Photoessay #9 - Puppy Fender came to visit

Last Thanksgiving, my daughter cared for a puppy. She didn't know the puppy in advance, was a little vague about the specifics. When they arrived, Fender (the puppy) was a whippet. He was quite social and already completely bonded to my daughter. Most of the time, he exhibited appropriate pee-in-the-yard behavior. Except when he didn't.

His body was taut and angular. He liked to be picked up and be held but it felt like his little sharp bones were sticking out of his puppy coat. The picture shows Shadow (our old dog with the uncertain coat) and Fender touching bases in the backyard. It's leaf-raking time and they are about to erupt into a running around the yard romp.

Clever Fender thought of things that our gentle older dog had never considered. Like chewing through your food bag for an extra snack. Shadow's food bag had always been sitting right on the floor next to her dish and it never occurred to her that you could stick your head in or chew a hole in the bag to get some extra. Or sampling the dried pasta in a bag underneath the kitchen counter. Fender also figured out how to escape through the cat door.

That little pup was always thinking of something. Shadow was extremely impressed. She shared most things with the younger guy...except for a few things. He was not to get on her bed in the living room and he was not allowed under the dining room table when the family was sitting around the table at meals. That was her place and she was not giving that up. Other than that, he ran all over her.

Fender was a great immunization for early pet adoption. If my daughter left the house even for a few moments, he would howl inconsolably. I told her that she couldn't go anywhere unless she took the little dog with her. "Nonsense!" she howls. However she tried everything, setting up puppy Fender with her younger sister, tries to sneak out the door, dog starts to yipe. Finally she gives up screaming "I can't go ANYWHERE because of you!!!" She stays home, Fender is contentedly asleep curled up in her lap.

"He's going back", she assures me "No way am I getting a puppy" Good work Fender, we should rent you out as a pet antidote.