Chapter2
(9th March 2000):
Developing a Personality
I've been busy developing a personality so that I can report to you about it. Mummy thinks I'm the cat's pajamas and Daddy likes me, too.
Having doubled in size since I arrived in Bramstedt, I've been so busy growing that I haven’t had a
chance to put on much weight. With my long legs I look like a Barbie doll. Of
course I have a lot more personality than one of those plastic chicks, so don’t
call me Barbie. My blond roots are growing out and I'm afraid I'll soon be the
butt of those jokes about blondes. At the moment everybody says I look funny
with black ends.
I still spit some of my food around the kitchen for decoration but nobody has to handfeed me any more. In fact, I have a pretty good appetite and have learned to enjoy dog cookies so that I can be rewarded for good behavior. Between you and me, it's really important not to learn too fast; otherwise you wont get any more goodies. However, it was worth getting out of the diaper stage and into their good graces, so I let them housebreak me. Everybody's relieved about that.
They know me at all the pet shops around here. That's a definite advantage because I get different presents at each place. They bought me a new kennel to sleep in when I grew out of Morag's. This one is twice as big and has wheels and a handle for pulling as well as a secret compartment for food storage on trips. Next I'll grow out of her day basket and get a new one.
I'm already on my second collar and have graduated
to junior food from that baby stuff. The man at the store says this tastes
better. How do you think he knows?
Talk about taste: you should try the sticks around here, the best in the world. My second favorite activity on walks is carrying one around; sometimes I take a solid, hard, thick one, sometimes 5 feet long and thin. The long ones get caught on trees, though. Talk about trees: I love the woods in Bramstedt. My number one favorite activity is scampering up and down banks. They're a bit hard to find in this flat land, but when I do, I get the most out of it. That's the only time I can be sure Mummy will leave me in peace and not tell me to practice "come here" or "heel" or "sit". I convinced her that that heel business was for the birds so we compromised on learning to come to the left leg and standing or sitting at attention. I'm afraid she'll make me salute next.
We have a good relationship around here. I stay alone in the mornings without complaining but by the time they get home I jump all over them and make a fuss so that they feel important. I read somewhere that a dog's people thrive on feeling loved. It wont be long until I can do a real "Wheaten kiss" (see Internet or come and collect your own if you dare.) It's time for them to stuff me into that cage again for the night so bye-bye with love from Gráinne