Oh, brother!

Hi everyone

We've had a few changes around here lately.

Well, one change, really...

A few days ago my human came home and said that she had met a doggie who had nowhere to live and no-one to love him, and maybe he could come and live with us. Of course, I immediately insisted on meeting him, so we went right on down to the Lost Dogs Home to see him.

As soon as we met, I knew we would be friends, and...

Rupert: Hello-hello-hello, it's-me it's-me it's-me!

Sasha: (Sigh) His name is Rupert. He's a Schnauzer-cross - I think the cross parts must be gazelle and hog.

Rupert: I'm not a Schnauzer-cross, I'm a Schnauzer-X - that's Schnauzer eXtreme, woohoo!

Sasha: Yes, you are a little hyperactive - and bouncy-bouncy, that's the gazelle part of you.

Rupert: Gazelle, huh? Hmmm... nimble and athletic - that's me! What about the hog bit?

Sasha: You are an attention hog! You are in everyone's face all the time, and have no idea of personal space!

Rupert: I have no idea what you mean.

Sasha: Rupert arrived at the Lost Dogs Home as a stray - he wasn't microchipped, so nobody knew where he came from.

Rupert: That's me - I'm an international pup of mystery!

Sasha: He was extremely skinny. He put on some weight after they started looking after him, but he's still about 2kg underweight. He's almost as tall as my our cousin Bertie, but he weighs less than me! See, those are his ribs and hips sticking out...

Rupert: I prefer to think of myself as stylishly lanky, and... um... well... actually, I'm a bit peckish right now - got anything to eat?

Sasha: Of course, I'm more than happy to share my food with him, and my our human is adding puppy kibble to his meals to help him put on weight. He's about a year old, so he should bounce back very quickly.

Rupert: My skin was a bit dry and itchy, due to eating badly when I was on the lam, but the vet said that it should clear up pretty quickly with premium food and perhaps some olive oil added my food. Ooh, I must say, though, that oatmeal bath our human gave me was really soothing.

Sasha: Rupert, no-one knows where you came from - what do you remember?

Rupert: I remember that it was cold and hungry and lonely. And then I met my new human and gave her lots of kisses, and then I met you and we sniffed and wagged, and played a lot. And now I'm all warm and fed and loved. And I'm quite happy to keep it that way, thank you very much - my life as a down-on-his-luck street-pup is officially over!

Sasha: Rupert is very at-home inside, and loves meeting people and other dogs, so he was obviously well-treated by his first family - but he's completely untrained. He can't even sit!

Rupert: I can so sit! I do it all the time.

Sasha: But not when our human asks you to.

Rupert: Why would I want to do that?

Sasha: To get a treat. Humans like to think they've taught you a trick, even if it's something you do all the time anyway. You do a trick, they give you a treat.

Rupert: I thought it was trick or treat. Let me choose... ummm... trick or treat... trick or treat... I know, I choose treat!

Sasha: It's not optional, they go together. You trick them into giving you a treat for doing something you already knew how to do.

Rupert: Well, I know lots of tricks, I should be raking in the treats!

Sasha: I haven't seen you do a single trick.

Rupert: What about when I tried to steal your dinner off the kitchen table?

Sasha: I don't think that counts.

Rupert: What about the other day, when I jumped on the coffee table and surfed the length of it?

Sasha: Er. Yes. I think some training may be in order.

Rupert: Um.

Sasha: Rupert and I have been playing a lot - look, I'm winning!

Rupert: Now, I'm winning!

Sasha: Whew! I'm pooped after all that playing!

Rupert: Hey, you know what you were saying about me being in your face all the time?

Sasha: Yes, you have no idea that some pups need a bit of personal space. You don't have to always be right on top of me! Why do you ask?

Rupert: Um... no reason.