Chapter V
March 7, 2010
It’s never dull around my house. I told you, when I last had a minute to myself, that Phoebe was here and that I had earned a Rally title. I thought then it was time to play and have a good time. Penni can’t leave well enough alone though.
On September 19th, my two sons suddenly appeared. Phoebe was very snarly toward me, and for a few weeks I had to stay away from her hideout in the living room. I could hear my boys making little tiny sounds behind Phoebe’s privacy curtain, and Phoebe was really a bitch. Am I allowed to say “bitch”?
After three weeks, Penni put Phoebe outside one day and let me sniff my boys. They were so tiny, but they wriggled around and growled at each other. I really don’t want this spread around, but I thought they were very cute.
I just wanted to take care of them – and it wasn’t long before I got my wish. In another week, I was allowed into the box with them. They climbed on me and licked my face. They had some Wubbas in their kennel and we played with those. They were so much fun, and as they grew they became more and more fun to play with. They did steal my toys, but I really didn’t mind too much. I decided raising my puppies was my new job – and the best one so far.
WRONG! A couple of weeks into October, I was bathed and we drove about 45 minutes to a show. I saw Powell and Sherri and some people from our training club. Wendy came and got me. She took me into the ring, but I didn’t get a ribbon, Powell did. First he got all the girls and this time he got a ribbon. I’m not part of his fan club.
The next day we went to the show again and Wendy took me into the ring again. That day was different. We waited around a long time to show and didn’t have the judge we expected. That turned out to be okay with Penni and Wendy because that day I got the ribbon and Powell didn’t, and we got a little chair. Then we had to wait for another hour or two and went into the ring again. This time I got a rosette and a little pottery dish (not even big enough to hold a decent drink of water). Penni and Wendy were very excited – so I was, too. Penni said it was a Group fourth. Does that mean I got a quarter of a group? A group of what? Anyway, it was a sunny day and everyone around me was very happy.
When we got home, my puppies were waiting for me. We had a blast playing. Penni said one boy was named Watson (he was the one with the loudest voice), and that the other boy was Holmes.
A couple of weekends later, we went to a park that is very close to our house. There were dogs there, but they were mostly big dogs. Some little tents were set up around the park. Penni gave her camera to a man and asked him to take photos of us, and said that she would send him photos of his wife and her dog. This just didn’t look like a dog show, and I hadn’t had a special bath. Wendy and Sherri weren’t there. It was a pretty odd deal.
When it was our turn, Penni said let’s go. She let me go to the end of the leash to investigate. The grass really smelled good. Wait – here came a lady. She shook hands with Penni, but ignored me – what sort of a deal was that? No one ignores me. I sniffed her, but when she turned around and sat in a chair, I let her go. I don’t really have time for people that don’t love me. We found another woman who got down on her knees and hugged me. She let me lick her face and she rumpled my ears. When she started back to a chair, I went with her and climbed into her lap for a minute. Then Penni started walking so I had to leave the really nice lady.
As we were walking along I heard a clanging sound. It was coming from behind one of the tents. As I went to investigate, a bucket came flying out at me. It didn’t have food or water in it – just some pieces of metal; overall I thought it was pretty annoying. I was going to leave a message on it, but Penni said “DON’T” in her “I am serious” voice. So, I put my leg back on the ground and trotted along with her. As we came to another tent, I heard very loud bangs coming from behind it. I couldn’t tell if they were in the tent or above me. The sounds didn’t hurt (except for a little ringing in my ears), so I waited for Penni to tell me what to do next.
The next thing that happened really surprised me. There was a woman sitting in a chair and just as we walked up to her a big, black circle popped out at me. It went “Whoosh”. I jumped out of the way, but then decided I’d better make sure it wouldn’t hurt Penni or me. Turns out it was no big deal, but it sure surprised me. I’d never seen anything like it before. I wonder what people use it for.
We walked across some plastic and some metal fencing that was lying on the ground. Off to my left I could see a man in a floppy coat with a big hat on. He wasn’t coming toward us so all I did was make a note that he was there. Then, all of a sudden he started running toward us. He was mumbling and yelling and banging a stick on the ground. This was not okay with me. I ran out in front of Penni. That guy would have to go through me to get to her. I stared him down and finally he turned and went away. A bunch of the people with dogs started clapping and yelling “good job”. They were right, that is my job. I hope the police arrest that guy!
Penni and a tall man named Karl sat down to talk. Karl petted me and said I did a wonderful job. Penni told me I passed the Temperament Test and was now a TT dog. I think that sounds silly, but whatever makes her happy . . .
We went home and played with the puppies. I think raising those boys right is much more important than sniffing an umbrella or chasing away a weird guy.
In November, we had company at our house. A lady named Alden came from California (Penni calls it the land of tofu and Perrier). She stayed just a couple of days. You should have seen Inca suck up to her – disgusting!
When she left she took Watson with her. She told me he was going to learn to track and would have two other Cardi boys to be his friends, and that she had children too. She said they would love my puppy. I didn’t know my puppy would leave and am still unhappy that Penni let her take him. Alden does send photos and video though so I get to see Watson sometimes. At least I still have Holmes. Holmes and I wrestle, and I taught him to play tug, and to chase me. I’d trot very slowly so he could keep up, and I didn’t tug too hard because he was pretty little.
Weeks went by. People came to meet Holmes, but no one took him away. I think he gets to stay here. Then Phoebe got sick and had to have an operation. We were all very worried about her. After a couple of days with Dr. Larry, she came home and started feeling better and better. About the time she was back to normal my G-Ma Carolyn and G-Pa Tom came to visit us. They brought my mom Alice and my sister Molly. We all (except Inca) had a great time. Inca and Alice have a feud that goes back four or five years. I learned that is the reason Inca came to live here (that was before I was born). When G-Ma and G-Pa left, Phoebe went with them. Things sure are quieter here with just Inca, Holmes and me.
Penni and I are taking obedience classes again. She says we’ll be ready for May, and I just go along with her because she’s pretty stubborn about that kind of stuff. I love working with her so am happy we are back in class. I still go to work with Penni. Lots of people come to meet me – even some people called reporters who have cameras and ask way too many questions.
Some men came and did a lot of work at our house because we had a flood one night. I didn’t know it was bad to have water all over the floors downstairs. I think they are almost done now so things can return to normal. Inca likes to sit in a flower pot in the yard, Holmes likes to unravel rugs, and I keep things running smoothly. Penni has promised that there will be more of my puppies soon – in Washington State, and in Georgia, and in Southern California (tofu and Perrier – right?). I can’t wait to meet them. Every puppy deserves a dad that loves him or her.
