A New Puppy?

If you look very carefully in our pantry behind the flour and sugar, you'll spy a small pile of library books. Why are they hidden in here? Has the Moosey household got even madder?

Perhaps if I list their titles quietly you'll understand. Here goes... Puppies for Dummies... Raising a Border Collie... Enjoy Your Puppy. There are beautiful puppy pictures on each cover.

The reason they're hidden out of sight is somewhat silly - we have a very old dog called Taj-dog, and we're trying not to hurt his feelings.

New Puppy VS Old Dog

There are two schools of thought in the Moosey House and Garden. One is that a new puppy would give Taj-dog some great fun and happiness in possibly his last months of life. The other is that a new puppy would kill him.

It's not easy to prepare a dog for such an event. If only he could be talked to - I know exactly the phrases to say (I've practiced them). "You'll still be our number one top dog..." "Puppy will be your friend - won't that be nice..." "You'll be able to teach Puppy all about the garden at Mooseys - and the pond - and the water race..."

The Last Bicycle Ride

Last weekend Taj-dog and I went for a quiet gentle bicycle ride to the local shop for milk for the gardener's cup of tea. I know he's a bit slow, but I don't go fast either, and I honestly thought we'd be compatible. Ooops.

I ended up wheeling the bike for nearly two hours, as the dog did his best. We stopped for a rest... We stopped for another rest... We stopped for a pee (the dog, of course!)...

Then we stopped for a drink in the water race and he fell in. I had to hug him round the chest and drag him out (with some difficulty).

Dog Guilt

I arrived home feeling deeply guilty. I'd exhausted my lovely dog, almost seen him helplessly washed away in the water race, and I hadn't even begun to explain to him about the new puppy.

He followed me around for the next four hours as I gardened away my guilt and shame, first flopping down on nearby grass, then getting slowly to his feet and plodding after me.

I guess we both ended the day stiff and tired - perfect partners - for a little while longer, at least. But I think we've done our last bicycle ride together.

Footnote

The puppy library books have been returned to the library for the moment - plans for a new puppy will keep.