My First Bark

Tess

You may have noticed that I have not yet barked. Ash has barked about me and for me, but until now I lacked the confidence to bark for myself. Both Ash and Jack have encouraged me to find my voice. So here is my first bark.

My past is a mystery to me, a blur. I was picked up as a stray and held in a shelter. My shelter papers say I will kill cats. I’m not sure how they came to know that about me, but I fear it may be true. I do not like cats and nearly go insane when I see one.

Perhaps I could learn to accept cats, but since my family no longer has a cat, it is probably best that I not be tested. I feel sorry for Ash in this regard because he loves cats. He tells me of his beloved old cat friend Cornelius, who passed on last summer.

Cornelius had become so old and decrepit he could no longer clean himself. So Ash would use his big soft tongue to wash Cornelius several times a day. Once he licked Corny with such gusto the old cat fell over. Ash gave me this picture of Cornelius for my bark.

Cornelius

I realize that I suffer from obsessive tendencies. When I first saw the goats I nearly lost my mind. I ran and panted and frothed at the mouth barking like a fool. Ash enjoyed my craziness but it was unsettling to my new people.

Over time I have learned to control myself. I am allowed near the goats on a long lead. Ash says I have much better herding skills than he does but since I won’t come when called, I can’t be off leash around them.

I fear I have jumped from one subject to another in my first bark. Please excuse my lack of focus. This has been very difficult for me. I seem to require a lot of encouragement for fear that I have done something wrong.

I will bark more another time. For now I will conclude. Thank you for reading my bark. Respectfully, Tess.