The Next Step CONTINUE to Part VII
I took a tentative step forward, my mouth watering. I could see the yummy chicken wings just a few inches away, and I could feel Clancy’s breath closing in behind me.
Carefully, I crossed the threshold. I was in the crate. The food was mine. I craned my neck towards the nearest wing, took one more sniff and went for it, tearing and crunching, crunching and swallowing. Lovely. At some point, Maggie closed the crate door, but I was oblivious, and at some level, kind of relieved that no one could grab my dinner.
A few brief minutes later, there was a slick, empty bowl in front of me and a definite roundness to my belly. With a sigh of satisfaction and a happy belch, I rolled back and gazed through the bars surrounding me. Clancy and Kelty were in crates of their own, ploughing through what was left of their own dinners. Memories lingered in my mind of shoving aside a crowd of brothers and sisters to get to the big communal platter we shared. Of wrestling in the mush for the last licks and then being rubbed with wet towels to clean off the sticky goop.
I shook away the annoying thoughts as I snuggled into the blankie that lined my crate, savoring the peace and quiet of my own personal space. No one could bother me here. Not that pain in the butt red puppy or the big lumbering black and tan Gordon. My mouth stretched open and I yawned contentedly. Maybe I could get used to this.
But not too soon. I was a puppy and I had standards. Mustn’t make it look too easy. I straightened up a little and whimpered. When that got no reaction, I pawed at the bars a little and whined. I saw Maggie look my way and knew she’d try to wait me out so I upped the ante and let out a small bark. To my surprise, she opened the crate door and stepped aside.
Carefully, I crossed the threshold. I was in the crate. The food was mine. I craned my neck towards the nearest wing, took one more sniff and went for it, tearing and crunching, crunching and swallowing. Lovely. At some point, Maggie closed the crate door, but I was oblivious, and at some level, kind of relieved that no one could grab my dinner.
A few brief minutes later, there was a slick, empty bowl in front of me and a definite roundness to my belly. With a sigh of satisfaction and a happy belch, I rolled back and gazed through the bars surrounding me. Clancy and Kelty were in crates of their own, ploughing through what was left of their own dinners. Memories lingered in my mind of shoving aside a crowd of brothers and sisters to get to the big communal platter we shared. Of wrestling in the mush for the last licks and then being rubbed with wet towels to clean off the sticky goop.
I shook away the annoying thoughts as I snuggled into the blankie that lined my crate, savoring the peace and quiet of my own personal space. No one could bother me here. Not that pain in the butt red puppy or the big lumbering black and tan Gordon. My mouth stretched open and I yawned contentedly. Maybe I could get used to this.
But not too soon. I was a puppy and I had standards. Mustn’t make it look too easy. I straightened up a little and whimpered. When that got no reaction, I pawed at the bars a little and whined. I saw Maggie look my way and knew she’d try to wait me out so I upped the ante and let out a small bark. To my surprise, she opened the crate door and stepped aside.
