My story (2)

Remember in My story (1) I had spotted a nice pack? - two dogs and two people - and wondered if they might want a large puppy.

I didn't see them again, but a few days later, I had gone round the village looking for more food, and in the end I had just flopped down in a quiet spot away from everyone. I was sick of people shouting at me, or dogs wanting a fight for the decent food, or horrid children throwing things or teasing me.

The man came up to me. He had some biscuits too. He spoke very nicely to me, so I followed him. Right home into their safe and sheltered patio.

Apparently they'd had A Conversation.

"Well, if I see that dog again, I'll have to take him in. He's been on the streets too long and he's lucky to have lasted this long," said the man.

"No-one else has taken him, he obviously isn't lost, and I don't want to see him run over on the side of the road," he added.

"It's up to you, darling," said the woman, or whatever they say when they know they are getting their own way.

Then later she told him she'd seen me trudging down the street into the village, and said he should look for me.

"You know where he goes, just go and find him," she said. And he did.

So once I was in their small patio - I think they could do with a bigger one actually - my new mistress brought me some food and some fresh water.

Over the weeks mistress was very kind and nursed all my wounds. She is normally very squeamish and wouldn't dream of doing it for master.

But she bathed my ear regularly with warm water and gentle antiseptic, and washed off all the nasty bits. She did the same for all my scabs and sores and wounds.

At one point she began to think that I really did have pink fur round my neck, because it wouldn't clean up, but eventually it started to fall out, and fresh new clean fur grew back.

Even my ear stopped flopping down as it gradually healed over the months.

I got fed regularly every day. I had lots of fresh water, and I was taken out for walks. They bought me a nice blue collar. And a nice blue lead too, which was ace to chew. They don't use it any more.