November 2024 - The Month My World Changed

 

I should have realised that something was up. The clues were there for anyone to see. 

First, I spotted an unusual bird sitting on the golf course fence at Barshaw Park. It wasn't a stork, but it kind of looked like one if it had had a chin tuck. 

A cosmetically altered stork.

Then, the Man and Woman took me out to Caffe West, a new cafe on Paisley's Broomlands Street. Instead of me just lying on the floor waiting for them to finish, they ordered me a breakfast, too. I don't just mean an extra chunk of link sausage. I got my own plate and everything. I haven't had that since they took me to the Trigony House Hotel in Thornhill. 

I'm getting breakfast?

The West End Woof

Delicious!

All of this was to prepare me for their news. 

On Monday, November 11th, at 11 a.m., they collected Poppy, a ten-week-old Cocker Spaniel (with a bit of Cockapoo in there), appropriately named after the date and time. She's distantly related to me, though you wouldn't know it from her appearance or the lack of respect she shows me. 

She'd already emptied her tiny bladder
over the Woman's lap when this picture was taken. 

There are few photos of me this month as the Man has been happily snapping his new pride and joy. For three years, I have been, by popular consensus, the gorgeous one. On every walk, people stopped to comment on my heart-melting looks, especially my eyes and eyebrows. Now, they don't even notice me. They only see the puppy. I've been relegated. But one thing's for sure: I'm still the top dog in this house, and I'll run away from anyone who says otherwise.

Here is a selection of snaps of the cute but bitey puppy monster. We'll see how long that lasts!

Every toy was bitten to death before she settled. 

Mischief is my middle name.

Behind bars where she belongs

It's not that we don't get on. We chase each other around the garden. She does get over-excited, though, and bites my floppy ears. I'm not happy about that, especially when she doesn't let go. I'm not an aggressive dog, so it pains me every time I have to tell her off.

I'm wary when she gets over-excited.
I think I might need earguards.

I'm watching you!

Run!

Jump!

My turn to chase!

I wish she'd go and live there.

Molly came to stay with us at the end of the month. She has the right attitude: walk away and ignore the puppy, and give the human cheek for bringing the animal into our home.

Muddy everything.

The Man listens to Planet Rock, but I think he lost the plot when he began serenading Poppy with this Thin Lizzy classic, The Rocker, amending the lyrics thusly:

The Cocker.

You are my main bitch when I'm looking for trouble,

You take no lip. No one's tougher than you,

You'd bite my face, I'd soon be seeing double,

Hey, little girl, keep your jaws off my shoe.

You're a Cocker,

You're a Cocker,

You're a Spaniel, too, baby,

You're a Cocker.

I'll update you with more madness next month.