Filed in: Written By OthersThe “Gift” of Growling
October 2005
Why you should never punish a dog for growling.
A professional dog trainer or behaviorist can help you learn to see and interpret the signals your dog uses to try to tell you that he is uncomfortable, so you can remove the stressor – or at least, remove the dog from a stressful situation.
By Pat Miller
Clients always appear a bit stunned at first when I tell them their dog’s growl is a good thing. In fact, a growl is something to be greatly treasured.
These are my aggression consultation clients, who are in my office in desperation, as a last resort, hoping to find some magic pill that will turn their biting dog into a safe companion. They are often dismayed and alarmed to discover that the paradigm many of us grew up with – punish your dog harshly at the first sign of aggression – has contributed to and exacerbated the serious and dangerous behavior problem that has led them to my door.
It seems intuitive to punish growling. Growling leads to biting, and dogs who bite people often must be euthanized, so let’s save our dog’s life and nip biting in the bud by punishing him at the first sign of inappropriate behavior. It makes sense, in a way – but when you have a deeper understanding of canine aggression, it’s easy to understand why it’s the absolute wrong thing to do.
Communication efforts
Most dogs don’t want to bite or fight. The behaviors that signal pending aggression are intended first and foremost to warn away a threat. The dog who doesn’t want to bite or fight tries his hardest to make you go away. He may begin with subtle signs of discomfort that are often overlooked by many humans – tension in body movements, a stiffly wagging tail.
“Please,” he says gently, “I don’t want you to be here.”
If you continue to invade his comfort zone, his threats may intensify, with more tension, a hard stare, and a low growl.
“I mean it,” he says more firmly, “I want you to leave.”
If those are ignored, he may become more insistent, with an air snap, a bump of the nose, or even open mouth contact that closes gently on an arm but doesn’t break skin.
“Please,” he says, “don’t make me bite you.”
If that doesn’t succeed in convincing you to leave, the dog may feel compelled to bite hard enough to break skin in his efforts to protect self, territory, members of his social group, or other valuable resources.
Caused by stress
What many people don’t realize is that aggression is caused by stress. The stressor may be related to pain, fear, intrusion, threats to resources, past association, or anticipation of any of these things. An assertive, aggressive dog attacks because he’s stressed by the intrusion of another dog or human into his territory. A fearful dog bites because he’s stressed by the approach of a human. An injured dog lacerates the hand of his rescuer because he’s stressed by pain.
When you punish a growl or other early warning signs, you may succeed in suppressing the growl, snarl, snap, or other warning behavior – but you don’t take away the stress that caused the growl in the first place. In fact, you increase the stress, because now you, the dog’s owner, have become unpredictable and violent as well.
Once you learn the triggers that make your dog uncomfortable, you can try to keep them at a distance.
Worst of all, and most significantly, if you succeed in suppressing the warning signs, you end up with a dog who bites without warning. He has learned that it’s not safe to warn, so he doesn’t.
If a dog is frightened of children, he may growl when a child approaches. You, conscientious and responsible owner, are well aware of the stigma – and fate – of dogs who bite children, so you punish your dog with a yank on the leash and a loud “No! Bad dog!” Every time your dog growls at a child you do this, and quickly your dog’s fear of children is confirmed – children do make bad things happen! He likes children even less, but he learns not to growl at them to avoid making you turn mean.
You think he’s learned that it’s not okay to be aggressive to children, because the next time one passes by, there’s no growl.
“Phew,” you think to yourself. “We dodged that bullet!”
Convinced that your dog now accepts children because he no longer growls at them, the next time one approaches and asks if he can pat your dog, you say yes. In fact, your dog has simply learned not to growl, but children still make him very uncomfortable. Your dog is now super-stressed, trying to control his growl as the child gets nearer and nearer so you don’t lose control and punish him, but when the scary child reaches out for him he can’t hold back any longer – he lunges forward and snaps at the child’s face. Fortunately, you’re able to restrain him with the leash so he doesn’t connect. You, the dog, and the child are all quite shaken by the incident.
It’s time to change your thinking.
“Help!”
A growl is a dog’s cry for help. It’s your dog’s way of telling you he can’t tolerate a situation – as if he’s saying, “I can’t handle this, please get me out of here!”
Your first response when you hear your dog growl should be to calmly move him away from the situation, while you make a mental note of what you think may have triggered the growl. Make a graceful exit. If you act stressed you’ll only add to his stress and make a bite more, not less, likely. Don’t worry that removing him rewards his aggression; your first responsibility is to keep others safe and prevent him from biting.
If the growl was triggered by something you were doing, stop doing it. Yes, your dog learned one tiny lesson about how to make you stop doing something he doesn’t like, but you’ll override that when you do lots of lessons about how that thing that made him uncomfortable makes really, really good stuff happen.
This is where counter-conditioning comes in.
Counter-conditioning and desensitization teaches the dog that it is rewarding to stay calm in the face of stress. Your dog growls because he has a negative association with something – say he growls when you touch his paw. For some reason, he’s convinced that having his paw touched is a bad thing. If you start by touching his knee, then feeding him a smidgen of chicken, and keep repeating that, he’ll come to think that you touching his knee makes chicken happen. He’ll want you to touch his leg so he gets a bit of chicken.
Note: Make sure your dog’s discomfort with you touching his paw is not related to pain. If it hurts when you touch him there, counter-conditioning won’t work. It’s a good idea to get a full veterinary workup if there’s any chance your dog’s growling may be pain-related.
When you see him eagerly search for chicken when you touch his knee, you can move your hand slightly lower and touch there, until you get the same “Where’s my chicken?!” response at the new spot. Gradually move closer and closer to his paw, until he’s delighted to have you touch his foot – it makes chicken happen! Now practice with each foot, until he’s uniformly delighted to have you touch all of them. Remember that the touch comes first, so it consistently predicts the imminent arrival of chicken.
If at any time in the process – which could take days, weeks, or even months, depending on the dog and how well you apply the protocol – you see the dog’s tension increase, you’ve moved too quickly. Back up a few inches to where he’s comfortable being touched and start again. Or, there may be other stressors present that are increasing his tension. Do an environment check to be sure nothing else is happening that’s adding to his stress. Have the rowdy grandkids leave the room, give him a little time to relax, and start again.
Remember, dogs can’t tell us in words what’s bothering them, but they can communicate a lot with their body language and canine vocal sounds. Pay attention to what your dog is telling you. Listen with heart and compassion. Be gentle when your dog tells you he needs help. Come to his rescue. Treasure his growl.
-Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJ’s Training Editor. She is also author of The Power of Positive Dog Training, and Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog. Miller lives in Hagerstown, Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center.
Filed in: Written By Others1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me the hell alone.
2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.
3. Its always darkest before dawn. So if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper, that’s the time to do it.
4. Don’t be irreplaceable. If you can’t be replaced, you can’t be promoted.
5. Always remember that you’re unique. Just like everyone else.
6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
7. If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments.
8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you’re a mile away and you have their shoes.
9. If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.
10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.
12. If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.
13. Some days you’re the bug; some days you’re the windshield.
14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
17. Duct tape is like ‘The Force.’ It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
19. Generally speaking, you aren’t learning much when your lips are moving.
20. Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.
21. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
22. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
Filed in: Written By OthersI wonder what it’s like for Michael Vick to sit in prison and know that the dogs he used to own, that he was so cruel to, are now celebrities. Happy, well cared for, getting so much positive press while he’s the one stuck in a cage, watching his back.
There is justice.
Filed in: Written By OthersThis is an actual letter from an Austin woman sent to American company
Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really gets
rolling after the first paragraph… PC Magazine’s 2007 editors’choice
for best web mail-award-winning letter….
Dear Mr. Thatcher,
I have been a loyal user of your ‘Always’ maxi pads for over 20 years
and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the Leak Guard
Core or Dry-Weave absorbency, I’d probably never go horseback riding or
salsa dancing, and I’d certainly steer clear of running up and down the
beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your
revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough
to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can’t tell
you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there’s a little F-16
in my pants.Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from
the curse’? I’m guessing you haven’t. Well, my time of the month is
starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces
violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body
will adjust and I’ll be transformed into what my husband likes to call
‘an inbred hillbilly with knife skills. Isn’t the human body amazing?
As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you’ve no doubt seen
quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers
monthly visits from ‘Aunt Flo’. Therefore, you must know about the
bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood
swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behavior.You surely realize it’s a tough time for most women. In fact, only last
week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her
boyfriend’s testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told
her he thought Grey’s Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy! The
point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just
crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants…Which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the
throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank
out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the
adhesive backing, were these words: ‘Have a Happy Period.’
Are you fu*ing kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny
middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing
happiness is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned
above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless
you’re some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be anything
‘happy’ about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and
Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don’t march down to
the local Walgreen’s armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to
end your life in a blaze of glory. For the love of God, pull your head
out, man!If you just have to Slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn’t it
make more sense to say something that’s actually pertinent, like ‘Put
down the Hammer’ or ‘Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong’, or are you just
picking on us?Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective
immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have
chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will
certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your
brand of condescending bull sh*t. And that’s a promise I will keep.
Always.Best, Wendi Aarons Austin , TX
Filed in: Written By OthersSome time ago a mother punished her five
year old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper.
Money was tight and she became even more upset when the child used the
gold paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her
mother the next morning and then said, ‘This is for you, Momma.’
The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction, but
her anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty.
She spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner.
‘Don’t you know, young lady, when you give someone a present
there’s supposed to be something inside the package?’
She had tears in her eyes and said, ‘Oh, Momma, it’s not
empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full.’
The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms
around her little girl, and she begged her forgiveness for her
thoughtless anger.
An accident took the life of the child only a short time
later, and it is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bed for
all the years of her life.
Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems she
would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love
of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been
given a Golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our
children, family, friends and GOD. There is no more precious possession
anyone could hold.
Filed in: Written By OthersWhy, Why, Why
do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are going dead?
Why do banks charge a fee on “insufficient funds” when they know there is not enough money?
Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
Why doesn’t glue stick to the bottle?
Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?
Why doesn’t Tarzan have a beard?
Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?
Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
Whose idea was it to put an “S” in the word “lisp”?
If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?
Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?
Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?
Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?
Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?
Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?
How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?
When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, “It’s all right?” Well, it isn’t all right, so why don’t we say, “That hurt, you stupid idiot?”
Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that’s falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?
In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?
How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?
Filed in: Written By OthersA WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she’s content to leave behind….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to
retelling it in her old age….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …..
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ….
one friend who always makes her laugh… and one who lets her cry…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ….
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
a feeling of control over her destiny…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to fall in love without losing herself..
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without;
ruining the friendship…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
when to try harder… and WHEN TO WALK AWAY…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that she can’t cha ng e the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that her childhood may not have been perfect…but it’s over…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to live alone… even if she doesn’t like it…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
whom she can trust,
whom she can’t,
and why she shouldn’t take it personally…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
where to go…
be it to her best friend’s kitchen table…
or a charming inn in the woods…
when her soul needs soothing…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she can and can’t accomplish in a day…
a month…and a year…
Filed in: Written By OthersDue to the climate of political correctness now pervading America , Kentuckians, Tennessee and West Virginians will no longer be referred to as “HILLBILLIES.”
You must now refer to them as APPALACHIAN-AMERICANS.
And furthermore:
HOW TO SPEAK ABOUT WOMEN AND BE POLITICALLY CORRECT:
1. She is not a “BABE” or a “CHICK” - She is a
“BREASTED AMERICAN.”
2. She is not “EASY” - She is “HORIZONTALLY
ACCESSIBLE.”
3. She is not a “DUMB BLONDE” - She is a “LIGHT-HAIRED
DETOUR OFF THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY.”
4. She has not “BEEN AROUND” - She is a
“PREVIOUSLY-ENJOYED COMPANION.”
5. She does not “NAG” you - She becomes “VERBALLY
REPETITIVE.”
6. She is not a “TWO-BIT HOOKER” - She is a “LOW COST
PROVIDER.”
HOW TO SPEAK ABOUT MEN AND BE POLITICALLY CORRECT:
1. He does not have a “BEER GUT” - He has developed a
“LIQUID GRAIN STORAGE FACILITY.”
2. He is not a “BAD DANCER” - He is “OVERLY
CAUCASIAN.”
3. He does not “GET LOST ALL THE TIME” - He
“INVESTIGATES ALTERNATIVE DESTINATIONS.”
4. He is not “BALDING” - He is in “FOLLICLE
REGRESSION.”
5. He does not act like a “TOTAL ASS” - He develops a
case of “RECTAL-CRANIAL INVERSION.”
6. It’s not his “CRACK” you see hanging out of his
pants - It’s “REAR CLEAVAGE.”
Filed in: Written By Others
I think I might want to read this book!
Here’s some of what’s inside (found at iVillage.com):
No matter how open you are with your boyfriend, there are some things even the gutsiest gals are too shy to ask. Get the answers to all the questions you always wanted to ask your man, and a few answers to questions you never even thought of!
1. Only 6 percent of the male population needs extra-large rubbers, according to condom manufacturers. In other words, 94 percent of men lie.
2. The study most trusted by urologists shows that the average erect penis size is 5.1 inches long and 4.8 inches in girth. Unless you’re in a chat room. Then double it.
3. About 80 percent of American men are circumcised, even though the American Academy of Pediatrics says it’s not medically necessary. No word on why men insist on cutting something they’re always exaggerating about.
4. Men really do get “blue-balls.” Technically called “prostatic congestion,” the achiness in the testicles is caused by “trapped” blood. You know that crap he lays on you about orgasms being the only way to relieve it? He’s right. But not so fast, trampolina. So is your doctor — the one who says a warm shower or aspirin will also do the trick.
5. Penises are generally darker in color than the bodies they hang from. Why? It’s part of the sexual maturation process, but it’s also because during puberty nature introduces men to a special friend: their right hand. As Mr. Nice to Meet You Too, You Can Let Go Now will tell anybody who’ll listen, your skin would darken too if you were manhandled that often.
6. There is no correlation between penis size and shoe size, hand size or nose size. And the bad news is even worse for gold-digging nymphos: There’s no correlation between penis size and wallet size.
7. Masturbation, or “punching the monkey,” is healthy. No, really. “Use it or lose it” isn’t just an excuse for a guy’s hands to migrate south; it’s the official tested and studied conclusion of sex experts. The less a guy uses his sexual plumbing, the more problems he’ll have pumping the well later on. It’s only at Thanksgiving that you should tell your man, “Don’t play with your meat.”
8. Men will go limp if they drink too much. But how much is too much? About three and a half drinks for a 150-pound man. After that, the only thing standing upright in your house will be the vacuum cleaner.
9. All men have a line going down their penis and over their testicles. And no, it’s not the chow line. It’s more a “seam” on the underside of the penis. It forms when the fetus is in the uterus. In women, the seam becomes the inner lips of the vagina. In men, the seam encloses the urethra along the length of the penis.
10. Nothing can make a penis bigger — except aging. Unfortunately, the size of the prize stops growing by the time men hit their early 20s.
Filed in: Written By Others~Found on Petfinder~
It seemed like such a good idea in the beginning. There I was, in my cage at the pet store with my brother and sister. I could tell by the crowds in the
store everyday that Christmas was drawing near. My brother, sister, and I all hoped each morning that today would be the day we would go to a new home, one filled with loving, caring people.
First it was the beagle in the cage next to us. I saw the excited gleam in
his eye as his new family prepared to take him home. I hoped one day that I would feel the same excitement. Then the cute little bunny from one aisle over was picked. When the ferret with the bad case of psoriasis found a new home, I began to think I would stay a pet store puppy forever! Finally, it happened.
I had seen the couple in the store the week before, talking about bringing
home a Christmas puppy for their son Billy. You see, Billy was eight years
old, and had been pestering his folks for a puppy for some time now. Although they were busy people, they had decided that a new puppy would make the ideal Christmas present for Billy.
The car ride home was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. It seemed so cold outside, and I was very glad that Billy would keep me inside.
I stayed at Billy’s aunt’s house until the night before Christmas, so as not
to ruin the surprise. That night, Billy’s dad put me in a small, dark box
with a couple of holes punched in the side for air. I could see through the
holes the pretty green bow they had tied around my box.
Finally, it came time for Billy to open his presents. There was a GI Joe figure, some new slippers, and a big truck or two. At last, I felt my box being picked up and heard Billy’s mom say, “OK, Billy, one more present. We saved the best for last”. I felt like I was going to turn inside out with anticipation, when suddenly the box was flooded with light and there was my new boy, Billy.
He shrieked so loud when he saw me that it was a little bit scary! “A puppy, a puppy!”
The first few days with Billy were puppy heaven! He was out of school you
see, and had lots of time to take care of me. We played all day, and I slept in his bed at night. Things just couldn’t have been better.
After a week or so, Billy’s mom took me to my new doctor. By then, Billy’s
holiday vacation was over and he was back in school. The doctor told Mom all about how to keep me healthy and happy. Mom did seem a little distracted though, especially when the nurse from school called on her cell phone to say that Billy had a bloody nose.
I didn’t even mind the shot I had to get, because like the doctor told me it
was better than getting sick! As Mom and I left, the doctor reminded us that I needed more than just one shot to be protected, and I should come back in a month for another check-up. I never saw the doctor again.
As time went by, I really started to grow! I suppose that I wasn’t quite as
cute as before, because Billy and I didn’t spend as much time together. He seemed to have a lot of things to do beside take me for walks and fill my food bowl.
Billy and his friends sat in front of a strange box filled with moving pictures every afternoon, playing some game I suppose. Heck, I couldn’t even
pronounce Nintendo, much less play those kind of games. I started to get
confused about what my real name was. At first, everyone called me Petey, which I thought was a great name.
A funny thing started to happen when I got to be about six months old. Mom and Dad stopped calling me Petey, and started calling me “the dog”. I guess that was OK, I am a dog after all. A few weeks later though, they changed my name again. Now I was “that –darn– dog”. I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t think that was such a nice name.
Since my family didn’t have much time for me anymore, I had to think of
things to do on my own. I liked to chew, and so I did! Remember that GI Joe Billy got for Christmas? Well somehow I managed to chew off his left leg, which Billy seemed mad about. After a couple more incidents like that, Billy’s dad decided I should live outside.
Well, spring had come, and the weather was nice so I figured, why not? I
thought they would build me one of those nice doghouses like I had seen in the pet store. Maybe it would have carpeting and a soft blanket to sleep on.
Well, they must have forgotten to build it, because I spent most of the time tied to a tree in the yard.
That was OK for awhile, but I began to get pretty bored. I found some nice soft dirt to dig in, but that made Mom mad. Something about flower bulbs and grass seed that I really didn’t understand. There was a dog next door tied to a tree in his yard, so we spent most of the day talking. For some reason, that made Dad mad too! I just couldn’t seem to do anything right.
Finally, one day I heard Dad say to Mom, “I don’t care how you do it, just
get rid of that –darn– dog!” I figured Billy would convince them I should stay, but he didn’t much care one way or the other. Mom came outside and unhooked me from the chain. She put an old belt of Dad’s through my collar and we went out to the car.
At first I thought it was time to go to the doctor’s for a checkup. Once we
drove off though, we headed in the opposite direction. I could hear all the dogs talking inside the building as soon as we turned into the riveway.
Mom and I went inside, and she handed the belt to the lady at the counter. Then she patted my head, and walked away, without me. The lady at the desk took me in the back and put me in a cage like the one I had in the pet store, only colder and dirtier. The room was filled with dogs, I even saw that cute Beagle I had known at the pet store.
That was five days ago. I guess that I must have a new home now, because a man came by this morning and put a red sticker on my cage door. Here comes the lady who feeds me, and she is carrying a thing to give shots with, just like my doctor did. As she walks me into another room, I see some of the friends I have made in this new place. Funny, they all seem to be asleep on the floor.
Oh well, the lady just told me not to worry, everything would be all right.
She seems sad though, and I don’t really understand why. Maybe being a
Christmas puppy wasn’t so great after all.