Asher

What Next?

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Ash

You’ve probably noticed it’s been a couple weeks since our last bark. I sure noticed. I kept trying to think about what to put in the DailyBark.

It’s not like nothing was happening. I got a prize for my good manners. Jack has been taking a shower every week for his dandruff. Tess started working with our trainer.

Nellie hasn’t done much other than wander in circles and drop bombs in the house.

Usually mom pushes me to stay on deadline. Sometimes we talk about what’s important and how I should report the news. Once in a while I get to do a goofy op-ed piece and have some fun barking about nothing.

We’ve been doing the DailyBark for over two years now. It’s been a lot of fun and I can’t imagine life without barking at the world. But I feel like I gotta do something different.

Maybe it’s because I’m older and I’ve been to school. I don’t run off on my crazy adventures like I used. to. I listen to mom and come when I’m called. I stay in my place when people come to the door. No more jumping all over the neighbor.

It’s coming up on that time of year when Codie left us. This will be three years without her. I still have this great big ache in my heart for Codie, but it’s getting harder to remember all the fun stuff we used to do together.

I asked mom if I could do some barks to honor Codie. Like maybe tell about Codie as a puppy and how she led the life of a princess. Only problem is I can’t bark Codie’s story by myself because I wasn’t around when she was young.

Me and mom have been talking it over. I asked mom to get out all the old pictures she has of Codie and tell me a story for each one. Mom kept saying, “After we get our taxes done, Ash.”

Well guess what. The stupid taxes got done yesterday. Mom’s gonna help me with Codie’s story starting tomorrow.

I asked mom if we could start out with “Once upon a time…”  Mom laughed and said I have a whole day to think about it, but come tomorrow we launch our project.

I gotta do this. I loved Codie so much. Maybe she’ll come back to me when I bark about her. Maybe she’ll know we still miss her. Maybe she’ll see I turned out to be a pretty good mutt, thanks to her raising me when I was a pup. Maybe we’ll all feel good remembering Codie. Maybe it’s just something I gotta do.

Codie

 

 

 

Asher

Family Time

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The Pack

Us four mutts got loaded into the Volvo. We didn’t know where we were going. We didn’t care either. We just wanted to go.

Usually it’s just me and who Jack who go, but lately mom’s been bringing everybody.

Tess would rather ride in dad’s truck. She likes to sit in the front seat and act like a big shot.

Yesterday when Tess saw the rest of us were going somewhere in the car, she wanted to go too.

Our friend the reporter took this picture. It took three people to get us lined up right for our family portrait. Yeah, we forgot to look at the camera, but at least we’re all in the picture.

You can see in the picture that me and Tess are tethered. That’s to keep me from flying around the car when I see our dumb neighbor dog and Tess from crawling over everybody to get to the front seat.

Jack is so good natured. He doesn’t care who is in the car as long as he’s along for the ride.

See little Nellie poking her snout out? She’s so good. When us big mutts step on her she never complains. Nellie is soooooo happy when she gets to go for a ride. We gotta take her more even though it’s hard on her lifting her in and out.

Yesterday Nellie tried to leap for joy after the car ride. She fell over but we all knew she was happy.

Family time is always fun. Nothing big happens. We go for a drive, see the sights, bark at dogs along the way, and snooze. There’s always a treat. One time we stopped for ice cream. Oh man, that was good.

Yesterday we met our friends out in the country. The people had lunch while we waited in the car. When the people came out they had huge doggie bags of treats. Yumm, we smelled that all the way home.

Funny, after a family trip we’re all kinda relaxed. We had early dinner. Jack and Nellie fell asleep. Tess watched tv, and I watched for our fool neighbor dog to come out.

We went to bed early and dreamed of our fun time in the car. Sweet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack

From My Perspective

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Jack

I’m so proud of Ash. He just turned six a week ago, but he has an old soul. What he did for Nellie on Valentine’s Day was really special.

Early on Valentine’s Day Ash woke up to hear Nellie crying. He asked her what was wrong, and for the first time since she came to  Asherpark, she poured her heart out.

Seems Nellie has been thinking about her life and how she’s not got a lot of time left on this earth.

Nellie has been such a trooper since we got her. Never cried with all the pain she was in. Never asked for anything, just grateful for the kindness we showed her. Loves her grub but won’t fight over it. Always waits her turn.

Even though she’s an old dog, Nellie still has feelings. She remembers when she was young and the boy dogs thought she was beautiful.

She still wonders why her people let her get so sick and filthy. Why didn’t anybody give her a bath and brush her beautiful coat?

Nellie told Ash she always wanted to be somebody’s Valentine. She wanted to feel special. She wanted to know she was loved.

When Nellie woke up on Valentine’s Day she got real sad. Time was running out. This might be her last chance to have a Valentine.

Despite her best efforts to keep her feelings to herself, Nellie couldn’t stop crying. When Ash asked her what was wrong, it all came tumbling out. Nellie picked the right mutt to tell.

Ash would be kind to anyone. But I know when Ash looks at Nellie, he sees his beloved Codie. He told me once Nellie and Codie get all mixed up in his head and heart. He still aches for Codie and when he can do something for Nellie, it’s like a little bit of Codie is still with him.

I saw Ash lick the tears off Nellie’s snout. I quick buried my face in my bed so Ash wouldn’t see I was crying too. How can you not feel Nellie’s pain?

Haven’t we all been lonely? Haven’t we all wanted to be special? We don’t know Nellie’s history, but we do know it wasn’t good.

But things changed for Nellie when Old Dog Haven saved her life and she came home to Asherpark. Yeah, that’s right. Home.

Home to a pack that let her move right in. Home to good food and warm beds. Home to silly rituals and bedtime stories. Home to people and mutts that care about an old worn out Aussie named Nellie.

When Ash told Tess about Nellie, Tess really stepped up to the plate. Valentine’s Day was supposed to be her big date with Ash. But it was Tess who told Ash it was okay to make Nellie his Valentine. And so he did.

Nellie was so proud. She giggled like a little girl. Nellie loved the card and flower and turkey neck Ash gave her.

When the day was over Nellie asked us all to come close. She had something to say.

Nellie said she never dreamed she could be so happy. She thanked each of us for letting her be special for a day. While me and Ash were shuffling our paws and wondering what to say, Tess spoke right up.

“Nellie, you are special,” Tess said. “We hope you will still be with us on Valentine’s Day next year. And if you are, you are going to be princess for the day.”

With that Ash started barking and running circles around the room. Tess and Nellie quick got out of his way. I dove into my bed just as Ash flew over top of me. You go Ash! You go with your silly wonderful self.