The Christmas Puppy

[Lucky Chaos]

The Christmas Puppy
Author Unknown

It seemed like such a good idea in the beginning. There I was, in my cage at
the pet store with my brother and sister. I could tell by the crowds in the
store everyday that Christmas was drawing near. My brother, sister, and I all
hoped each morning that today would be the day we would go to a new home, one
filled with loving, caring people.

First it was the beagle in the cage next to us. I saw the excited gleam in
his eye as his new family prepared to take him home. I hoped one day that I
would feel the same excitement. Then the cute little bunny from one aisle
over was picked. When the ferret with the bad case of psoriasis found a new
home, I began to think I would stay a pet store puppy forever! Finally, it
happened.

I had seen the couple in the store the week before, talking about bringing
home a Christmas puppy for their son Billy. You see, Billy was eight years
old, and had been pestering his folks for a puppy for some time now. Although

they were busy people, they had decided that a new puppy would make the ideal

Christmas present for Billy. The car ride home was exhilarating and
terrifying at the same time. It seemed so cold outside, and I was very glad
that Billy would keep me inside.

I stayed at Billy's aunt's house until the night before Christmas, so as not
to ruin the surprise. That night, Billy's dad put me in a small, dark box
with a couple of holes punched in the side for air. I could see through the
holes the pretty green bow they had tied around my box. Finally, it came time

for Billy to open his presents. There was a GI Joe figure, some new
slippers, and a big truck or two. At last, I felt my box being picked up and
heard Billy's mom say, "OK, Billy, one more present. We saved the best for
last". I felt like I was going to turn inside out with anticipation, when
suddenly the box was flooded with light and there was my new boy, Billy. He
shrieked so loud when he saw me that it was a little bit scary! "A puppy, a
puppy!"

The first few days with Billy were puppy heaven! He was out of school you
see, and had lots of time to take care of me. We played all day, and I slept
in his bed at night. Things just couldn't have been better.

After a week or so, Billy's mom took me to my new doctor. By then, Billy's
holiday vacation was over and he was back in school. The doctor told Mom all
about how to keep me healthy and happy. Mom did seem a little distracted
though, especially when the nurse from school called on her cell phone to say

that Billy had a bloody nose.

I didn't even mind the shot I had to get, because like the doctor told me it
was better than getting sick! As Mom and I left, the doctor reminded us that
I needed more than just one shot to be protected, and I should come back in a

month for another check-up. I never saw the doctor again.

As time went by, I really started to grow! I suppose that I wasn't quite as
cute as before, because Billy and I didn't spend as much time together. He
seemed to have a lot of things to do beside take me for walks and fill my
food bowl.

Billy and his friends sat in front of a strange box filled with moving
pictures every afternoon, playing some game I suppose. Heck, I couldn't even
pronounce Nintendo, much less play those kind of games. I started to get
confused about what my real name was.

At first, everyone called me Petey, which I thought was a great name. A funny

thing started to happen when I got to be about six months old. Mom and Dad
stopped calling me Petey, and started calling me "the dog". I guess that was
OK, I am a dog after all. A few weeks later though, they changed my name
again. Now I was "that damn dog". I wasn't sure, but I didn't think that was
such a nice name.

Since my family didn't have much time for me anymore, I had to think of
things to do on my own. I liked to chew, and so I did! Remember that GI Joe
Billy got for Christmas? Well somehow I managed to chew off his left leg,
which Billy seemed mad about. After a couple more incidents like that,
Billy's dad decided I should live outside.

Well, spring had come, and the weather was nice so I figured, why not? I
thought they would build me one of those nice doghouses like I had seen in
the pet store. Maybe it would have carpeting and a soft blanket to sleep on.
Well, they must have forgotten to build it, because I spent most of the time
tied to a tree in the yard.

That was OK for awhile, but I began to get pretty bored. I found some nice
soft dirt to dig in, but that made Mom mad. Something about flower bulbs and
grass seed that I really didn't understand. There was a dog next door tied to

a tree in his yard, so we spent most of the day talking. For some reason,
that made Dad mad too! I just couldn't seem to do anything right.

Finally, one day I heard Dad say to Mom, "I don't care how you do it, just
get rid of that damn dog!" I figured Billy would convince them I should stay,
but he didn't much care one way or the other. Mom came outside and unhooked
me from the chain. She put an old belt of Dad's through my collar and we went
out to the car.

At first I thought it was time to go to the doctor's for a checkup. Once we
drove off though, we headed in the opposite direction. I could hear all the
dogs talking inside the building as soon as we turned into the driveway.

Mom and I went inside, and she handed the belt to the lady at the counter.
Then she patted my head, and walked away, without me. The lady at the desk
took me in the back and put me in a cage like the one I had in the pet store,

only colder and dirtier. The room was filled with dogs, I even saw that cute
Beagle I had known at the pet store.

That was five days ago. I guess that I must have a new home now, because a
man came by this morning and put a red sticker on my cage door. Here comes
the lady who feeds me, and she is carrying a thing to give shots with, just
like my doctor did. As she walks me into another room, I see some of the
friends I have made in this new place. Funny, they all seem to be asleep on
the floor.

Oh well, the lady just told me not to worry, everything would be all right.
She seems sad though, and I don't really understand why. Maybe being a
Christmas puppy wasn't so great after all.

[abker17]

:( :( :(

[ellieangel]

The saddest thing is that it is true................a thousand times over :(

[sheltielover]

[quote name='ellieangel']The saddest thing is that it is true................a thousand times over :([/quote]

Very sad..... :cry: