A Dog’s Life…
Once upon a time there was a Jack Russell.
He was born at a well-known JRT kennels but he had no aspirations to be a show-dog.
He just wanted to have fun…
And life was pretty good to him until he lost his partner, the other half of his life – his make-do granny. She passed away and he was left a little bereft and no sure what he wanted to do.
He tried beachcombing.
He tried landscape gardening.
But nothing really excited him.
He even thought about leaving home and striking out alone, but the house he picked was too draughty and prone to getting wet in a high tide.
And then he remembered what his trainer, Ziggy had said.
‘You’d love the farm, little fella. Get your Dad to take you out in the ute and maybe, if you do what you are told, he will let you work the sheep.
So he climbed in the ute and sat on his mum’s lap.
He got out with his mum and even though he was on a lead, he walked quietly as mum used Ziggy’s commands and some sheep-dog commands too. Things like ‘Go out.’ ‘Steady.’ ‘Push up.’
He was so thrilled when his mum bent and hugged him and said how quiet and calm he was. It was so unusual really because he knew very well how filled with excitement and energy he normally was every minute of every day.
Anyway, he moved the pregnant ewes with Mum, all the way to the new paddock and then he fell asleep ‘cos he was just exhausted!
Because a career change at the age of nearly five is pretty tough, you know!
Aw Prue, that’s lovely and glad young dog seems to be settling down and finding his way, sounds like he is coming along nicely
He really seems to be a little less lonely and lost now. It’s a blessing, Libby.
So I am not sure of the ending of the journey, did the little fellow just move to the farm for good or was it just a visit?
Our son now lives on the farm, Jim, so it’s a visit.
This reminds me of Nugget. What a lovely story, and I’m glad Young Dog is growing into to his own life. He’s naturally thoughtful, because dogs don’t generally think a lot about Life, unless they have to. Give him a snuggle for me, and for Hana, as well.
He is missing his partner a little less I think, Pat. Although I dropped her dog collar in the bedroom the other day and he shot in there and smelled every inch of it and then just sat on the floor looking out the door. It was quite heartbreaking in its own way.