I have been looking over my Mistresses shoulder and I must say I am very concerned. Since when have dogs been traded as a commodity? Contracts in which my fellows are referred to as ‘the Dog’ seem all a bit inappropriate. Would you trade your family and perhaps have contracts in which you sold ‘the Aunt’ or ‘the Brother’, guaranteeing that they were healthy at the time of sale but recommending that they be taken for a check up at the doctor immediately after sale to be on the safe side? Would you rehome your younger brother with five days supply of food and the recommendation that he be taken for training? Would you put a socialisation programme together for your granddad recommending that he is bathed on day 4? If you ask me it all seems a bit unreasonable. Why not leave it to the professionals? I could have put together a suitable introduction to life in a mad house for the new puppy. I could have taught her the important lessons of begging for scraps, leaping over the settee in the enthusiasm of greeting my Mistress, sleeping on the bed and all the other little perks. With the bed, I would have made sure that she knew which way round she needs to lie so as not to get in the way. She also needs to know which is my patch of bed and which is my favourite chair, but these are all things that I can show her. I don’t need a whole puppy guide. I was a puppy myself not so long ago.
Just as I thought I was safe to go out yesterday, it started snowing again. We had to move the cars off the drive before getting snowed in again. I was not at all happy when it came to bedtime and I had to get my paws cold and wet by going outside.