Puppy's Life

Moving to a new home is mostly exciting. New place, new people, new friends, new school, new church groups, new experiences. Getting settled in takes awhile and is fun finding places and room for all our old stuff.

"Mom! Someone put a wire fence up in the back!"

"Mom! There's cows in the back!"

"Don't let the dog out!"

"Look! That one has horns. Is it a bull?"

"Maybe."

"I read that some cows grow horns."

"I read that they don't put bulls out in the pasture with the cows. It makes the bulls mellow."

"How do they get baby cows then?"

"There aren't baby cows. They're called calves."

The cows just stood there looking at us looking at them. Maybe we're as much a wonder.

"Well, I read that they put one bull in a field with all the cows and later each cow has a calf."

The back door opened. "What are you guys doing out here?"

"Don't let the...." as the dog comes running out. He sits by our feet looking at the cows.

"Can we pet a cow?"

"No, you aren't supposed to walk in a field that has cows in it. It's very dangerous."

"When's the fair? We could pet a cow there."

"Yeah, cows are in pens at the fair."

The cows turn and start walking away from us. Puppy (ingenious name, right?) decides that's the time to let his voice be heard. He puts his little feet in high gear and bark, bark, barking all the way, chases those cows.

"Puppy! Get back here!" We're all screaming at the dog to come back. He doesn't hear, or listen, to us because of his barking. One of those cows, just like Ferdinand, sticks up it's back hoof with a slight push back and Puppy hits the ground, doesn't move a muscle. Just his hair blowing with the breeze.

Our jaws nearly hit the ground with Puppy.

Softly spoken, in tones of wonder, "Whoa..."

"Oh,no..."

"Wow..."

Quiet for a few minutes... no one knows what to say.

"Do you think he's dead?"

We're too shocked to be sad right now.

Suddenly he bounces up and comes running back to us, as though to say, "I'm okay! I'm okay!" He sits at our feet again, looking up at us as though to say, "That was fun!"

"Well, he doesn't look broken anywhere."

"Whoa..."

"Yeah..."

Another move, this time to town. A bit less exciting this time. But new house, new people, new friends, new schools, new church groups, new experiences. Puppy has to be on a chain until we get the fence up.

"Mom, there's a policeman at the door."

He is a policeman, animal control. "Ma'am, do you have a dog?"

"Yes, he's on that chain...Uh oh, he's usually on that chain."

"Well, ma'am, I have him in the back of my truck. I have to give you a $20 ticket for him being loose." I get the $20 and give it to the officer.

"By the way, ma'am, your dog was hit by a car down the street here. He looks kinda bad." My husband goes out to the truck and gets Puppy. He does look kinda bad and just lays loose in my husbands arms.

"Whoa..."

"Oh no..."

"Wow..."

Quiet...So in the car and to the vet he goes.

A while later, they're back and we learn the vet says there's no broken bones. Puppy is fine, just a bit sore. He lays in his bed by the back door for a couple days this time. Slowly bouncing back.

Another loose day, another ticket. This time the ticket's for mean dog. Puppy found a lady friend on the other side of a fence. He did not want to be taken away from that lovely lady. So Dad did not want to pay a ticket for a mean dog. He wasn't really a mean dog.

Dad went to court and explained to the judge that if he, the judge, had to be tied up all the time and finally got loose and found a lady friend and someone wouldn't let him stay and visit, he'd be mean, too. Everyone was laughing and the judge let that ticket slide. I think Dad saved Puppy's hide that time.

We enjoyed that little Puppy for a long time. I think he was one lucky little dog. But one morning I went in the kitchen and Puppy was sleeping in his bed. Something seemed different and I watched for a minute. There was no movement of any kind. Puppy finally did get to go to that puppy heaven. Just peacefully, in his sleep.