We have a new dog. Actually he is a really old dog, nearly as old as me, but a bit more wobbly on his paws.
Åsa saw a picture of him on the internet, which is where she learnt about me and Emmylou. He looked so sad. An old dog who ended up at the pound. Åsa kept thinking how no-one wanted me – until she came along – because I was old, and look how well I worked out.
So Åsa and her mum, Vincie, went to the pound to pick him up. She signed the papers and then they brought him out. His back was all bent and he could hardly walk and Åsa wondered if she had made a big mistake. Vincie insisted on sitting in the back with old Stig, that's what we called him. He was a real old sad sack when he got home. He was really skinny and could hardly walk. He kept falling over and we had to wait until he struggled to his feet. It was painful to watch. Emmylou and I did wonder what we would do with him. But Åsa fed him up, and our nice vet Donna visited, and he got injections and acupuncture and physiotherapy and short walks until he built up.
Now he is a different dog. He still falls over sometimes, but he is much better at getting up now. To be perfectly honest these days he can be a bit too bossy. He trots along next to Åsa and barks and growls at new dogs. He just loves it if they are young and just roll over for him. Boy he looks pleased when that happens. He has scared a few who didn't realise that if he barks too hard he just falls over!
A couple of times he has even growled at me and Emmylou. When he did, Åsa really roused on him. He got really upset and started trembling and his sad old eyes just about filled with tears. So then Åsa had to speak kindly to him and explain that Emmylou and I had accepted him, and he must fit in with us.
Stig has some funny habits. One is the way he doesn't stop to wee. Instead he keeps walking and his old dick swings from side to side and his wee goes in big ZZZz down the lane. He drinks heaps and he can do really long wees. Åsa jokes she would like to take a photo of the longest ones. That is about as near to Stig as she'll get with the camera. I have never met a dog who dislikes having his photo taken so much. If Stig sees Åsa bring out the camera while we are down at the park, he just turns around and runs home. Åsa has had to really run hard to catch him.
It took a while for me to get used to him. He was very sad when he first came to live with us. He had an old man who died and then he ended up at the pound. I think he was used to being the centre of attention, and he certainly likes to get his own way. So he is an old dog who has had to learn a lot of new tricks.
Stig seems pretty happy these days. He loves eating and going on walks. He really likes going to visit Åsa's mum and dad, especially her dad, Gil, he's an old man. The first time Stig saw him, he went straight up to Gil, put his head on Gil's knee and gazed lovingly up at him. He feels really at home with Gil, and Gil seems to like being with Stig, too.
Now we are two old dogs together. We walk with Åsa at the park, or sit and have pats while Emmylou tears around with her mad friends. I think things have worked out for all of us.
from Clancy.