The Life and Adventures of A Goofy Doberman Puppy

10-Minute Readings - Chapter 1: The Life and Adventures of A Goofy Doberman Puppy

The Meeting and the Journey Home to Scotland

This is the story of an adorable Doberman puppy named Ruby.

Ruby was a 6-month chocolate coloured Doberman Pinscher puppy who was advertised for sale in Lancashire, England, UK.

My wife and I were in the process of moving from a new-build house with a shoe-box sized garden, to a rural farm small-holding in the centre of Ayrshire, on the beautiful West coast of bonny Scotland.

At this point, we had not moved to our rural small-holding. We were still living in the shoe box for another 4 weeks or so.

Our small-holding includes a number of acres of land, absolutely perfect for an energetic Doberman, and her soon-to-become-friend, named Sookie, who is our long term, black shaggy, brown-bearded, cute as anything, Bedlington-Whippet cross, aged 14 years.

My wife and I responded to the ‘For Sale’ advert where Ruby was advertised. I responded in detail to the advert, as Ruby was an absolute fine-looking specimen of a Doberman pup, and hence I was keen to secure her. – Everything about her fine, superior looks screamed ‘Pedigree’, although we were not caring whether she was kennel club registered or not. – We were not seeking a Doberman for breeding purposes. – We were seeking a family pet, who could also provide a good security, visual presence. – Ruby appeared to be 'the one.

My detailed response to the advert included assuring the man selling Ruby that she would have several acres of field to run through each day. – He invited us to visit Ruby and to take her away if all was well with both us and the seller, named Michael.

We drove to Lancashire, excitedly, feeling good that we would likely be offering a strong looking pup a very good home.

We arrived to meet with Michael and his acquaintance named Sarah. They stood outside a modest looking house, in a non-busy car park, close to where we had parked. – Prior to us getting out of our car, we laid down a very thick fleecy, red tartan blanket that covered the internal floor space in our entire large car boot. – We left a squeaky doggy toy there too, and a few tasty doggy treats in preparation for us taking Ruby home with us, if all went well.

As we approached the couple, we saw that next to Michael, sat Ruby. – She was very still. - She appeared to be exceedingly well-behaved. – She sat there looking like sheer Royalty, elegant regency at its most superior, cleverly watching every move we made, as if she knew herself that a transaction of sorts was about to take place, involving her. - God love Her Royal Highness, Ms. Ruby.

We both petted the precious Ms. Ruby, and her response was one of slight apprehension, yet gentleness and tenderness. – We could tell instantly that she was a very gentle-natured sweet puppy.

We chatted with Michael and Sarah about Ruby and her needs. Michael was a little despondent, but we understood that it must be so terribly difficult for him (or anyone) to give up such a beautiful, well-behaved puppy, especially as Ruby would be living so far away in Scotland. – Michael would never have a chance-meeting with her, as she wasn’t being re-homed locally. – We asked him face-to-face why he was giving her up. – He said that he had sadly split with his partner, and that he could no longer keep Ruby. – Michael said he was trying to move to Australia for work as a roofer. – We understood Michael’s predicament. – His family had been torn apart, and now he has to give up this beautiful puppy, and as we understood, it was through no fault of her own.

We were paying an expensive sum of money for Ruby, and it was a cash payment. – We keenly handed over the cash, and then Michael kind of reluctantly gave the lead to Fin, my wife, who was with me. – Fin walked Ruby across to our car. - She went past the car and took Ruby a little further to try and get Ruby to do her business in the grass before the long journey back to Scotland.

Meantime, I chatted a bit longer with Michael and Sarah. – I tried to re-assure both individuals by stating that we would be furnishing our new small-holding with a big luxury comfortable living-room carpet with top quality thick underlay that Ruby could cosily snuggle into, and that she could lie in front of the romantic, warm, log burner that we were purchasing too. – I added that she could snuggle into Sookie too, our charming and adorable shaggy Beddie-whippet, and so she would have a furry friend by her side in front of the cosy fire.

I could sense that Michael was upset, and so in a way, I was trying to detract him a little from him watching Ruby being put into the boot of our big car, by chatting with him and offering him re-assurance that Ruby was definitely going to a luxury home. Michael had bought Ruby a new fleecy bed which he handed over to me, along with a large 10KG bag of food called, ‘Greyhound Workout’. – I smiled and thanked him gratefully. – His gesture was kind, caring and warm.

Oddly, Ruby was as skinny as a greyhound. – Had she not been a chocolate (liver & tan) coloured Doberman, but instead, say, black all over, she could have been easily mistaken as a greyhound. – Her physique for a pup of her age was tall, long and very, very slender. She had a very goofy look on her face, once the boot lid was closed. – She looked like she was trapped in the car, imprisoned from her owner, like she was unfairly incarcerated and very, very sad. - Her big amber-hazel-coloured eyes appeared as if they were dripping tears. - They seemed like they were watering. Michael took a last look at her and then he said to me in a trembling voice,

“Here, take this white tea-shirt of mine. – My scent will keep her comforted for a while.”

I sadly took the tea-shirt from Michael, and thanked him. – He slowly walked back to the house, somewhat reluctantly, with his head bowed …

As soon as he left, Sarah quickly said to us,

“You know, you can’t leave that dog alone in the house – you just can’t.”

– I did think it was a little odd that she waited until Michael was away to impart this information. – I said to her,

“Don’t worry – Ruby will be fine. – She will have lots of company. - I am home most days.”

– She didn’t reply, although she did look a little concerned. – I just put it down to her perhaps having second thoughts about letting go of Ruby out of Michael’s life. – Perhaps she felt upset for Michael. She next added,

“By the way, she doesn’t like little dogs.”

– I re-assured her, "Sookie isn’t a little dog like a Yorkie. – He is the same size as a whippet.”

– She replied, “Oh, that’s okay then.”

I thanked Sarah, and re-assured her again as I left by adding kindly,

“Ruby is going to the best home. – We will take the best care of her… With all that field to run in with Sookie, she’ll love it”,

and then I respectfully said, "Goodbye."

I finally went on my way with Fin and our new puppy, Ruby.

Ruby cried for the first 20-25 minutes that we drove up the road. – She actually cried herself to sleep in the boot of our car. – We made a few stop-overs to let her out for 5 minutes or so during the 4-hr journey back home, but for every time that we did, when Ruby was put back into the boot, she cried again. – We felt terrible, as she seemed to know she had been sold to us and that she would never see Michael and Sarah ever again.

Finally, we arrived home in Scotland, and here is where all the adventures of our adorable MsRuby begin.

---------------------- CHAPTER TWO TO FOLLOW -------------------