Home - A Pup's Tale

 

Hi. My name is “Number 7,” or “The Last One.” Well, at least that’s what I assume since I am the last of mummy’s new litter. I am one of its four males and the one that boasts the largest paws according to most of the human visitors that came to see us on the daily. I wear a smooth coat of black on my back, with brown legs and eyebrows, and a hint of white on my neck and belly. I am what they call a German Shepherd.

I was born about three years ago; about two and a half months in human age. I’d never felt as cold and unsafe until I first landed on this earth. THUD, I fell off my mother’s womb from the warmth and comfort of her placenta, to the dirt on what would soon be my playground for the first critical years of my life. There, I met my siblings; all clean and pampered, left in a bundle to dry from what I believe was a bath they had been given. That must be what mummy was doing when she licked my whole body clean before lying sideways, exposing her full breasts which she patiently guided to our fangless mouths, as our eyes were still blind. Apart from her, I also relied on my nose to detect the attractive scent of milk lingering around her nipples. I also learned to use my ears to detect my brothers’ and sisters’ whimpers and movements as they slowly crawled around. It wasn’t long until I opened my eyes one day.

There was so much light that took me a while to adjust to, but mummy was always there to cover me, or gently carry me by my neck under the shade of our kennel. She was massive, standing above me on her four sturdy legs. Her straight and pointy ears were always twitching right and left, and her nose quivering as she was always on the lookout for our safety. One of the few times she was totally relaxed, was when the human she referred to as “Master” came to feed her, and also check on us. His hairy and muscular arms were gentle when he lifted and caressed us, except for that one time I suddenly felt a sharp stinging pain on my bottom when he injected me with my very first vaccine. I whined as loud as I could, but mummy said it was OK. For some reason, she trusted this man. And I fell for it. I bet she never expected those same hands to take me from her for good, and pass me to a total stranger.

Master brought along with him two men, one day. They were all merry and excited to see us. They laughed and played with each one of us for some time before I saw one of them point his long bony finger at me with a wide smile on his face. He seemed very excited as Master picked me up and together, they continued chatting and making their way towards the big red moving kennel he came in. Master slowly placed me inside after I heard a loud sound come from nowhere, and the floor he placed me on was vibrating really hard. It was terrifying, but Master was still there so I calmed down. Without warning though, he closed the door behind me and waved goodbye as the world outside slowly started sliding past the window. 

It was a smooth ride at first, but next thing I know, there was suddenly a loud outburst of sounds engulfing me. “BEEP! BEEP! BEEEP,” came rushing in from all corners, along with a disorganized orchestra of shouting, whistling, and the pitter patter of humans running around. I had never been in the presence of so many people, and I was so paralysed with fear that I couldn’t hold my bladder. There was no spot for me to crawl under. There was no fur to cover me. I was left bare and vulnerable, with nowhere to run or hide.

Shortly after however, it got quieter before we finally came to a stop.  The man got out, walked around and opened the door before he picked me up and put me on unfamiliar ground. “Where’s mummy,” I worried. “Where’s everybody else?” I couldn’t even catch their scent as I sniffed my surroundings. The welcoming party seemed friendly though, but, “Who are they? Where am I?” They led me through an open door, snapping their fingers and making weird kissing sounds by bringing their lips together and pointing them outside. I was shy, but I couldn’t resist. I slowly and sheepishly followed them, head and shoulders low, to a round object on the ground that was full of a substance that resembled the drops of milk on mummy’s breasts. It didn’t quite taste the same though, but it was delicious nonetheless. So, I lapped it all to my fill and was praised and patted in a way I had never been before. I couldn’t help but give them a few wags of my tail. What can I say? I can’t control it. That thing on my backside has a mind of its own. 

They then proceeded to lead me to a larger round object and encouraged me to get on it. As I hesitated, I was gently pushed onto it, and it felt soft and warm under my paws. I laid on it and immediately felt relaxed, and slept from the exhaustion of the day that had been.

I was awakened later in the night, when someone else came to see me. He wasn’t among the welcoming party that received me earlier, but looked just as excited to see me. He squatted and started rubbing my head and belly as he talked to me in a reassuring voice. There was something about him that just triggered my tongue to start licking his hands, which in turn elevated the joy in him. His eyes sparkled and all his teeth bore as his smile grew wider. Then, he removed a strange flat object from his pocket and pointed it towards me, waited a few seconds before a bright light flashed and disappeared in an instant. It happened two more times before he put it away, gave me one last rub on my belly and left me to sleep through my first night away from home.

Today, I’m standing by my new Master as he patiently walks me around the backyard, introducing me to my new surroundings, and playing “Fetch” with me as he throws the round chew toy he gave me, for me to run after. As I chase it down, still having trouble catching it as it bounces around, I catch the scent of a strange animal on the grass. For some reason, the strong stench sets a wave of mixed feelings of anger and excitement off, in me. I already am not a fan, and want to chase it away. This must be what used to set mummy off. This must be what she referred to as, “The Cat.” 

“Buddie! Buddie!” New Master is calling me. That must be my name now. I seem to get a reaction of praise and affection when I finally answer, running towards him, tongue out and hanging sideways, wagging my tail off. I’ll deal with the cat later. First, let me establish my new territory. This is my home now.

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