You may have spotted some weeks ago that I had adopted two more dogs - black medium-sized pointer crosses, sisters, who have just turned two years old, still puppies really. Yes I know, I said I didn’t want a puppy, let alone two, but sometimes things don’t work out the way you planned.

Unfortunately, they are so nervous that they won’t come into the house for any length of time – they will dash in, scope the place for something to steal, and dash out again. Favourites for stealing have been The Husband’s Crocs (just one), my slippers (ditto), a t-shirt (wrecked) and numerous doggie blankets that belong to our other two dogs.

Happy Campers

They were quite content to live outside – the first night they slept in the bushes, the second night out in the open, and I felt sorry for them, nay, even guilty. Didn’t they like us? Were we so frightening that they would rather keep away? So, we bought a kennel, thinking ahead to cooler – and maybe wetter - nights, a safe place they could call their own. They sniffed it, walked around it, went inside and poked around, and to my knowledge, have never slept in it. We moved the kennel under the shelter of the porch and laid blankets inside and out, and they chose out, where they remained, looking like homeless street people surrounded by crumpled belongings.

I felt sorry for them camping out, so took time to select a nice comfy bed for outside the abandoned kennel, big enough for the two of them, as I know they cuddle up together. I found one, all soft and squidgy, and brought it home. I laid it out for them with lots of encouraging noises, and scattered treats on it, and left them to it. When I checked them the next morning, to my dismay the area looked like an abandoned Santa’s Grotto surrounded by cotton-wool snow. In less than 24 hours the little devils had made a hole in their lovely new bed and pulled out piles of stuffing, see the picture below.

Credits: TPN; Author: Marilyn Sheridan;

Digger

One of the Ripper-Uppers is also a Digger-of-Holes too. We should have called her JCB, and it never ceases to amaze me how deep she can get in a short unsupervised time.

A little tale of Poo

One day this week, I went into the garden to do the daily poo patrol, wearing my new slippers, brand new this week and accidentally stepped in a little dollop of the very same stuff I was trying to collect. Having grumpily hobbled to the hose to wash it off, I put the slipper back on, and promptly put the other foot in another dollop. Needless to say, the slippers are now hung out to dry, and The Husband had a good laugh at my expense.

Different Characters

I suppose the moral of this story is to be careful what you wish for. We had the room for two more dogs, and being love at first sight, I totally forgot the training needed for young dogs, but we are prepared to put in the time needed, and these ‘newbies’ are finally starting to learn some manners. The Ripper-Upper is the loopy one, who likes nothing better than to chase bees and butterflies, while the other one is an affectionate chewer who has an unhealthy interest in her sister’s collar, and has chewed through three since they have been here, to the point that the sister’s radar goes off you approach her with a collar, probably knowing she will get half-choked if she wears one.

They are like any other dogs in a new environment, they no doubt felt anxious, confused and overwhelmed by their new surroundings. Happily, since the fireworks on New Year’s Eve when they were scared witless, they are now sleeping inside and getting used to their new ‘pack’.

Related article:

Author

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan