A Tale for the Dog Days

This was sent to me by La Petite Mouche on 4/16/02:

Just another "tail" to brighten your day....

This morning I went out with the pug for our usual routine. He does his
business. I pick up his business in a plastic bag. He runs to the garage
and stands by the car door waiting for me. I walk to the backyard gate,
open, throw the doggy bag into the trash can. I go to the car, open the
back door, the pug jumps in, gets his cheese treat and off we go to doggy
daycare.

This routine never varies except for the occasional times I run out of
cheese and have to come up with a different snack. Today, the cupboard is
completely bare, so we'll have to drive through McDonald's and get him a
hash brown.

In addition, I'm in a hurry as I've an important meeting to prepare for and
an appointment after work. The pug will have to have a sleep over at daycare.
A million things on my mind, I toss the bag of poo and head to the car.

Only this time, the pug is not waiting for me at the door.

Odd... I look around...Maybe he ran into the back yard when I opened the
gate.

I go to the back yard and look everywhere calling. Nope - no sign of him.

I call and call, walk around the block. I look and look and talk to
neighbors. Nothing. No pug. This was in the span of seconds. How could
that fat little dog disappear into thin air?

I am now officially panicked. Someone has kidnapped my dog. He is trapped
under some nearby house fighting off mutant rats who wish to tear off his
volumous flesh. Aliens have zapped him onto their spaceship.

Praying desperately to St. Anthony, I think and think. It had to be the
back yard. I go back and look and call urgently. Ohmygod, I am so not
ready for this....if anything happened how am I going to deal?

Suddenly I turn and look at the huge leafy fig tree. A branch moves
suspiciously. I raise the leaves and there is the pug happily munching on God
knows what and ignoring me completely.

I was furious. I was so mad, I realized punishment was the only option.
There will be no daycare. And forget McDonald's.

He'll just have to stay home and think about his behavior.

And he better not tear up the place, or next time I'll even revoke his TV
priviledges and won't let him watch Animal Planet all day.

Dogs...sometimes, you just have to exercise tough love. It's for his own
good.