My Story

Dear Max,

I promised to tell you my story ...... well the reason I don't go and live with my boy. It all began a long time ago, when I was just a pup, myself.



I lived with my boy and his mom in an apartment. The apartment was nice and I loved being with my boy and playing with him. But, Gavin's mom had to go to work every day and Gavin went to daycare. That meant that I had to stay in my kennel all day long and wait for them to come home. I was very young and I was lonely, so I cried and I yelped and the neighbors could hear my distress and they began to complain. Gavin's mom tried taking me to daycare with Gavin. I liked that! There were other dogs there and I liked to run and play with them in a yard.

I was okay with this arrangement. I got to be with my boy all day long and I got to play with Minnie and Molly (they are Boston Terriers). They lived with Gavin's daycare provider. His name was Grampa Don. He liked me, too. That is where the problem started. Grampa Don and Gramma Jan were becoming very attached to me and me to them. I have to confess that I liked their house better than the apartment. They had a door that opened into the yard and I could just run out there whenever I needed to. The apartment was upstairs and in order to go outside I had to have a lead attached to my collar, then go out the door to the elevator (sometimes I had to wait for it) and then out two more doors and then on to the dog park. Think about it ......... first thing in the morning, after a nice long sleep, you wake with a full bladder .......... I tell you, it is awful to have to wait to relieve yourself ( that means to go pee).

I met Gramma when she came to see Gavin. She told Gavin's mom that I was a homely little fellow. I wasn't sure what that meant, but I peed on her bare foot when we woke up the next day. Little did I know that I would be living at Gramma's house in the future.

Not long after Gramma came to see Gavin, your mom called her and told her that she would have to come get me. Gramma said that she was not ready to have another dog. That was right after her Collie, Sarge died and then the Saint Bernard, Louise died just months later. Emmy tells me that Gramma was very sad and that she cried a lot. Gramma loves her pets, you know.
I listened while your mom was talking. She told Gramma that all she was going to say was that she should consider the fact that her grandson was in love with his little white dog (me).

As much as Gramma loves her pets, she loves her grandchildren even more. So, the next thing I knew, Gramma was knocking on your door. She was not alone, though. Papa was with her, of course, but so were Oscar and Emmy. I was scared of Oscar! He came into my territory and he let me know that he was the boss ........... in MY space. I knew then that he was not afraid of anything. Emmy was just Emmy. She just goes with the flow and is sweet around everyone. She is Oscar's wife dog. She seems pretty meek, but she does not let Oscar bully her. I have heard that she has even had to bite him! I was not afraid of her, though, just him.

When Gramma and Papa started to leave I noticed that Gavin's mom was packing up all my toys and my kennel and me! Papa put my big kennel in Gramma's tiny car. He was grumbling about how big it was and how much stuff I had and how long he would have to drive. He was grouchy and I was afraid of him, too. Gramma shushed him. Gavin was crying and Gramma was crying and hugging Gavin. Gavin's mom picked him up and held him as they waved goodbye and Papa drove away with Gramma and three dogs.

I was so scared. Oscar kept snarling at me as I trembled in my kennel. Gramma patted me and tried to comfort me while Papa grumbled about why we had to bring the kennel. Gramma told him that I needed my kennel because it had my boy's smells in it and would comfort me. Did I tell you that Gramma is wise? We drove a long, long time and then we were at Gramma and Papa's house. When I came inside I was in for another shock. There was a cat! His name was Gremlin and he was very mean to me. He was sitting on the back of the couch and waving his long tail at me. I thought he wanted to be friends with me. I tried to grab his tail and he swatted me in the face and snarled at me. Thank goodness he did not have claws!

It was scary at first and Gramma had to hold me a lot, but I like it here. I have a yard with a fence and I can go out when I need to. Gramma is here almost all the time. When she is at work, she is just on the other side of a half door. Us dogs can hear her and see her. We live in a kampground and lots of people and dogs come and stay, then leave. I like to meet people and Gramma says that I am very friendly and mostly obedient.

Papa and I became the best of friends. Oscar and Emmy sleep with Gramma and Papa. Papa said that since we had to bring my kennel with me that I was going to have to sleep in it. I was sad and I missed my boy and I would cry. Gramma said it was a pitiful cry and asked Papa how he could bear to listen to it. Papa finally brought me into the bed. I was going to sleep next to Gramma, but Oscar was already there and growled at me. Emmy moved away from Papa and I snuggled next to him. After that, Papa started playing with me and teaching me tricks. Whenever Papa would sit down I would get in his lap. Papa said that I was the very first dog that had ever liked him more than they liked Gramma.

So, I suppose you could say that not only do I have a boy, but I have a man, too. Papa needs me, you see. I keep him warm at night and I am still the only dog that loves him best. Even the puppy called Toni that he rescued from the dog pound prefers Gramma. I have to stay here, you see, for Papa. The last time Gavin came to see me he wanted to take me home to his new house. I was torn, because I love them both .... Gavin and Papa.

Gramma was angry at Papa for loving me so much that he could not let me go. She admitted that she would miss me, too and be worried about me. Gramma says that I have been socialized and would need a companion. She was right. I do not like to be alone and I would not like to be the only animal in a house. So that is how I came to live here with Papa and be his number one dog. Don't tell Oscar I said this. He still thinks he is the boss. Emmy says it is best to let him continue to think so.

I need to go out and play with the puppy called Toni now, but I will be back with more advice soon.

Your mentor dog, Wall-E