be at what humans called weekends because they both had "work" during the week.

Then, Becky gave up work and began spending much more time at our house and it was wonderful to see her. She and Mrs. Boss would sit in the garden drinking tea and throwing toys for us. Then we did not see Becky for a while, she seemed to have disappeared and I could not understand it. However, there was a great sense of excitement in the air and one particular day Mrs. Boss was on edge all the time. I heard her tell Boss that she so wished the call would come. In the early evening it did and then there was a flurry of activity. Mrs. Boss spent ages on the gadget she held to her ear speaking to lots of different people and she was so excited! It was quite a few days later when I heard the familiar sound of the car that belonged to Becky and Dean and I was so pleased as I had been worried I would not see them again.

I was very surprised when Becky walked in carrying a bundle. I was notmuch interested at first as many things had been brough into our home in the past. Then Becky handed the bundle to Mrs. Boss and Mrs. Boss was delighted and I heard her speak in soft tones I had not heard before. Then Boss held the bundle and Mrs. Boss gave Becky presents.

Eventually I was allowed to see the bundle and I was amazed. It was a tiny human, the tiniest human that I had ever seen. Something called "a baby".. a human miniature. I had never had anything to do with a baby in my entire life and I was told to be very gentle. I tentatively sniffed at the baby. He, for it was a boy, smelled nice. He smelled of Becky, of milk, he reminded me of when I was a tiny pup and still with my mother. I liked him very much and showed it with furious wagging of my tail.

From then on I saw a lot of baby and I watched him grow and develop. When he was in his little chair on the floor I would guard him and when he got bigger he was able to reach out and grab my fur. Sometimes he pulled my ear or tugged on my tail but I did not mind. I loved him because he was part of our family, part of Boss, Mrs. Boss, Becky and Dean.

When he started to walk he would chase me but I would always let him catch me. I was so proud, when one day, Mrs. Boss placed him on my back and holding him on carefully I was allowed to walk around with him on my back and I was delighted when he laughed with joy.

Of course, none of the humans knew that my back was hurting me really badly by this time. For quite some time I had been slowing down. I still enjoyed my swimming, in fact, I would race ahead and always be the first in the water, always beating Jesse to it. I suppose I looked no different and I did not blame the humans, how were they to know? But my back legs were getting stiff and my back hurt a lot but I was never one to complain, I was a good dog.

Eventually Boss and Mrs. Boss did notice and I was then in for a series of visits to the vet.

Chapter Twelve

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 12:31:05 GMT

So life went on and we enjoyed our swimming so much and our rides in the car. The woods were my favourite where we could hide behind trees and then chase each other. Sometimes Becky and Dean would take us out. One day they took us for a very long ride in their car and found an even bigger lake and we swam in that.

I was sad when we started to lose our cat friends. Muffin was the next one to leave us. Boss and Mrs. Boss had no idea how old she actually was because she was a rescued cat and adult when they had her. She got very sick and then, one day, she was not there anymore. I was saddest of all at losing Jasper. Jasper was my special friend next to Jesse. He could curl up with me and sleep. He would always rub his face against mine and purr. He would lie in Mrs. Boss's arms like I had seen people carry human youngsters and if Mrs. Boss asked him for a kiss, he would lick her nose. She was often find him curled up in her place in the bed. He would roll over if asked to. Jasper always acted much more like a dog and I think he thought that he was one! Boss and Mrs. Boss were very sad. I watched another hole being dug in the garden and all the humans including Becky and Dean standing there whilst the hole was filled in.

Our animal family was gradually shrinking. Flicky was the last to go. She was a rescue cat as well but been adopted by my humans when she was a kitten. She had been thrown on a rubbish heap tied up in a plastic bag and all the other kittens had died. She was the lucky one. Boss and Mrs. Boss gave her a home when she was about three months old. She had survived a very bad accident when a neighbour had run her over with her car. Flicky was on the pavement at the time but the neighbour lost control or her vehicle. Flicky was very ill for a long time with a fractured hip joint, fractured pelvis and ruptured bladder. The vet really did not think that she would make it and for two days it was touch and go. Mrs. Boss nursed her devotedly when she got home and almost taught her to walk again little by little.

The vet had warned that because of her injuries she would not have a very long life. For once this clever man was wrong! She outlived all the other cats bar one.

There came a time when she started to lose weight and only took tiny morsels of her food and slept a good deal. One day she laid down in a patch of warm sunshine in the sunlounge as it was called. Mrs. Boss tried to tempt her with some food but she just laid her tiny head on her feeding bowl and closed her eyes. Mrs. Boss sat with her all day and as evening came on covered her with a blanket and still sat with her. Then Boss said she needed a break and she must go and eat. When Mrs. Boss went back, she had slipped away. I had walked out with her and put my nose against my old friend. She was cold and stiff. She was not there anymore. She was twenty-three years old. She had been with Boss and Mrs. Boss even before Bonnie.

This hit Boss and Mrs. Boss very hard and I know that Mrs. Boss wrote about Flicky on something she called her journal and many people were touched by it.

So now, from seven, we were only three. Myself, Jesse and Tinker. The house seemed very quiet but we still enjoyed ourselves and I was soon in for a big surprise.

Chapter Eleven

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 11:54:13 GMT

It happened like this. One bright sunny morning when Jesse was less than six months old, Boss took us out in the car. It was one of those times when he had a gadget around his neck. He would stand in front of something, put it up to his eye and then press a button or something. When we got home Mrs. Boss would connect this gadget to the box she had with the keyboard and pictures would appear.

Boss drove up this hill to a very old building, got out of the car and proceeded to put the gadget up to his eye as usual. It was a warm day and, being a responsible owner, Boss had left the windows of the car open for us. Not wide enough for me to even get my head out of and Boss was in our sight all the time. As Boss started to walk back to the car Jesse got so excited. Now, do not ask me how he did it but somehow he got up on his back legs, twisted his body over onto its side and in some manner managed to squeeze himself out through the narrow window opening. He only did it to run and greet Boss. He did not realize that there was a drop from the window to the ground. So he immediately fell heavily onto solid concrete. He gave a loud yelp and Boss came running. He immediately brought us home and Mrs. Boss was so worried when she found Jesse could not put his foot to the floor.

She insisted that Jesse see the vet. Unfortunately, it was something humans called a holiday and our vet was closed. Boss had to make all sorts of enquiries to find a vet and had to travel quite a long distance when he did. Mrs. Boss and I waited anxiously. We were both relieved when Boss said the vet had decided that Jesse had pulled himself and bruised himself badly and that he would have to be given little round things to help with the pain and that in a week or so he should be fine. However, after a couple of days there was no improvement and Jesse would yelp when he moved, had trouble lying down and getting up and was off his food. So, when the holiday was over, Mrs. Boss insisted that no more time passed and Jesse should see our usual vet. The usual vet was very concerned and said he would have to take some sort of special “pictures” that only vets could do. So Jesse had to stay there and Boss came home and we all waited for news. The humans were very upset when they got the results of the pictures. It turned out that Jesse had smashed his hip joint very badly. He must have been in so much pain. So, he had to have something called “an operation” and he was away for a couple of days.

When he returned he looked very sorry for himself. He had obviously been through an ordeal and had to rest a good deal. He could not play in the garden and he could not go out at all except into the garden when he had to relieve himself. He still walked on three legs but as the days passed he started to put his foot gingerly to the ground and eventually could walk pretty well although he had a limp.

When he went back to the vets to be checked, the vet told Boss that swimming would be a good idea for him, that it would help to strengthen the leg and speed recovery. I wondered what swimming was. Anyway, Boss found a special place where they took dogs that had been injured or had joint problems due to getting old and Jesse was booked in there. Boss took me along for the ride. When we got inside, there was water. Not like the water in our pond and not like the water I had not liked at the beach. This was a narrow band of water that went around in a circle. I was surprised when Boss put Jesse into this water and holding the end of the leather things they attached to our collars proceeded to walk around the circle and Jesse had to paddle his legs for all he was worth to keep up. So, that was swimming! There was only one problem. I sat patiently by the side and every time Jesse reached me again he tried to get out to be with me and Boss had to keep putting him back. So the owner, who was watching with amusement, suggested that I go in as well and said there would be no extra charge whatever that meant.

I fought it, I did not particularly want to go in there and Boss had to virtually push me in. Guess what? I loved it and I could never understand why I had not liked water before. It was fun swimming with Jesse, sometimes I tried to catch him, other times he swam behind me and tried to catch me. We used to go a lot and we both looked forward to it. There came the day when Jesse did not need to go anymore. His leg was as good as it was ever going to be. He walked as well as I did except for the times when we did a lot of running and he got tired. Then his injured leg would stick out at an angle a little or he would favour it but it was almost as good as new.

So, we missed swimming but enjoyed water games in the warm weather. Mrs. Boss would play the hose on us and we would jump and try to catch the water. It was great fun and Boss also soon found us a lake where we could swim to our hearts content and have great fun retrieving our toys. How strange it was that it took Jesse’s accident to give me a love of water.

Chapter Ten

Sun, 29 Jan 2006 12:50:48 GMT

So life went on without Bonnie. It took me a long time to accept she was gone. Her favourite place to sleep was always the rug in front of the fireplace, she loved the heat in the winter and in the summer, after pond watching, she would always sleep there. So, I did not like to lie there in the early days but then I realised she had left me in charge. Now I was the head of the animal pack and, as time went by, I was happy to lie in her old place. I think she would have been pleased.

I had so many toys but my favourite was a long narrow one. I knew it was called Big News because Mrs. Boss would tell me to fetch it and I would. I loved the loud squeaky noise that it made. When I wore one out they would buy me another one just the same.

I could tell all my toys apart. Mrs. Boss would frequently line a few up and then tell me to fetch a particular one. I never got it wrong. Even when she changed them all around, it did not fool me. I could tell them all separately and would always get a treat given to me after these games and told how clever I was. As if I did not already know!

For a long time there was just myself and the cats. The only thing I missed was having someone with me in the garden, someone to play with, someone just to walk around with, someone of my own kind.

Two of those glittery times went back, the time of packages and tinsel, the times of Chicken dinners for us animals and I thought life would just go on the same for always.

However, one day Boss went out and came back again carrying a plastic box, I knew this box was always kept for when one of the cats had to visit the vet. As all the cats were in the house with me at the time, I was very surprised. Had Boss bought another cat home? Mrs. Boss was standing in the kitchen putting plates and pots through water when he carried the box through to her. She asked him what he had got there and he said - "a puppy". Mrs. Boss peered into the box and said "that is not a puppy, it is a rat"! I think she had expected to see a puppy like I once was.

From what I gather, Boss had seen puppies that needed homes and went to have a look. There was only one left, something called "the runt of the litter" and nobody seemed to want him. He was frightened and ran behind a machine that washed clothes and Boss had to help the owner move the machine to get him out. Boss had a heart as big as the world and when he saw this little fellow looking so sad and scared he immediately decided to take him. I heard him explaining all this to Mrs. Boss.

Mrs. Boss sighed and opened the box. She took out this little thing and I must admit it did not look much like a dog, not the dogs I knew from my daily romps in the fields. He was shivering and had soiled himself with fear. I remember how scared I had been when I was taken from my mother and put into "the car". The noise the movement. I felt so sorry for him.

Mrs. Boss immediately filled a bowl with water and proceeded to clean him up. I sat watching with interest as he whimpered and struggled. Then Mrs. Boss wrapped him in a large fluffy thing and rubbed him dry. Then she held him and look straight into his eyes. He responded by giving her face a little lick and I heard her say "yes, we will keep him". She was every bit as kind hearted as boss, maybe even more so. She gave him something to eat and then made a little bed for him.

That is how Jester or Jesse as the humans always called him came into my life. For the first few days he looked very miserable.

I soon taught him what was expected of us dogs, how not to wee in the house, how to play with toys, how to behave on the things they attached to our collars. Of course, Jesse could not go out into the street, he was too young and would have to have the vet stick that sharp thing into him first, but he learned to wear his collar and walk up and down the garden on the lead thing.

He rarely left my side and would lie next to me when I settled down for a rest.

With my help, his confidence grew by the day. Soon we were playing chasing games, I would chase him down the garden and then he would turn around and chase me all the way back. We never tired of it.

Some time before, Boss had bought me a "pull" toy. He would hold one end and I would hold the other end between my teeth and we would have a contest as to who could pull the hardest. When Boss was standing up he always won but it he was sitting in a chair that was a different story. I was so strong I could actually move him and the chair quite a distance! Now, Jesse and I were given this toy to ourselves and we would spent ages pulling each other around the garden.

When the cold weather was over, we were rarely inside, always preferring to be outside playing together and only coming back indoors when we were exhausted. Then Boss would have something to drink and we would curl up together to rest. I was so happy to have Jester as my friend and I looked upon him as my little brother.

The hot days were coming again, those days that never seemed to end and the light left the sky very late. I was looking forward to even greater games especially now that Jester could go to the fields with me and we raced around at such speed. People would laugh to see us, me so big and Jesse so little, chasing each other flat out.

However, things were to change when, one day, Jesse had a terrible accident.

Chapter Nine

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 11:52:03 GMT

So, life went on much the same in our household until one day one of the cats disappeared. Her name was Peanut and she was always so fond of me and would spend ages rubbing her head against my face. On day she was there, the next she was not. I saw Boss digging a hole in the garden and putting something into it and we were not allowed outside whilst he was doing this so I was never sure what it was he put in there. I never saw Peanut again. So now there were only six of us animals.

I noticed as the time passed that Bonnie was not as she was. My arrival in the household had spurred her on, given her new energy and a zest for life but she was now an old lady. She did not run with me as she used to and did not want to play much. When we went on our walks she was now very slow and walked behind us but Boss was ever patient with her. I noticed that she started to eat less and sleep a good deal more. The only thing she never gave up on was staring into the pond for hour after hour.

She seemed to get worse and I knew that she was hurting. Then she began even more frequent trips to the vet but they did not seem to make her feel any better. One morning she did something she had never done, she jumped up onto the sofa. It must have hurt her because she yelped. She huddled right into the corner and refused to come down even when Mrs. Boss tried to coax her. Then Boss and Mrs. Boss had a very long conversation. They both got very upset. The next thing I knew, Bonnie was off to the vets again. I did so hope they could make her feel better.

Boss came back without her. I was not bothered at first because she had been away before and vets do help us animals. This time was different. Boss came in with water running down his face and then Mrs. Boss had water coming down her face and they hugged each other and got more and more upset. I had the feeling that something terrible had happened. Mrs. Boss hugged me and told me that Bonnie had gone on a journey that I could not take for a very long time. I did not really understand her words at that moment.

Later on in the day when I went to have my meal I noticed with shock that Bonnie's bowl had disappeared and when Boss took me out for my walk that evening, there was only one piece of leather hanging up where they used to be two. These pieces of leather were always attached to our necks when we went out.

I knew then that Bonnie would not be coming back. That she had left me just as I had once had to leave my mother and just as Brandy had once had to leave Bonnie. I did not know where she had gone but hoped she was happy and not in pain.

I missed her so much. I could still smell her everywhere. I searched for her in the garden hoping I would see a glimpse of her. The pond did not seem the same without her sitting there. She had been with Boss and Mrs. Boss for over sixteen years. I had known her all my life except for my first few weeks, she had been my second Mum. Boss and Mrs. Boss were quiet for days and the atmosphere in our home was sad and gloomy. I did my very best to cheer them but I was finding it hard myself. When I saw other dogs playing together in the fields, I missed Bonnie very much.

I still had my cat friends but it was not quite the same. I wondered whether I would always be the only canine in the house or whether, maybe one day, I would have a new friend. I would have to wait and see.