RSS

Tag Archives: Pets

Day 4 – The Dog Hotel and the Imaginary Dog

I’m hanging out at the dog hotel this week and since it’s hard to have adventures of my own here I’ve been making up a story about a dog and his adventures. If you want to start from the beginning you can go back to the post on Monday, March 11^th and follow the story from there.

***

“We can’t take him in.” The person behind the counter of the shelter looked down as he said the words. “This is a no-kill shelter and we can only accept additional pets as we have room for them. Right now we’re full up.”

“Do you have any suggestions?” Dad asked the man.

“I do,” said the man. “This young man of yours looks like he’s already attached to this little guy. I can take the information incase we’re contacted by the owners. Why don’t you take him back home with you? You look like you’d make good dog people.”

“That’s not an option,” said Dad.

“Dad, mom will adjust,” said Eric as he held a squirmy puppy tight to his chest.

“Eric, she’s just not ready yet. It hasn’t been enough time.”

The shelter man spoke. “I don’t like to mention this place, but there’s another shelter down the road that will take him. I don’t think he’ll last long there though.”

“Thank you,” said Dad. ”I don’t think we have a choice. How do we get to this place?”

***

Eric looked longingly toward the door of the second shelter as they pulled away. “Dad, they’ll kill him there.”

“That’s not our problem now, Eric.”

“But Dad, we could save this puppy. I already did once, and now it doesn’t seem to matter.”

“Eric, it’s just too soon after losing Benny. I don’t think I’m ready for another dog yet – especially a surprise dog like this. And I know your mother isn’t ready.”

Eric didn’t expect the tears to come again as he thought of Benny, the family dog he’d grown up with. He still missed Benny a lot, but he knew he could open his heart to another. He decided it was better not to say anything though and he and his dad rode home in silence.

***

“Why the glum faces?” Mom asked as the guys walked in the door.

Eric explained where they’d left the puppy.

“Oh,” Mom said.

Mom gave a deep sigh. “I didn’t think I’d be ready for another dog for a long time after losing Benny. I’m still not sure I am, but after seeing you with that puppy Eric – well, just because we lost one dog doesn’t mean we should condemn another one to death. Why don’t you two go back and bring that puppy home.”

“Are you sure hun?” Dad asked.

“I’m sure. Now go!”

“Race you to the truck, Dad!” shouted Eric as he ran out the door.

***

The door of the shelter wouldn’t budge when Eric tried to pull it open.

“We were just here,” said Eric.

“What does that sign say the hours are?” asked Dad.

Eric checked the sign and breathed out in disgust. “They just closed a few minutes ago and they won’t be open again until Monday at 8:00. I’ve got to be at school then.”

“I don’t have to start work until later on Monday. Do you have any classes that you absolutely can’t miss Monday morning?”

“Nope, I don’t Dad.”

“We’ll be here first thing Monday morning then.”

***

To be continued tomorrow.

16 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 14, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: dog hotel, fiction, kennel, Pets, Puppy, short story

Day 3 – The Dog Hotel and the Imaginary Dog

13 Mar

I’m stuck at the dog hotel so I’m making up a story about an imaginary dog with imaginary adventures since I can’t have my own adventures this week. If you want to start the story at the beginning go back to the post on Monday, March 11^th and follow the story from there.

***

“But mom, I can’t take the puppy back. I found him in the snow. He’ll freeze out there.”

Eric thought he saw a tear glisten in his mom’s eye, but she turned back to her work.

“I guess you’re right,” Eric’s mom said as she chopped a little too hard on a carrot. “We can’t leave him out in the cold. There’s some of Benny’s leftover food in the pantry. Get that puppy something to eat and then find a warm place for him to sleep. And then wash up and come help me. I’ve got to get your dad’s cake in the oven. He’ll be home soon.”

When Eric heard his dad’s truck pull up he prayed that the puppy would continue sleeping until after they’d eaten. He figured the conversation would go better on a full stomach.

Eric greeted his dad as he walked in the door “Hi Dad. Did you have a good day?”

“Yes, I did Eric. Thanks. But it looks like not as interesting as your day. What’s that behind you?”

Eric turned just as the puppy reached him and rubbed on his leg.

“Um, you’re not going to believe this dad but I found this puppy sleeping in the snow. I couldn’t leave him out there. I was kind of hoping you wouldn’t see him until after dinner. By the way Dad, happy birthday.”

“Dinner’s on the table,” called Mom from the dining room.

“It smells wonderful,” said Dad. “Let me wash up and I’ll be right there.”

***

They finished dinner in silence. The puppy’s gentle breathing seemed to be the loudest sound in the room.

“We can’t ignore the subject any longer,” said Dad. “Tomorrow’s Saturday. We’ll take the puppy to the shelter. Maybe they can track down where he belongs.”

***

To be continued tomorrow.

22 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 13, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: dog hotel, fiction, kennel, Pets, Puppy, short story

Day 2 – The Dog Hotel and the Imaginary Dog

12 Mar

For those of you who weren’t here yesterday, I’m stuck in the dog hotel again. Since it’s kind of hard to have adventures in here I’m making up a story about an imaginary dog with imaginary adventures. If you want to start from the beginning go back and read yesterday’s post first.

***

Eric looked at his watch. “My mom’s going to kill me. I was supposed to be home early tonight.” He stood up to leave. “See you dude,” he said to his friend Brian.

Eric collected his winter gear tightly around him and stepped off Brian’s front porch into a deep drift. He pulled himself out of it and headed toward the woods. In spite of the fact that it was nearly dark, he could get home much faster this way. He was glad he’d remembered to carry a small flashlight with him.

Eric thought about what his mom would say to him when he arrived. He did not like it when she was angry and she was sure to be angry with him now. She had asked him to help her with a special dinner for his father’s birthday.

Focusing on the snowy trail, Eric decided not to think about what he might hear. Lights shown in the distance so Eric knew he was getting close. The trail didn’t look the same in snow. It seemed full of lumpy white shapes and he pulled his flashlight out to see more clearly. As he took a step his foot brushed against something slightly buried in snow and he thought he heard a whimper.

Quickly pulling his foot back, Eric aimed his light at the object, which wasn’t an object at all.

Bending on one knee, Eric brushed the snow off the puppy. “Hey little guy, what are you doing here?”

The puppy lifted his head and kissed Eric on the nose.

Eric placed the puppy in his lap and then used the strength of his legs to lift himself up with the puppy in his arms. “I can’t leave you here little guy. Who knows what would have happened to you if I hadn’t found you.”

The puppy’s tail gave a slight wag as Eric held him close to his chest.

Arriving home, Eric clumped up his back porch steps in order to knock the snow off his boots. His mother was cutting vegetables as he walked in.

“Where have you been?” his mother said without turning around.

The puppy whimpered.

After slowly turning to look at Eric and the puppy, his mom spoke. “Take that dog right back where you got him.”

***

To be continued tomorrow.

20 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 12, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Dog, dog hotel, fiction, kennel, Pets, Puppy, short story

Day 1 – The Dog Hotel and the Imaginary Dog

11 Mar

I’m stuck at the dog hotel and I take no responsibility for what’s posted here.

I can’t believe it! I’m stuck in the dog hotel again. My person went away and left me, and here I am at the dog hotel.

How am I going to have any adventures? Or fun? I won’t have anything to write about on my blog.

Wait, I know. I’ll make up a story. It’ll be a first. I’ll tell a story about some imaginary dog who is having imaginary adventures. Here goes:

***

Slush sprayed the half-grown puppy as a semi-truck rushed by inches from his nose. The puppy stopped still in his tracks and then turned and ran back the way he’d come.

Shaking to rid himself of the damp, the puppy took a cautious step into the soft snow. He moved his other paw forward and tried again, inching his way into the woods and sometimes sinking to his belly.

Away from the highway everything was silent. Slowly falling snowflakes tickled the puppy’s nose as they landed. A few blades of grass grew through the snow surrounding it. The puppy nibbled on these but they didn’t satisfy his hunger. He wandered for awhile sniffing the snow in spots, or scratching at the base of a tree, hoping for something, anything, that smelled like food. But he found nothing.

Finally exhaustion overtook him. He lay down right where he was in the snow. In spite of the cold, he fell into a fitful sleep.

***

To be continued tomorrow.

35 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 11, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: dog hotel, fiction, kennel, Pets, Puppy, short story

Leaping Away

10 Mar

Christ cleansing a leper by Jean-Marie Melchior Doze, 1864

Wait a minute, person. I’m almost finished with all that fish in the boat.

I had to work really hard to eat all that. It took me two weeks. There were a lot of fish.

Okay, I’m ready for another story now. Maybe about some water so I can wash all those fish down.

What? No water? You’re telling me a story about a man who leapt around all day?

He leaped everywhere and couldn’t stop leaping so he asked Jesus to heal him?

I leap around a lot too, but I don’t want Jesus to heal me. Leaping is fun.

Oh. The man didn’t leap, he had leprosy? What kind of a thing is that? It sounds like leaping to me.

***

The man had a really bad skin disease called leprosy. In Jesus’ day people with this disease had to stay far away from other people and if anyone started coming near to them they had to shout, “Unclean, unclean.”

***

Couldn’t they take a bath so they were clean again?

I’m listening.

***

Their disease was what made them unclean. People were afraid to touch them because they were concerned that they might get the disease too.

This man came and knelt before Jesus and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.

***

Jesus touched him? I thought you said you couldn’t touch those people because you might get that leaping disease.

I am too listening.

***

Jesus said, “I am willing. Be clean!”

Immediately the leprosy left the man and he was healed.

***

Could that man still leap if he wanted to?

Okay, I’ll listen.

***

Jesus told the man not to tell anyone, but to show himself to the priest. In those days lepers went to the priest when they were healed and the priest was the one who declared them clean.

But the man leaped around and told everyone what Jesus had done for him. Crowds of people came to have Jesus heal them and Jesus often had to withdraw into lonely places in order to pray.

***

Do you think any of those people who came to be healed brought any fish with them?

I know I ate a lot of fish. But I’m going to need some more tomorrow.

12 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 10, 2013 in Bongo, Dogology, humor

Tags: Bible, Christianity, Disease, dogs, Fish, Jesus, Leprosy, Lord, Pets, Religion and Spirituality

Unexpected Weather Day

09 Mar

What a day! My person said it was going to rain today and I guess she was right. It’s been doing nothing but rain all day long. It’s not even a day I want to go out for a walk, and I usually take my person out in almost any kind of weather.

Well, except for that thunder kind of weather, that is.

We weren’t supposed to get any of that thunder stuff today. But I guess the clouds got tired of sending down rain because for awhile they sent hail…

and then it thundered.

But awhile later those clouds changed their mind again. It started to snow. Really hard.

That snow even stayed on the ground.

Okay, I checked it out. It’s really snow – even though we were only supposed to get rain today.

It’s cold, wet, and blowy out here. This is all the walk I need.

You mean I don’t have to drag you back home, person? You want to go home, too?

Move over, Scratchy. I’m taking over your warm spot.

32 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 9, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Pets, Rain, snow, Thunder, Weather, wind

Treats and Loves Twice

08 Mar

Two times this week! Do you believe it? I got to go for a ride in the car and we stopped at the treats and loves place twice this week. That’s never happened before. At least that I remember.

That treats and loves place is pretty cool, but I still can’t figure out why my person keeps yelling at me when I’m in the car. She always wants me to lie down, and then she keeps yelling “back.” She’s sitting in the front of the car. I don’t know why I can’t be up there with her.

But I guess I’d better tell you what that treats and loves place is. No, it’s not the doggy spa. I’m too cool to go there. It’s the vet. They see me coming and they get out the treats. They love me there.

Don’t tell my person though – she doesn’t know because they left her behind and just took me into the room – but I had to work really hard for those treats. They poked needles in me. I’m not sure why they do that. Maybe they had to test to see which kinds of treats are my favorite. I could have told them that, though.

When I left they told me to say hi to Scratchy – so after we got in the car, my person yelled “back”, and we made it back home I hurried in the house to give Scratchy the hi.

And you know what Scratchy did?

He growled.

I guess they don’t give Scratchy treats and loves at the vet. I wonder why.

31 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 8, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Cat, Cats and Dogs, loves, Pets, Treats, veterinarian

Feathers

07 Mar

Alright, what’s going on here? Some bird is dropping its feathers on my trail. This is not good. Not only is that bird littering up my trail, it’s missing a few feathers that it might need someday. I mean, birds need feathers to fly and it might need them to stay warm. We’ve got another storm coming our way.

I think I’d better get my Detective Dog hat and track down that bird so I can give it back its feathers.

That’s better. Now I’m ready to fly into this investigation.

Wait! No, I mean – what do I mean? Those feathers are too small for me. Besides I’m a dog. Dogs don’t fly. I’ve got to find out where this bird has flown off to.

This is not good. My investigation has fluffed up more feathers. I’d better look around in these bushes. That bird can’t have gotten far without all its feathers.

Hmmm. No birds around here. Not even any telltale chirping sounds.

Methinks somebody has stolen that bird away. This is serious. This also complicates my investigation. It began with a few feathers littering my trail and now I’m looking for a birdnapper.

This could turn out to be dangerous.

But never fear, Detective Dog is here!

I always get my birdnapper.

Wait a minute. What if that bird got napped by a bear? Or a mountain lion?

Whatever it was, it scared the bejeebers out of that bird.

I’m heading home now. I’ll be back as soon as the reinforcements have finished my job.

26 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 7, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Bird, Detective Dog, Feather, Pets, Trail

On the Trail Again

06 Mar

Finally! Today I was able to get my leash and put it into my person’s hand and take her for a walk. It’s been a week – well, except for one day that I took my younger person. I guess my person is getting better at chasing that bug away now so she can go with me.

I had so much to catch up with out on my trails. I had to find out which of my buddies had been by and which of them had left me messages. I bet some of them were worried when I didn’t answer for so long. Well, I sent them all messages so they know I’m back.

I was so busy sniffing that I almost didn’t notice when my person got her camera out. It’s that flower season time of year.

Wait a minute. What are these doing blooming? I thought I’d managed to get away with no Manzanita blossoms this year.

Last year the Manzanita blossomed in January. What gives?

I guess there’s only a few bushes with blossoms. My person can’t take too many pictures of them, can she?

***

We were almost back home and we’d even gone past all the Manzanita bushes – there are a lot of them on my trails – when I saw it.

I saw the strangest forest creature I’ve ever seen on my trails. I don’t know where it came from or what it was doing there.

I’m not sure what it is, but I think it’s some kind of forest fairy.

37 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 6, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Fairy, Hiking, manzanita, Outdoors, Pets, Trail

Berry Boring

05 Mar

Today was a very boring day. My person left for a little while this morning – oh yeah, I did get to mess up her bed while she was gone. But when my person came back home she was already worn out from that bug thing and didn’t want to do anything else all day.

This is terrible! What am I going to do? I’m running out of adventures to post on my blog.

I know. It’s so berry boring that I’m just going to post pictures of berries that I’ve found on my trails. They’re pretty boring. You can’t eat them or anything. I don’t even know what most of them are called and I don’t know if they’re all really berries – but you can look at them anyway.