Seven Puppies - Rosie's story

Chapter One:  Leaving home

Today is the day that the farmer is coming to pick up one of our puppies.  I’m standing in the dog run. I’m so nervous. I hope I don’t cry. I wonder what puppy will get chosen. I hope it’s not my favourite, not that I really have one but, I do like some better than the others.  The puppies are circling me like a pack of dolphins around a boat.  I pick up Stripes, her furry face rubs against my skin.   I hear the sound of two cars pulling up and soon a family of five are standing next to me in the run. The farmer picks up Nike and he says  ”I prefer black and white rather than the tricolours”  I give Nike one last hug as she heads to her new life.

Fern, Tui, Stripes and I

The next weeks went by and we still had six puppies. It was Monday and I was on the way home from  pottery with Sarah when dad said that a guy is coming to pick up Harry. I asked him if Harry had gone yet. He said he didn’t know.  After we dropped off Sarah we said a quick hello to mum and then zipped down to Bruce’s to see if Harry had gone yet. As we drove I had a sudden sadness. I didn’t know it was going to be this hard to say good-by to Harry. When Nike went it wasn’t this hard because the family looked friendly and they had kids plus Bruce knew them. I went over to the kennel where Harry was. A few more minutes went by, finallythe man came. He looked rough…. well he was rough.   I couldn’t hold it, Isecretly whimpered.

Chapter Two:  Drumble the droving dog

It was a nice and sunny day at my house. I am waiting for these people to come and pick up Drumble. When they got there they talked to my mum and dad.  When they were walking up the drive they started to talk about how I could come and  stay in their  holiday house to visit Drumble.  I was glad for Drumble that he was going to a happy home.  I called him Drumble after an adventurous droving dog in a book I read.

Chapter four: Sad news   

I had finished getting dressed when the phone rang. Dad answered it. He started his usual answer which starts like this. “Yeh, yeh oh oh” but the ending was different. “Oh no you poor thing.”

When dad got off the phone I could tell he was still thinking through what someone has just told him. I asked him what was wrong. He said that Aunty had to put down her dog Sassy.

” but” I mumbled “I know its sad” said Dad “but Sassy was attacking sheep.”

I asked Dad “How did it happen?”

 ”Well it is a long story. Aunty J was taking Sassy for her walk and she let sassy off.  Luckily sassy had a muzzle on otherwise she would have killed a sheep. So Aunty J thought she should put down sassy so she did.” I was shocked – me and Sassy were good friends. We used do tricks like going through the caterpillar tunnel and I used to hold treats at the other end. I felt sad for Aunty J knowing she didn’t want to do it.  I have a photo of all the dogs standing at the window with all their tongues out and Sassy is there.

Chapter Four:  All Gone

When I  go out to feed the puppies they are like a pack of lions. When you dangle meat over the cage the lions are jumping everywhere trying to rip your finger off.  Except the puppies aren’t trying to rip your fingers they are just wanting the meat in your hand. When they have finished I get Fern on a lead and let the puppies out and run them up and down the drive way except Fern sort of takes me for the run. 

 

One weekend we drove Sripes and Tinker  to their new home. Jeff was  taking Stripes and Tinker was going to live with my  Aunty  J.  I’m glad Tinker has got a great home like all the puppies but she’s also close to our house.

 I had a great experience with all the puppies.  It was annoying for mum and dad but fun for me when dad was trying to get me to school but I let the puppies out. Then we had to try and get them back into their pen. When mum was driving home after we dropped the last two puppies off slow,wet tears rolled down my face as I remembered our memories that we had together.  When I got home I opened the gate to where seven puppies were born.  Before it looked lively but now it looks lonely like they were never there.  I will always remember the bouncy, fluffy, happy puppies that used to live with us.       

By Rosie
Year 4 student