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CHRISTMAS PUPPY
Is your plan to get a Christmas
puppy
impulsive and spurred by the emotion of the season?
Please
read this
first
Hi! I'm Petite .. and I was an adorable Bichon puppy!
There I
was, in my cage at the pet store with my brother and sister. I could tell
by the crowds in the store everyday that the joy of Christmas was drawing
near. My brother, sister, and I all hoped each morning that today would be
the day we would go to a new home, one filled with loving, caring people.
First it was the Beagle in the cage next to us. I saw the excited gleam in
his eye as his new family prepared to take him home. I hoped one day that
I would feel the same excitement. Then the cute little bunny from
one aisle over was picked. When the ferret with the bad case of psoriasis
found a new home, I began to think I would stay a pet store puppy forever!
Finally, it happened.
I had seen the couple in the store the week before, talking about bringing
home a Christmas puppy for their son Billy. You see, Billy was eight years
old, and had been pestering his folks for a puppy for some time now.
Although they were very busy people, they had decided that a new puppy
would make the ideal Christmas present for Billy.
The car ride home was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. It
seemed so cold outside, and I was very glad that Billy would keep me
inside. I stayed at Billy's aunt's house until the night before Christmas,
so as not to ruin the surprise. That night, Billy's dad put me in a small,
dark box with a couple of holes punched in the side for air. I could see
through the holes the pretty green bow they had tied around my box.
Finally, it came time fo Billy to open his presents.
There was a Harry Potty toy, slippers, and DVD's . At last, I felt my box
being picked up and heard Billy's mom say, "OK, Billy, one more present.
We saved the best for last". I felt like I was going to turn inside out
with anticipation, when suddenly the box was flooded with light and there
was my new boy, Billy. He shrieked so loud when he saw me that it was a
little bit scary! "A puppy, a puppy!"
The first few days with Billy were puppy heaven! He was out of school you
see, and had lots of time to take care of me. We played all day, and I
slept in his bed at night. Things just couldn't have been better.
After a week or so, Billy's mom took me to my new doctor. By then, Billy's
holiday vacation was over and he was back in school. The doctor told Mom
all about how to keep me healthy and happy. Mom did seem a little
distracted though, especially when the nurse from school called on her
cell phone to say that Billy had a bloody nose.
As time went by, I really started to grow and my coat got long!
I suppose that I wasn't quite as cute as before, because Billy and I
didn't spend as much time together. He seemed to have a lot of things to
do beside take me for walks and fill my food bowl. And Mom,
well she just didn't like that daily brushing I required. And Dad
always complained when I had to go to the groomers.
Billy and his friends sat in front of a strange box filled with moving
pictures every afternoon, playing some game I suppose. I couldn't
play those kind of games so I wasn't invited to be with them because I
wanted them to play my games ...
At first, everyone called me Petite, which I thought was a great name. A
funny thing started to happen when I got to be about six months old. Mom
and Dad stopped calling me Petite, and started calling me "the dog". I
guess that was OK, I am a dog after all. A few weeks later though, they
changed my name again. Now I was "that damn dog". I wasn't sure, but I
didn't think that was such a nice name.
Since my family didn't have much time for me anymore, I had to think of
things to do on my own. I liked to chew, and so I did! Remember that Harry
Potter toy? Well somehow I managed to chew off a leg, which Billy
seemed mad about. After a couple more incidents like that, Billy's dad
decided I should live outside.
Oh it was so cold ... and I was miserable and soon got sick.
How I cried and suffered.
Spring finally, and the weather was nice so I figured, why not? I
thought they would build me one of those nice doghouses like I had seen in
the pet store. Maybe it would have carpeting and a soft blanket to sleep
on. Well, they must have forgotten to build it, because I spent most of
the time tied to a tree in the yard.
That was OK for awhile, but I began to get pretty bored. I found some nice
soft dirt to dig in, but that made Mom mad. Something about flower bulbs
and grass seed that I really didn't understand. There was a dog next door
tied to a tree in his yard, so we spent most of the day talking. For some
reason, that made Dad mad too! I just couldn't seem to do anything right.
Finally, one day I heard Dad say to Mom, "I don't care how you do it, just
get rid of that filthy mess of a dog!"
I figured Billy would convince them I should stay, but he didn't much care
one way or the other. Mom came outside and unhooked me from the chain. She
put an old belt of Dad's through my collar and we went out to the car. At
first I thought it was time to go to the doctor's for a checkup. Once we
drove off though, we headed in the opposite direction. I could hear all
the dogs talking inside the building as soon as we turned into the
driveway. Mom and I went inside, and she handed the belt to the lady at
the counter. Then she patted my head, and walked away, without me.
The lady at the desk took me in the back and put me in a cage like the
one I had in the pet store, only colder and dirtier. The room was filled
with dogs, I even saw that cute Beagle I had known at the pet store.
He didn't recognize me because I was so matted and filthy. I could
hardly see because my eyes were encrusted and I had hot spots from trying
to bite at fleas. No one seemed to want to come near me.
That was five days ago. I guess that I must have a new
home now, because a man came by this morning and put a red sticker on my
cage door. Here comes the lady who feeds me, and she is carrying a thing
to give shots with, just like my doctor did. As she walks me into another
room, I see some of the friends I have made in this new place. Funny, they
all seem to be asleep on the floor.
Oh well, the lady just told me not to worry, everything would be all
right. She seems sad though, and I don't really understand why. Maybe
being a Christmas puppy wasn't so great after all. |