Happy Endings???

The door to the pen opened up and I ran with my brothers and sisters to greet the visitors. Each of us jumped up as the little girl knelt in front of us. She fussed us all in turn as we fought for prime position. The tall man stood talking to mum, clapping her as she sat proud. The girl smiled a wide smile as she picked me up and hugged me. I sniffed at her neck and tried to kiss her, that made her laugh. The noise of the car frightened me a little but the girl held me closer and told me it would be OK. Already I was missing mum and my brothers and sisters but again the little girl assured me all would be fine and I stopped crying. The journey seemed to take ages, and at times I felt a little sick from the swaying of the car as we turned this way and that.
Soon we stopped and I was carefully lifted into the huge house. It was a beautiful house, the carpets were soft under my feet and there was so much space to run around. My new mum had lots of toys for me, but for now I just wanted to look around at my new home. I ran from room to room, looking under chairs and tables and under beds. The little girl followed and watched as I sniffed out every corner. The tall man lifted me up and stroked my head then took me outside. I was a little wary at first, the wind was strong and blew into my face but soon I was running around the garden. I sniffed at the shed door, curious as to what was inside. After a while I toileted and was taken back inside. I was tired now after all the excitement, so lay down to rest on the soft rug by the warm fire. The little girl sat with me, stroking me till I fell asleep. I probably made some crying noises as I dreamed of mum and my brothers and sisters. I was missing them and wondered if they missed me too.

When I woke, I was somewhere different. My bed was no longer the fireside rug but a large beanbag next to the little girls bed. The room looked bright with it's colourful decoration even though it was still dark. I stretched and got out from my bed then found a corner to relieve myself before going off to explore my new home some more. After a while I got bored and wanted to play but I was unable to reach up onto the little girls bed. I found some shoes and played with those for a while then a toy that the girl had left out. I assumed she's left it for me so I played with it for a while, tearing at the ribbons and chewing on the plastic. After a while I got bored with that and decided to explore some more. The door was closed though so I cried out for help. None came so I tried to open the door, scratching at the floor below and pulling at the carpet with my mouth.

Suddenly the door opened, I had to jump back to avoid being hit by it. My tail wagged when I saw it was the tall man and I ran toward him and jumped up to greet him. "Down" he said in a harsh voice as he looked around at the room. He shook his head and mumbled something then snatched me up from the floor. I was a little bit frightened now and felt my ears pin back. He picked up the toy and held it roughly to my face, "whats this" he said "bad girl" and threw the toy down. He looked at the bottom of the door where I'd scratched but before he could say anything he spotted the mess I'd made in the corner of the room. I tried to tell him I needed to go but he couldn't understand me. I could tell he was angry and struggled to get free as he pushed my face close to where I'd messed. Next thing I knew he was dropping me roughly on the grass outside. It was hard to understand what he was saying, his voice so angry. I just sat there, afraid and hoping the little girl would come out soon and reassure me, just as she had on the way here. This sort of thing happened a lot over the next week or so. I tried to do the right thing but got it wrong so many times. Each time the man would get even more angry. Sometimes he would hit me quite hard and frighten me with his loud voice shouting. It was quite confusing, all day I'd be bored and wishing there was someone here with me. But when they came home I'd wish I were alone. It's not that I didn't want to be with them, I did. But I was afraid of the shouting and the smacks would hurt. I was confused when they tried to play with me, throwing toys for me to fetch and giving me things to chew, then other times they would get angry when I chewed or fetched. I'd make a noise when I needed the toilet but the man would shout at me to be quiet, then smack me when I made a mess.

One day, I made quite a lot of mess on the carpet. I didn't mean to make the mess but my stomach had hurt and I couldn't keep it in any longer. I knew I had done wrong and cowered in the corner as the man approached me. He shouted as he grabbed me and stormed outside. It was cold outside, it had been snowing, the cold wind took me by surprise a little, after the comfort of the warm house. He marched me to the shed and opened it's door, then dropped me roughly on the floor and closed the door and left. It was dark and cold in there and I snuggled into a corner as best I could. I don't know if it was the cold or the fear that made me shake but it felt awful and I couldn't stop it. Outside I could hear the little girl crying and the frightening voice of the tall man. Soon the voices faded and I was left alone, again thinking about mum and my brothers and sisters and wishing I were back with them. From time to time over the next few days the man would bring me some food. It was cold in the shed, but for the most part I felt safe. Usually I'd hide in the corner when I heard the door open then wait till he left so I could eat without fear of a beating. I tried to keep my mess to one end of the small shed, as far as possible from the bed I'd made from an old sack, and out of sight of the tall man so as to give no reason for another beating.

This went on for a few days until one day the tall man appeared with another person. The man had lost his loud, rough voice and tried to coax me out with a treat. The lady stood next to him looking very angry. I thought at first she was angry at the mess I'd made, but she spoke to me softly as she knelt down beside me. I coward away, confused and scared but gradually edged toward her as she spoke softly to me. The man said nothing, no shouting no smacking he just stood there as the lady lifted me up and took me from the shed. Still frighted I shook and cried as she walked down the path toward the van. Over her shoulder I saw the little girl cry too and hoped she would be safe with the tall man. A small cage in the van was my bed for a while as the van drove off on a short trip. Soon we stopped and the lady took me from the van and into the building. It wasn't as nice as the tall mans house but it was so warm and cozy. The lady lifted me onto a table and looked all over me. All the time talking to me in a soft gentle voice. I was still very scared and winced back whenever she reached out to me, afraid she might beat me. Soon she took me to a small pen, it was clean and warm and had a nice soft bed. I was so tired after all the days events, so fell fast asleep almost instantly. When I woke I needed to toilet as always, I tried to wait as long as possible but could wait no longer and made a mess in the pen. When the lady came through I feared the worst and backed into the corner and curled up in my bed. She opened the pen and reached down to clear the mess I'd made. She said nothing, just cleaned it up and dropped it in a bin. She returned to me immediately and crouched down beside me. I flinched as her hand came toward me, expecting a smack but instead receiving a stroke and some kind words. She fed me then left me alone for a short while, not too far away coz I could hear her talking just as softly to some other dogs close by. Later she took me from the pen, I was still frightened and more so when she put the lead on me and tried to walk with me. It felt strange and pulled against my neck as I went off in the wrong direction, but some gentle help from the lady and I was soon able to walk with her. Over the course of the coming days I felt more and more relaxed with the lady, we grew close and I began to trust her more and more. My tail would wag and I'd run to the edge of the pen to meet her as she approached, no more cowering at the back. At last I felt safe and loved.

One day though, my worst fears came true. I woke to find the lady with a tall man, he looked a little different from before and seemed a lot more gentle.His hair was different and his skin, was this the same man who had beat me, I wasn't sure. He spoke softly to me as I hid at the back of the pen. The lady called me over so I came slowly toward her and allowed her to pick me up. I was confused and for the first time in ages I shook again as the man stroked my fur and spoke to me. I struggled a little as they lifted me into the crate, but I eventually went and was lifted into the car. Another long journey on yet another winding road and soon we had reached his home. He lifted me inside then opened the door of the crate. He left me alone and in my own time I soon curiously tiptoed from there onto the soft warm carpet. The man just smiled and watched from his seat as I began to explore. The house was small and soon I had checked out every inch. In one corner there was a soft bed, just like the one I had at the ladies place. Inside was a blanket and some toys. "Go on then, try it for size" the man said, in a kind gentle voice. Cautiously I stepped into the bed and lay down. My curiosity got the better of me and I began to nudge the toy with my nose. I curled up a little as the man stood up and walked toward me, but I need not have been afraid as his touch was so gentle. I sniffed his hand and he rubbed it gently across my head. "Come this way young lady, you must be hungry" he said. I followed him closely to the kitchen and bolted down the bowl of meat he gave me then drank from the water bowl. He then took me outside and we played for a while, he'd throw the ball and I'd run after it. He'd laugh as I leaped toward it just as it bounced away from me. It was fun and I warmed to my new friend. Soon I needed to toilet, I was scared. Scared that I might go in the wrong place, scared that he might beat me but I needn't have been scared at all. He left me alone to do my mess then praised me and petted me afterward. We spent the rest of that day getting to know each other, his kind soft voice made it so easy to trust him. Soon it was dark and after another trip outside to toilet we went off to bed. At first I lay in the small bed in the corner, but after a short while he picked me up and lay me on the bottom of his big bed. A little at a time I crept up closer, snuggling between his hand and his chest. I licked his hand and he rubbed my fur and we both fell fast asleep.

From that day on I have made that my bed, as close as I can be to my new Dad. We walk in the park together, we play together and sometimes just snuggle up on the sofa together. He brushes me and bathes me, keeps me fed well, but best of all he has time for me. He's taught me so many things, but the biggest thing he has taught me is to trust. We walk the streets together proudly. I sit by him as his friends and sometimes strangers pet me and comment on how well behaved I am or how beautiful I look. My life has changed so much but sometimes my dreams take me back to earlier in my life and I get scared again, but Dad is always there to calm me and tell me it's OK. I sometimes think about my brothers and sisters and the little girl who I know I could have loved, and wonder if they are OK, if they are as happy and as safe as I feel now. I never told you my name throughout this story, but I have none..... I am anyone you want me to be, I'm the happy ending that lives somewhere close to you. But unfortunately for every one of me, there are dozens more without such happy endings. Please think of them this Christmas as they cower in their sheds or whimper at the door.......

Very moving.... I really shouldn't read things like this when I am at work - very embarrasing to have tears welling up in the middle of the office!

Hear, hear Ian - very moving, poignant blog.

If only ALL potential first time dog owners would read this and realize what can happen and not impulse purchase. There would be fewer dogs in need of rescues

Very moving, you are so right to think that for every happy ending there are others going through the same. Its just so wrong. Was this about a dog that you know Ian, or a tale of the good and evil in people?

Thanks folks, na Toby not about any dog in particular. I just enjoy writing these things and I guess being in Dogsey and hearing stories from diff people makes you more aware of what goes on. Glad you enjoyed it, hope not too much of a downer

Well I had to read it through tears Ian. It is all so true and yet so poignant. You have a wonderful ability to convey emotion in your writing. A great gift! Thank you for sharing it with us.

Its so true Ian, and painful as it is to read, it happens.
Glad you gave your story a happy ending.

Thanks Mae, thanks Laura. Maybe somat a bit cheerier next time eh

Sad but true, pleased that there was a happy ending to your story Ian, sadly it is not always the case. We should all spare a thought for the pets who are not as lucky as ours.

What a moving blog, so true, have seen and heard it first hand. Well done.