Canine Characters

When I first met my human family

by Barbi Rodriguez

It was a cold, mighty cold, rainy day and I felt wet, could not stop shivering and whimpering. I had just left my mommy’s stomach and found myself semi-buried in soil, crying and crying, but no one was coming to help. Where is my mommy? Where are my siblings? What could I possibly do?

I rested my little lungs….I felt so sticky. Mommy had nipped the umbilical cord correctly, but she had forgotten to lick all the gooey from my skin…that, and the fact that it’s so cold and windy, and I’m hungry, so very, very hungry…won’t somebody please, please, help me. Maybe if I start screeching like a cat, I still can’t bark, I’ll screech louder!!!!!!!!!!!!! screech!!!!!!!!!!!! screech!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m over here…I’m over here!!

Oh-oh!! I hear someone coming…..”I’m over here, I’m over here :::screeching at the top of my lungs:::”

“Well, well….what have we here?” I heard my human daddy Hiram say. Suddenly, warm hands picked me up and I felt so warm and comfortable. He took me to the place that I now call home. I remember being placed in a blanket all cuddly and warm…it wasn’t even raining inside the place where this human brought me to.

“You’ll never guess what I found!” he said on a device humans called a phone. I didn’t know it at the time, but he had called my new human mommy, Barbi, at work. “I found a newborn puppy semi-buried in the soil. She appears to have been born today…umbilical cord and all. I have searched a couple of blocks for the mom, but nobody knows or has heard anything.” I wasn’t too close to that device phone, but I could hear my mommy exclaiming: “SHE’S MINE…WE’RE KEEPING HER!!” My new human daddy giggled — and he didn’t even argue — he just said “wait ’till you see her, Barbi. She is jet black, tiny and beautiful.” Awww….right then and there, I knew I would not be cold and hungry ever again.

My new mommy left work early and bought me canine milk from the store, plus a nice little warm, fuzzy bed and a few blankets. I couldn’t see yet, but I could feel how much she loved me. Day-in and day-out, she nursed me around the clock every 3-4 hours, and everyone in the family took turns feeding me and giving me love. Sometimes daddy would lay me on his chest and I would fall asleep hearing his heartbeat. It made me feel so wonderful and safe!!

Then on what I’ve been told was my 13th day of life, in the middle of my 2:00 a.m. feeding — AMAZING!! I COULD SEE!! It was blurry at first, and it was dark, but I could see Mommy’s face and hands. I was so happy I stopped sucking my bottle. “What do you know!!” she whispered softly smiling. “Can you see me Lady? Is that little flicker of light your eyes opening up? It’s me…Mommy….I’m your new Mommy!!” Well Mommy, not only could I see you….I could feel the love you have for me. I remember I could not stop staring at you and we cuddled for almost 2 hours until I feel asleep.

I’m so grateful to you and Daddy for rescuing me on that day. The temperature went down a record low that evening and I would have probably died. I luv you both so much and it’s a love that will never fade and grow from day to day. THE END.

Author: Barbiro Site: http://www.cutefamilypets.com

A Site for Animal Lovers

Cats & Dogs – Soul Mates?

by Judie Dahl

My last dog chased cats like every genetically correct pup should do, so I was amazed at my current pup and her feline fascination. My pal Keisha was only five months old when she met her first cat. His name was Pongo and he was also five months old. We were visiting with family in Omaha Nebraska for Christmas and Keisha was determined to make friends with Pongo. Pongo would have nothing to do with her!

They tip toed around each other for three days even coming nose to nose eventually. Then on Boxing Day we had just finished our lunch of leftovers…you know turkey sandwiches and such, when we heard a crash in the kitchen. Assuming nothing serious we were slow to react.

When we finally moseyed into the kitchen to get going on the post lunch cleanup they were caught in the act! There they were…Pongo and Keisha nose to nose eating the turkey that someone (?!?!?) had pushed off of the counter onto the floor. They had a fine feast together and even after their tag team mischief, Pongo was still reluctant to become fast friends although I think he was beginning to warm up to the idea, after all Keisha had eaten the turkey and not him! Unfortunately we had to leave before the relationship was cemented. We have not seen Pongo since but Keisha responds most enthusiastically to his name still, over three years later.

Keisha is almost four years old now and since meeting Pongo she has tried to make friends with every cat she meets. They have all wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. And then came MOJO.

Mojo is owned by a neighbour and is an outdoor cat. He totally suits his name and struts through the “hood” as though he owns it and has complete control over all that goes down in it. He definitely has his MOJO goin on!

At first Keisha approached him cautiously, and he would bat at her with his paws, but never with claws out. Slowly but surely they came closer and closer to each other. There was the dancing around each other period that looked really funny as each would take their turn jumping forward then backward not unlike some ritual. Then came the purring and then the rolling over and belly sniffing. After that Mojo began to walk around and under Keisha, strategically placing his tail in her face. She, however, manages to maintain her aloof dignity when he does the tail in face thing. All of this has progressed to Mojo coming for walks with us, he comes to visit and waits at the door for Keisha to come out to play. Keisha will put her paw on his bum to get the game of chase going and if Mojo is in the mood he will start the game by running or he will roll onto his back and swat at Keisha with all four paws. Mojo is the alpha in the relationship in spite of his 10 lbs to Keisha’s 60!

It is the most wonderful thing to observe and the neighborhood is mesmerized by these two fast friends.

To see them together one wonders why some cats and dogs get along and others want to destroy each other. Is it perhaps a past life spent together? Early influences like Pongo? Maybe Keisha was a cat in her last life and thus the affinity for cats and cat like behaviour? Or are they just all very different souls with very different personalities and perspectives? Who knows for sure? All I know is that my heart always warms when I see them together and am awed by this amazing friendship that truly looks like soul mates in action.

About the Author Judie Dahl spent most of her life as a career driven Marketing Executive who has lived in Toronto Canada, Amsterdam and the south of France. She now resides in Vancouver, Canada where she enjoys the mountain trails and the ocean beach with her 3 year old dog Keisha the Girl Chow. She is now an entrepreneur whose business “Practical Pet” was a result of wanting a less stressful and therefore more enjoyable relationship with her dog. Practical Pet sells ready made and custom made car seat covers and will soon be launching a number of other “practical” products, including sofa covers for pet owners. www.practical-pet.com