The Right Dog at the Right Time

It has been over four years since Roadie has been gone.  During those dogless years we tried a few times to get a new dog, but it never worked out, just never felt right.  I was too emotional and missing Roadie too much, or the dogs were lunatics, or I was dealing with a brand-new, newborn baby, or I was STILL missing Roadie too much, or we were having another baby or moving house. 
 

Four days ago our neighbour rocked up with a couple of mongrel pups in the backseat of her cigarette-smoke-filled-sedan...  on her way to the pound to have them euthanaised.   

“I heard you might be interested in a pup.” 

They were two females, with dappled black, blue and brown spots.  Covered in fleas, pot-bellied (so probably full of worms too), scrawny and filthy.  One lively, friendly little thing, one timid stand-off-ish.  According to the neighbour they were Smithfield Cattle-dog cross Maremmas.  The Maremma thing is doubtful, more likely Kelpie but whatever, they were mongrel cattle dog looking things – just my type. 

“What will daddy say if we keep one Sebastian?” 

I reached out and picked up the little timid one and there was no hesitation on my part - she was staying with us.   

So what did daddy say to my bouncing, joyful self on his arrival home from work?  

“Huh.  I guess it was inevitable.”  Is all.   (And he smiled wryly at his overly enthusiastic partner.) 

Polish Joe was more excited. (!) He had come up with a load of soil for us and I showed him what I’d done.  “Ahh so a good friend for Sebastian.  I bring you a cage.”  He was down the mountain and back up again in no time, with another load of soil and a cage for us to keep the pup in at night. 

I heard him from inside calling out to Sebastian.   

“Hey! Sebastian!    .... You got a new dog?!” 

“Yes.” 

“Whattaya call him?” 

“Spotty.” 

“Righto.” And he was off again roaring down the hill in his big truck. 

And there we were.  A dog family again.  And even though her name is awful  (chosen by Sebastian who WILL NOT let us change it), and even though she will never be as special to me as Roadie was, she’s a lovely little thing and beautiful with the kids and I think she’s going to be a bloody good dog. 

And so I piled the kids and the dog into the car for a trip to town.  We needed to buy dog food, worming treatment, flea-treatment, vaccinations, dog shampoo and a new collar!