TOP DOG! in anger. And no one offered me any food or water. The outside world became a cold and scary place. I began to avoid people for fear of being kicked or having something thrown at me. I rummaged through garbage cans in order to eat. When it snowed, I found a small dark place under a patio and slept. This place became my refuge. The patio was attached to a building where I often heard a lot of people inside. And sometimes whenever someone came outside, they put a lot of really nice food in the garbage can. One very cold evening when I was going through the garbage can, a woman from the building came out and caught me. I ran away as fast as I could before she could hurt me. But her voice stopped me short. She wasn’t shouting at me. She was calling me. She wasn’t calling my name, of course, but I knew she was talking to me. Her voice was so sweet that I turned around to look back. She was squatting down and making a bunch of sweet kissing noises. I cautiously slunk my way back towards her. And when she reached out to pet me, I rolled over on my back in submission. She rubbed my tummy lovingly and I knew that I was safe. Despite how frightened I was of a place with a bunch of people, I let her lead me inside the building. The building was warm and cozy and decorated with a bunch of shiny lights and a big tree which reminded me of when I was brought to my first home. The woman gave me a warm and delicious meal and water which was not frozen over with ice. She took me to her home that night and made me a nice warm bed. In the morning, she took me outside on a leash. I have never been on a leash before and wasn’t sure what to think. But with her warm assurances, I quickly learned that all I needed to do was walk with her and only stop once in a while to go to the bathroom. After that, she gave me a bath. The bath was nothing like the bath I had been given at the pet shop. It was actually fun. She didn’t just wash me, she played with me. And when she was done, she brushed me with care and tenderness instead of with mundane rapidity. After that, I was taken back to the building again. I met a lot of people there and was a little scared at first. But with her assurances I soon warmed up to everyone. I had forgotten what it was like to be around people and I enjoyed every moment of it. I soon learned that this building was part art gallery and part work shop. The people who came regularly, including the woman, were artists. Sometimes strangers came to visit to look at the art – and to pet me. Going home at night and coming to the art gallery during the day became our regular routine. I was called Scamp and everyone loved me. I loved everyone too, but I loved the woman most of all. It was with her that I experienced my second Christmas. This time was better because I wasn’t the gift in the box and I received gifts instead. I was never put in a cage again and was very seldom ever left alone. People played with me and pet me regularly. I always got my meals and even got special treats like biscuits and bones. I was never thirsty and was taken out regularly for walks or trips to the park. I am on my twelfth Christmas now and life is still as good as it was ten years ago when I first met the woman. The turbulence of my youth is gone. My first Christmas family didn’t work out, but I found something better. I found someone who was prepared to handle all the responsibilities involved in my happiness and well-being. And now Christmas is a very special time of year, one in which I will cherish for the rest of my days.
Pet Central EVERYTHING PETS (Princeton BC) 250-295-7381 Quality Foods & Supplies for all your Pets! See us on Facebook. 8/20
Do you offer a dog service or training business? Sell pet feeds and supplies? You can advertise here! Prices start at only $250 per year (12 issues). Call 1-866-546-9922 or e-mail nancyroman@saddleup.ca
Canine Capers Sponsored by Your one-stoP Pet shoP Farm, Fencing & Horse Supplies Pet and Livestock Feeds 604-894-6740 Pemberton BC
03/20 5/19
For more information on any of these events go to www.canuckdogs.com unless another website is provided
december – MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
1 1 1-2 6-8 15 28 28-29
AAC AGILITY TRIAL, Aldergrove BC CKC OBEDIENCE TRIALS, Calgary AB NAFA TOURNAMENT, Abbotsford BC, www.flyball.org AAC AGILITY TRIAL, Pitt Meadows BC 12 GAMES OF CHRISTMAS AGILITY TRIAL, Abbotsford BC UKI Run You Turkey Off Trial, North Saanich BC NADAC AGILITY TRIAL, Cochrane AB
january 2020 – HAPPY NEW YEAR!
4 24-26 25-26
AAC AGILITY FUN MATCH, Abbotsford BC AAG AGILITY TRIAL, Abbotsford BC CKC AGILITY & SCENT HURDLING TRIALS, Morinville AB
february
1 1-2
SPECIALTY SHOW for Collies & Sheepdogs, Calgary AB NADAC AGILITY TRIAL, Balzac AB
Do you have a WORKING DOG event coming up? Let us know! Call 1-866-546-9922 or email nancyroman@saddleup.ca December 2019
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