A Golden Nugget
In the Holderville Forest
I have never
been a hard-core pet person. Growing up down on the farm, we always had a dog,
and the dog always had a job—getting the cows in for milking. The dogs were not allowed in the house, and they never had real dog food, just
table scraps. We went
through a few dogs in my youth, and every one of them was named Skipper. No matter how
creative we children might get about naming the dog, it always ended up being Skipper,
because my father would never adjust to a different name.
Cow-Dog
Of course,
when I became a parent, I was going to give my children everything their little
hearts desired, if I could manage it. We could manage a dog. Enter Tucker.
Tucker Joins the Family
In spite of
my granite exterior, I grew fond of Tucker, and when he passed away, I found I
missed having a dog in my life. Enter Nugget.
Nugget Joins the Family
This month,
I had to say good-bye to Nugget after our six years of retirement together.
All the Elements of Retirement
Forever Puppy
Nugget was a puppy
mill. She had spent her life giving birth to puppies before she was seized from
an establishment up north and placed in the SPCA in Oromocto. After a couple of
visits with Nugget, I took the plunge. The vets estimated
that she was 7 years old. As I was
signing the adoption papers, I said, “I assume she is housebroken?”
“Oh no,”
they answered. “She has lived her life on the cement floor of a garage. She’s
never been in a house.”
Garage Living
Nugget was
pretty antsy for the first few months. She was afraid of stairs, doorways,
brooms and men.
Nugget's Fears:
Stairs.Doorways. Brooms. Men.
Nugget
imprinted on me and became MY dog,
snubbing Tom to an extent. Over the years her fears and anxieties subsided, and
she lived a pretty good life. Our backyard neighbour always said that “she
landed her ass in butter” when she came to live with
us.
Butter Dog
Released
from life as a puppy mill, Nugget spent the rest of her days pursuing diverse
interests. She was...
A Fashionista
A Security Guard
A Gardener
A Rhubarb Farmer
A Contender
A Hockey Player
A Wrestler
A Marble Player
A Pumpkin Jumper
A Hiker
A Camper
A Boater
A Marathoner
A Knitter
A Cuddler
It is sad to
say good-bye to such a loyal friend. I take comfort in the wise words of my
Little Brother Noel who said, “Every dog dies someday, Barb. So do people. But not usually on the same day. Unless there is a virus.”
So long, Nugget...
Nugget
...Until Next Time...
