A little ray of sunshine
Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 11:05 am
We've had Rufus for a month now and he is turning into a cracking dog. Apart from his thieving tendencies and separation anxiety, which will sort in time, he is becoming a calmer and more confident dog. I felt I had to pass onto you what happened yesterday.
My brothers live in the wilds of Lincolnshire and they have rescue border collies. The latest, Glyn, was so damaged that they have, in effect, put their lives on hold for the past 10 years because he was so anti-social, but they wouldn't give up on him. There hasn't been one of us, Alan apart, who hasn't been bitten. Glyn has been Alan's 24/7 companion. Since he came home with them, the two of them were never apart. Alan took him to work and if the dog couldn't go anywhere, then neither did Alan. Earlier this week, Glyn became ill and tests revealed that his kidneys had stopped working. Roy - other brother - couldn't take the day off work, so they asked me to drive down and be with Alan whilst the vet came. As it turned out, Roy called the vet at 1am because Glyn was so ill, which was great because Roy was able to be there, too. I still went down because I didn't want Alan to be on his own yesterday. I took Rufus, of course. He was a little gem. He attached himself to Alan immediately and sat with his head on Alan's knee. It is very scary to see your eldest brother cry like a child, but wherever Alan went, Rufus went. He did absent himself from the grave digging bit and when we lifted Glyn into the earth and that was the only time Rufus cried. I like to think he was being respectful. His thieving habit caused Alan the only laugh of the day when Rufus stole the fruit loaf from the table when neither of us were looking. Rufus's nickname is now "Monty the tea-leaf" - don't ask about the Monty because I have no idea. Just saying it makes Alan laugh. I am now looking for another border collie and this time, thank goodness, they are letting me do the choosing. But I thought Rufus was just fabulous yesterday. As if he really understood. Well done, Rufus. Ten out of ten.
My brothers live in the wilds of Lincolnshire and they have rescue border collies. The latest, Glyn, was so damaged that they have, in effect, put their lives on hold for the past 10 years because he was so anti-social, but they wouldn't give up on him. There hasn't been one of us, Alan apart, who hasn't been bitten. Glyn has been Alan's 24/7 companion. Since he came home with them, the two of them were never apart. Alan took him to work and if the dog couldn't go anywhere, then neither did Alan. Earlier this week, Glyn became ill and tests revealed that his kidneys had stopped working. Roy - other brother - couldn't take the day off work, so they asked me to drive down and be with Alan whilst the vet came. As it turned out, Roy called the vet at 1am because Glyn was so ill, which was great because Roy was able to be there, too. I still went down because I didn't want Alan to be on his own yesterday. I took Rufus, of course. He was a little gem. He attached himself to Alan immediately and sat with his head on Alan's knee. It is very scary to see your eldest brother cry like a child, but wherever Alan went, Rufus went. He did absent himself from the grave digging bit and when we lifted Glyn into the earth and that was the only time Rufus cried. I like to think he was being respectful. His thieving habit caused Alan the only laugh of the day when Rufus stole the fruit loaf from the table when neither of us were looking. Rufus's nickname is now "Monty the tea-leaf" - don't ask about the Monty because I have no idea. Just saying it makes Alan laugh. I am now looking for another border collie and this time, thank goodness, they are letting me do the choosing. But I thought Rufus was just fabulous yesterday. As if he really understood. Well done, Rufus. Ten out of ten.
