The next afternoon, Kim and Kris got out the leashes for the dogs. Duffy got so excited that he could not stop jumping. MacGregor decided to just bark. Finally, the dogs stopped running about enough for the leashes to be clicked onto their collars, and the foursome headed out the side yard. This time MacGregor was looking forward to his walk, and even he tugged on his leash to go for the walk.
As they walked down the country road, they came to a small flock of turkeys strolling through the hedge. The funny one to look at was the one-legged turkey who hopped along with the others. The dogs didn't want to chase the turkeys but surely were interested. The girls couldn't wait to get home to tell their folks that the one-legged turkey had survived another year. He seemed to be a fixture in the neighborhood. Then they saw a rabbit bolt from his hiding place, and Duffy strained and barked to chase, but Kim kept him held tightly so that he wouldn't run off after the rabbit. MacGregor just sat down and waited for all the excitement to wane. Finally, on their way home, they saw two squirrels, and Kim said, "Watch this," and unhooked Duffy, who was off in a flash of white. He quickly treed the squirrels and then tried to climb the trees barking all the time. Kim came up to him and hooked his leash back on. MacGregor just sat and looked. The four soon returned home from their exciting walk and the pups, when released, immediately went for water in their bowls and stretched out on the grass side by side. It had been a fun walk in the neighborhood.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
The Dogs Go for A Walk
Kim and Kris thought that if they took the dogs for regular walks, that maybe Duffy would not try to dig his way out under the chain link fence. They got out two leashes and hooked up Duffy and MacGregor, who were excited to go somewhere. As soon as they got out the backyard fence, something strange happened. Duffy was ready to go and pulled hard on his leash to get Kim to go too, but MacGregor was an altogether different story. He was scared and did not want to leave the safety of his back yard. He planted his feet and would not move. Kris tried to drag him a bit and see if he would get the idea, but he quickly sat down in the flower bed and refused to move. He could see Duffy and Kim ready to go on a walk but would not budge.
The girls finally decided not to try to leave the grounds and just waited and finally MacGregor decided it would be all right to catch up with Duffy, but he was still afraid, and his body would not stop shaking. After a short time the girls took the dogs back to the fenced in back yard and unhooked the dogs from their leashes. Both of the dogs then ran madly around and around until they tired and flopped down in the grass. The girls were determined to try to take the dogs out for walks and decided they would try again tomorrow.
The girls finally decided not to try to leave the grounds and just waited and finally MacGregor decided it would be all right to catch up with Duffy, but he was still afraid, and his body would not stop shaking. After a short time the girls took the dogs back to the fenced in back yard and unhooked the dogs from their leashes. Both of the dogs then ran madly around and around until they tired and flopped down in the grass. The girls were determined to try to take the dogs out for walks and decided they would try again tomorrow.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Duffy gets in trouble
Duffy soon got tired of playing with MacGregor in the back yard. He wanted to chase squirrels and would bark and bark at them when he saw them climbing nearby trees. Sometimes they came quite near to Duffy and tease him until he almost went crazy. Duffy wanted to get those squirrels. One day he noticed that he could get his nose under the chain link fence, and he could see a squirrel not more than ten feet away outside the fence just sitting there and daring Duffy to come get him. Duffy decided to dig in the soft grass and dirt, and the more he dug the more he enjoyed the idea of getting out of the back yard.
Soon he wiggled under the fence, and MacGregor, who was watching the whole digging process, began to bark, as he did not want to burrow under the fence and was worried about what Duffy would get up to next. Duffy immediately chased the squirrel up a nearby tree and barked and barked and tried to climb the tree, too. MacGregor just barked and barked, hoping someone would hear him and rescue Duffy before he got in more trouble.
Five boys lived next door on this side. The oldest was James and then Tyler, Andy, Jon, and Christian in that order of age. James heard all the barking, and he realized that Duffy had gotten out. He yelled to his brothers to spread out and to try to catch Duffy. Duffy was a fast runner and decided this was a great game, and he dashed this way and that, eluding all of the boys. Finally he tired of the game and was caught by Jon. Duffy was a sad looking sight and not very white with all his digging in the dirt. The five boys brought Duffy to our front door and rang the door bell. Judy was very surprised to see all the boys until she saw dirty Duffy. She put Duffy on the back porch, locked the doggy door, and offered the boys sodas for all their good hard work in catching Duffy.
MacGregor was still barking until let in the porch door, where he could see that Duffy was all right. Kris was home and offered to give Duffy a much-needed bath. Judy went outside to see where Duffy gotten out and put a large brick in the hole that he dug. ''Wait till Charlie gets home," she scolded Duffy. A clean Duffy was put into his crate to await his punishment.
When Charlie got home, he took Duffy out to the hole he had dug and lightly paddled his bottom and rubbed his nose in the dirt. He kept saying, "Bad Duffy, bad Duffy! We don't want you to get out and get onto the street and maybe get run over. You must stay in the back yard." Duffy hung his head and when put down, he immediately went into his crate. MacGregor went in also to comfort Duffy.
Soon he wiggled under the fence, and MacGregor, who was watching the whole digging process, began to bark, as he did not want to burrow under the fence and was worried about what Duffy would get up to next. Duffy immediately chased the squirrel up a nearby tree and barked and barked and tried to climb the tree, too. MacGregor just barked and barked, hoping someone would hear him and rescue Duffy before he got in more trouble.
Five boys lived next door on this side. The oldest was James and then Tyler, Andy, Jon, and Christian in that order of age. James heard all the barking, and he realized that Duffy had gotten out. He yelled to his brothers to spread out and to try to catch Duffy. Duffy was a fast runner and decided this was a great game, and he dashed this way and that, eluding all of the boys. Finally he tired of the game and was caught by Jon. Duffy was a sad looking sight and not very white with all his digging in the dirt. The five boys brought Duffy to our front door and rang the door bell. Judy was very surprised to see all the boys until she saw dirty Duffy. She put Duffy on the back porch, locked the doggy door, and offered the boys sodas for all their good hard work in catching Duffy.
MacGregor was still barking until let in the porch door, where he could see that Duffy was all right. Kris was home and offered to give Duffy a much-needed bath. Judy went outside to see where Duffy gotten out and put a large brick in the hole that he dug. ''Wait till Charlie gets home," she scolded Duffy. A clean Duffy was put into his crate to await his punishment.
When Charlie got home, he took Duffy out to the hole he had dug and lightly paddled his bottom and rubbed his nose in the dirt. He kept saying, "Bad Duffy, bad Duffy! We don't want you to get out and get onto the street and maybe get run over. You must stay in the back yard." Duffy hung his head and when put down, he immediately went into his crate. MacGregor went in also to comfort Duffy.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
MacGregor Learns to Climb
In the back yard there was a nice swing and a wonderful waterfall which had several step leading up to it. MacGregor was afraid of the steps, and once he got caught up at the top step and was especially afraid to try to come down. The bottom of the steps looked so far to him, and he sat there and quivered and whined until someone came for him and carried him back into the house. Next door to the Campbells lived the four Cole sisters. Kate was the oldest and not around much since she was busy babysitting for families in the neighborhood. She was hoping to make enough money to buy her first car and wanted it to be a yellow Volkswagon. The next oldest sister was Susannah, and she loved puppies but her folks would not allow the girls to have one. They thought that puppies were too messy. The youngest two girls were twins Sarah and Lydia, and they always wanted to babysit the neighbors dogs since they could not have one of their own.
Susannah was looking over the fence and saw what happened to MacGregor and how afraid he was of steps. So one day after school she sat down with him and one paw at a time helped him climb up one step. Then she turned him around and gently helped him to climb back down. Before the afternoon was over, MacGregor could not only climb up and back down but was racing Duffy to the top and back down. Susannah had a way with animals and was so sweet to teach MacGregor not to be afraid of steps either going up or down.
Susannah was looking over the fence and saw what happened to MacGregor and how afraid he was of steps. So one day after school she sat down with him and one paw at a time helped him climb up one step. Then she turned him around and gently helped him to climb back down. Before the afternoon was over, MacGregor could not only climb up and back down but was racing Duffy to the top and back down. Susannah had a way with animals and was so sweet to teach MacGregor not to be afraid of steps either going up or down.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Dress Up Day
On Saturday Kim and Kris invited four of their school friends over for a tea party. Michelle, Noel, Becca, and Keilah soon came over, and when they saw the puppies, they wanted to play with them, too. Kim remembered that they had a dress-up box up in the attic and brought it down, and the six girls decided to dress up MacGregor and MacDuff. Duffy loved all the attention and just enjoyed displaying all his jewelery, red scarf, and wool pull-over hat. Once he was dressed he paraded all over the porch much to the amusement of the girls. Now MacGregor did not like to have clothes on his body, and whenever the girls would put something on him like a scarf, he would roll over and over until he shook it off. They tried jewelery and got the same reaction until it was also thrown off. Finally, they decided that MacGregor just did not enjoy dressing up and left him alone, but Duffy continued to play their fun game.
Finally it was tea time for the girls, and they had real lemon tea with milk and sugar and Girl Scout cookies on a big plate. Duffy wanted to sneak one of the cookies, but the girls thought that the doggy bones were the best treat and gave both dogs two bones each. As usual Duffy gobbled up his treats, and MacGregor slowly savored his. The puppies got lots of attention that day.
Then the girls decided to use part of the doggy treats to teach the puppies some tricks. Before they left, both of the puppies had learned to sit and roll over. Quite an accomplishment in one day!
Finally it was tea time for the girls, and they had real lemon tea with milk and sugar and Girl Scout cookies on a big plate. Duffy wanted to sneak one of the cookies, but the girls thought that the doggy bones were the best treat and gave both dogs two bones each. As usual Duffy gobbled up his treats, and MacGregor slowly savored his. The puppies got lots of attention that day.
Then the girls decided to use part of the doggy treats to teach the puppies some tricks. Before they left, both of the puppies had learned to sit and roll over. Quite an accomplishment in one day!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Getting Adjusted
The next morning Kristy immediately fed and watered the puppies, and Kim cleaned up the paper mess. One of the puppies had chewed up all the papers, and there were paper scraps everywhere on the porch. The girls had agreed to take care of these jobs as part of the agreement when we decided to add dogs to our family and to alternate weeks. Kim wondered if the puppies had a doggy door so that they could go outside maybe they would not make such a mess in the future.
I said that I would drop by the pet store on the way home and try to get it installed on the weekend. Once the doggy door was in, Kim got on the outside and Kris on the inside to teach the pups how to go in and out the door. Kim actually stuck her head in the door so that the dogs would get the idea. By Saturday night they were going in and out as they wished.
We had a garden in the back yard that backed up to the fence, and the dogs enjoyed barking at all the visiting rabbits, and that is why the Scotty got to be called MacGregor, since he seemed to be taking care of the garden like Mr. MacGregor in Peter Rabbit. We have a great pal who runs a bed and breakfast in Friday Harbor, Washington, out in the Puget Sound ,and he has called his B and B "Duffy House," and we liked the sound of Duffy, and so the Westie became MacDuff, usually shortened to Duffy.
Quickly we began to appreciate their personalities. MacGregor was a lover, and he always wanted to follow or sit next to MacDuff. Duffy was more naughty and kept getting into mischief. They both were loveable most of the time and thoroughly spoiled by Kim and Kris.
One day Keilah, Kris's best buddy at school, came by for a visit to see the new puppies. She thought that they were way cute and wondered if Kris has ever made doggy bisquits. The girls Googled home-made doggie bisquits on the internet and discovered several recipes that they wanted to try. Judy offered a Scotty cookie cutter from her collection, and the girls set to work. An hour later they had three dozen Scotty-dog bisquits and two adoring begging puppies waiting at the gate to the back porch. Each puppy got to try one, and MacGregor took his time and gently crunched the deliceous treat. Duffy gobbled his in a second and then tried to take MacGregor's away but got warned off with a show of teeth. The girls thought that Keilah should come by every day after school to give the pups a treat and then they could begin their training.
I said that I would drop by the pet store on the way home and try to get it installed on the weekend. Once the doggy door was in, Kim got on the outside and Kris on the inside to teach the pups how to go in and out the door. Kim actually stuck her head in the door so that the dogs would get the idea. By Saturday night they were going in and out as they wished.
We had a garden in the back yard that backed up to the fence, and the dogs enjoyed barking at all the visiting rabbits, and that is why the Scotty got to be called MacGregor, since he seemed to be taking care of the garden like Mr. MacGregor in Peter Rabbit. We have a great pal who runs a bed and breakfast in Friday Harbor, Washington, out in the Puget Sound ,and he has called his B and B "Duffy House," and we liked the sound of Duffy, and so the Westie became MacDuff, usually shortened to Duffy.
Quickly we began to appreciate their personalities. MacGregor was a lover, and he always wanted to follow or sit next to MacDuff. Duffy was more naughty and kept getting into mischief. They both were loveable most of the time and thoroughly spoiled by Kim and Kris.
One day Keilah, Kris's best buddy at school, came by for a visit to see the new puppies. She thought that they were way cute and wondered if Kris has ever made doggy bisquits. The girls Googled home-made doggie bisquits on the internet and discovered several recipes that they wanted to try. Judy offered a Scotty cookie cutter from her collection, and the girls set to work. An hour later they had three dozen Scotty-dog bisquits and two adoring begging puppies waiting at the gate to the back porch. Each puppy got to try one, and MacGregor took his time and gently crunched the deliceous treat. Duffy gobbled his in a second and then tried to take MacGregor's away but got warned off with a show of teeth. The girls thought that Keilah should come by every day after school to give the pups a treat and then they could begin their training.
Home Again
When we got back into town, we quickly stopped at the pet store for needed supplies. We needed crates, pet beds, leashes, and puppy food. Well supplied, we dropped Scott off at his group home, and he promised to come by to help train the puppies.
As soon as we got to our house and drove down the lane, we let the puppies outside so that they could take care of business and then run around a bit. We carefully watched so that they would not run back out onto the road. We decided to block off the back porch as their own area and put down newspapers in case of puppy accidents. We could open the porch door, and the puppies could run around in the enclosed area attached to the back of the house. We were getting ready to go to bed for the night when we looked out on the porch to see the puppies sitting side by side like cute black and white bookends. As we went upstairs, we could hear the puppies crying a bit for attention but quickly settling down to sleep together in one of the crates.
(These are the first two installments in an ongoing work of fiction, hopefully to become in time, a children's book. I welcome suggestions for future stories and will try to incorporate your ideas. Thanks - 1HW)
As soon as we got to our house and drove down the lane, we let the puppies outside so that they could take care of business and then run around a bit. We carefully watched so that they would not run back out onto the road. We decided to block off the back porch as their own area and put down newspapers in case of puppy accidents. We could open the porch door, and the puppies could run around in the enclosed area attached to the back of the house. We were getting ready to go to bed for the night when we looked out on the porch to see the puppies sitting side by side like cute black and white bookends. As we went upstairs, we could hear the puppies crying a bit for attention but quickly settling down to sleep together in one of the crates.
(These are the first two installments in an ongoing work of fiction, hopefully to become in time, a children's book. I welcome suggestions for future stories and will try to incorporate your ideas. Thanks - 1HW)
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