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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781504958578 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 12/12/2015 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 50 |
| File size: | 9 MB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Prince Pounce-a-Lot
By Fay Lorraine Sueltz
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2015 Fay Lorraine SueltzAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5049-5549-2
CHAPTER 1
My First Home
My first memories are of the warmth and comfort of my mother, Britte. A favorite poodle at our breeding house, she was the smallest of the sixteen adult dogs living there at that time. Often invited to jump to the master's lap to rest or take a short nap, Britte was a clever and very sweet Standard Poodle.
As one of her eight new June babies I joined in the constant jostling around her in our happy puppy pen. We pups tested the sturdiness of our new bodies against each other in clumsy games of roll-together "tag" and mock battle.
In preparation for our future of living with people, Britte told us we must always be loving and warm to visitors. We must never bite down hard or ever scratch anyone. We watched her every move, well, when we weren't playing, which was, ok - most of the time!
Sometimes when we were busy eating or playing close to her, Britte would sing this little tune to us, "Be loving and awesome - and - you will be chosen - by a nice person!"
"Away from you Mom?" I asked her, and I thought oh no! I wanted to stay and play and learn from her for a long time.
Britte smiled and said, "You will see. Life will be good!"
A nuzzle from Mom under the chin reinforced our good behavior and a gruff grab at the back of our neck scolded us. Out of all the songs she sang to us, my favorite one still comes to mind, "Keep your cool as long as doggedly doable ... whenever you find it possible." She would sing this softly whenever she spread herself out on cool tile or shaded grass, inviting us to join her.
Even now as a grown dog, I hardly pass cool long grass without asking to lie down and roll over a few times in it. The coolness, the smell, and the taste of long grass brings me back to easy times of resting in the big shaded lawn of my first home. As I roll over and over, I sing my family songs, which probably sound like strange moaning to most people around. I beat my tail with pleasure in time to my tunes, refreshed by happy puppy memories.
Who's Next?
Several other play pens in our breeder's house were filled with pups of different ages. Their mothers stayed with them, teaching them constantly. When we grew larger, we all played together in a large outdoor pen.
Visiting people would come into the large pen to play with us during the day. Sometimes a visitor would take a pup away with them when they left, not to return. This didn't seem to bother the grown dogs or the people at our house. Who would be next? It was the talk of the puppy pen.
It was in this outdoor pen filled with toys and things to climb upon that I met a lively black and white pup. She and I fell in together as friends immediately. She taught me hide - and – seek, and how to politely ask for treats from visitors to our pen. I remember how she would run around the pen to find me. She always sniffed inside my ear, to make sure it was me! Bowing low, she made a show of inviting me to play with her in front of everyone. We each waited for the perfect chance to surprise – dive in to the other, laughing and rolling together. She called me a "real rascal". Her important lessons in how to have fun have served me all my life and I was her willing student.
A visitor with long brown hair often came into the large outdoor pen. This lady always brought fun with her to share with us and she had never taken a pup away.
Busy playing with my best friend, I didn't pay too much attention to the brown - haired lady when she arrived one afternoon. I scooted into a nice hiding place behind some flower pots. I held my breath. When my friend didn't find me right away I yipped, "Puppy! Puppy, I'm over here, come and find me!" There was no answer.
Finally I peeked between the flowers. Surprise! My good friend sat on the lap of the lady visitor, calmly nosing the lady's arm. The lady held her close, talking to her and laughing. Then the lady stood up and opened the gate of the play pen. But she didn't put my friend back in the pen. She was still holding the black and white pup as she closed the gate and walked away! My best puppy friend had been chosen as the next pup to leave! I ran yelping to my Mom and found her standing beside my friend's mother. They sniffed the air and smiled as the pup got in a car with the visitor. Turning to me Britte said, "Did you see how your friend ran right up to the lady?" She exhaled, beaming with pride.
"Naw ... I was in the flowers,"
"In the flowers?"
"Yeah, we were playing, and she was 'it', so I hid in the flowers," I said in a hollow voice. "I didn't see them get together at all." The car put a dusty distance between me and my good friend.
"Well, I saw them, and they both seem quite happy." Britte's words seemed solid and round. "Come little pup, let's -"
I started to tremble and sniffed back a big tear. "Oh mom, if I hadn't been behind the flowers, she would still be here!" How could I have let her go away?
"Little pup, let's go out to the grass and talk," Britte spoke softly as she lowered her tail and led the way to a tree shaded spot. We both flopped down. Her eyes moistened as motherly joy gave way to serious talk.
"Sweet little man, all puppies are chosen sooner or later, playing or not, hiding or not hiding, it does not matter," Britte's voice soothed me. At the same time the meaning of her words made me uncomfortable.
"Your fluffy friend is with very good person," she spoke calmly.
"Oh Mom," I whispered, licking a long stray blade of grass into my mouth tasting its summer sweetness. I guessed my friend was as lucky as any of us pups were going to be. Why did we have to leave home?
"Think about her having a wonderful new life. Think of her happiness." my Mom continued, "Try not to think about 'You'."
"Yeah Mom ...," I exhaled all my air into a small voice, blowing the grass blade to the ground. But I wasn't thinking of "Me", I was just feeling sad. I tilted my body and rested on my side with my legs stretched straight out, and my head close to Mom.
"These people seem strong and able to do many things," she continued. "They give us food and water. They bathe us and they give us comfortable places to play and rest, all things that would be hard for us to find in their world without them. Yet, some of them know they need our help and not just our friendship in this, their world. Be polite and loving to the visitors and get ready for a life of adventure with one of them. Let your person be your Top Dog. Do you understand? Your friend is just starting her adventure now."
She began to sing one of our family songs, low and soothing. I licked her paw and put my nose deep into the grass. "Puppy, let me smell you, give you a cuddle?" Britte asked in a voice just a whisper above the sound of the soft summer breeze that surrounded my sorrow. Feeling too sad and lazy to rise up, I dug my toenails into the sod pulling my small body close enough to receive Mom's welcome nuzzle under my muzzle.
I thought, good speech Mom, but why not invite a visitor to stay there with our pack? Why should I leave my Mom? I didn't tell Britte, but I began to give my favorite visitors little puppy nips. I was saying, "I like you! Stay with me and join our dog pack here!"
Her Name is Dolly!
My brothers and sisters were chosen, one, two, and three, they left with visitors. I continued to greet the people I liked with friendly nips, "Hello! Please stay here!" Then soon, four, five, and six of Britte's pups were chosen and taken away. I played with newer, younger pups in the big pen. Once in a while my favorite black and white puppy friend would visit us with her new lady. She always sought me out for a little rough house play whenever she came, which made us both happy. Dolly was her name. She was the center of attention at her new home and her lady was very good to her. "My lady cooks for me. Rabbit, I love eating rabbit!" I was truly happy for her and listening to her stories made me almost want to have my own person and new life too. Almost....
Freedom for my Dolly!
Sitting calmly next to her lady, Dolly was already in the outdoor pen when I arrived one afternoon to play with all the pups. Bowing my head low to her, I wagged my entire puppy body, inviting her to play.
"Not now little guy, see?" My best friend whispered. With her habit of not moving her head at all, she rolled her eyes from looking straight ahead at me to fixing her gaze on her leash, which was down low and almost behind her. Her ability to rotate her eyes far and wide within their sockets always amazed me. "I am tied to my lady's chair, I can't move too far today, sorry," she continued. "Let's just talk quietly right here."
"Oh ... no problem, I won't talk at all ... grrrumph." I quietly settled into chewing through her pretty pink leash. Soon my friend was free to play! I had my way of making things happen, for sure!
"My smart little Rascal." Dolly bowed, "Let's play!" Her long fluffy tail waved like a flag.
"What? My name is 'Puppy', not 'Rascal'." I bounced away from her, lifting my chin to look tall and regal on my stubby fluffy legs. I was secretly so wild inside with the idea that she thought I was smart!
"Everyone's name is 'Puppy' at our house. You were 'Puppy' too, remember, before you were 'Dolly'?"
"When you get a person, you will get a name too." Dolly waved her tail for emphasis. Bouncing back to her, I guessed she would think me to be the smartest puppy that ever lived when I told her about my nipping plan. But Dolly just laughed. She was always fun to be around because even the smallest amusement gave her great joy which spilled over into everyone around her.
"You think someone will want you because you BITE them?" She laughed so hard she had to sit and then lie completely down. "AND, not only that, but you think that person will want to stay here in a puppy pen with you and your Mom? Ha ha ha! If and when you finally get a person, that person will name you too, you teeny wild pup! Although I'm naming you Rascal, because you really are one!" She shook with giggles.
Dolly rolled onto her back and continued a low howling laugh, her four feet waving in the air, the long fur of her tail sweeping the floor, "You better love the person up who chooses you, you little smart guy. You think too much maybe, Rascal? Ha ha."
"Ha ha ha yourself." I yelped back, but her laughter made me laugh too. My mouth turned into a huge smile, showing most of my teeny baby teeth. I pounced on her belly and we rolled together laughing for a long time - until her lady took her home. Her visits never came soon enough for me.
My Day Arrives At Long Last
Well, at least my nipping plan was good enough for Dolly to think and talk about. And at least according to my plan, I still lived at home. Well, it was my home wasn't it? Maybe my plan would cause a person to laugh, like Dolly had laughed. It was good to be around people and dogs who laughed a lot, so I stuck to my plan.
One of my brothers and I were the only two left from our puppy litter when we were four months old. Around this time the day came that I met my person. It happened as a few of us pups played in the big pen. A lady came in and sat quietly on a bench, petting us all as we came to her. Then, after nosing up to her and leaving a couple times, I trotted directly up to the lady with serious intent to nip her, to ask her to join our pack. Why not? She seemed nice and smart enough to understand me.
As I approached, she placed her hands deep into my wooly warm fur. Then squeezing me softly along my whole body, she hugged me for a long time. I stood still and as tall as my short little legs would allow, soaking up her love. I bowed my head then nipped her leg softly – twice, then licked her arm as she stroked my fur. "I like you!" said my nip, "Join our pack here. Little doggies are going away. We need you HERE!"
She smiled and quietly said something I did not understand, yet the music of her voice called me to attention with pleasure. She understood my nipping talk, and spoke to the owner of the breeding house before leaving that day.
Two days later, she came back, smiled and lifted me up. While looking at each other face to face, all at once I understood that she was just another visitor wanting to take a pup away. This time, I was that pup! All the talk about having my own person someday had suddenly come true.
The warmth of her affection melted my nipping plan. An intense desire to reach her face was the only thing left inside of me. I kicked the air, squirming wildly to lick, lick, and wildly lick her cheek. I must have looked like a large wiggle worm of joy. The lady laughed, hugged me close saying "My Prince!" She repeated that word, Prince, as she took me away in our car. Prince was my name! I wanted to find Dolly and tell her that I had a name too.
My New Home
She seemed to answer to the name 'Lori,' so I thought of her as 'My Lady Lori.' She showed me my food and water dishes and let me wander around my new place. Everything was so new, so strange. First of all, I searched to find my family. Could they be here too?
Singing the songs I was taught as a tiny pup about being good and loving to others helped calm me. I hummed and sang my family tunes on top of each other, "... keep your cool as long as doggedly do-able ... hmmm ... you will get a nice person ... hmmm ... it's awesome ... possible ... hmmm." Memories of my Mom and puppy friends came with me into the new rooms where I sang my songs.
One strange thing I met that first day had pointed ears and was about my size. I met the marmalade colored fluff ball as I wandered into the food room.
"OH! Another pup!" I thought bowing low to invite the strange looking doggie to play. About the same length as his body, his long tail seemed to be a complete and separate animal.
"NOW, Me-ow!" His back bowed into an arch as he and his tail floated up to a counter top and out of my reach.
"I am David, a cat. And you are a dog, and you must leave me alone! Meow, NOW, NOW." Lori came in to stroke his back. Relaxing as he sat beneath her hand, David licked his paw and just stared at me.
"Well, I just wanted to play." I wandered out of the room. Lori followed me. She showed me my plush new bed. For me this was the best discovery that first day. I turned two circles around it and flopped down into a deep sleep.
The next day, I discovered many new toys, including a large red rubber ball. The ball was thrown for me across the room or outdoors. I would rear up and POUNCE forcefully on it! It would fly up again, and I jumped along with it, pushing it towards the ground until it settled between my front feet. I bit at it while squeezing the yielding rubber with strong puppy toes. The ball would squish out sideways from my grasp. I would pounce on it again. Lori often called me to come to her when it was in my mouth. I would toss my head and laugh, biting hard into the rubber ball. Lori admired my pouncing game. She had little choice, as I rarely brought the ball back to her. She often had to put on my leash and pull me along saying, "Come along my sweet Prince Pounce – a – Lot, it's time to go now.
David
The apartment came with a pleasant outdoor balcony filled with plants. And David. He came before me on the feeding schedule. He talked about half the time he was awake. Much of what he said made at least a bit of sense, "Let me outside! Now! Now! Pet me!! NOW! Open the screen door to the balcony! Now, now NOW! Have a Purr Purrfect purrpurrpurrfect sleep ... now ... purr."
He and I didn't speak much to each other, mostly because I would pretend to be asleep when he talked, or I would actually fall asleep.
Sometimes Lori took me along when she walked David outdoors. He nibbled on fresh tall grass or other leaves of his choice. Sod clumps of his favorite plants were neatly kept in "David's garden", a small pot on the balcony, for his later snacking.
David's happy and special bond with My Lady Lori was something wonderful that I could never share or ever wish to break.
His fluffy belly flipped from side to side in rhythm with the bobbing of his head while his tail seemed to move with a personality all on its own. He was a walking – talking invitation to be chased.
No Means NO!
And chasing David is how I learned the meaning of the word "NO!" My Lady Lori never struck me or David when that cat teased me to chase him. She has never hit us at all, even to this day. However the tone of her voice shamed me in a way that only a dog can be shamed.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Prince Pounce-a-Lot by Fay Lorraine Sueltz. Copyright © 2015 Fay Lorraine Sueltz. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
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