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- Herausgeber: Dolman Scott Publishers
- Kategorie: Lebensstil
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
A dog certainly is a wonderful friend to men and women. In my experience , all dogs are forever constant, loyal, obedient , consistent, and faithful. They will remain by your side through thick and thin, ever ready to defend you, comfort you, and love you. Indeed I have heard stories of dogs getting separated from their owners, but still waiting faithfully for years until the time comes when they can be re-united. There are tales of dogs getting lost, and then going through thick and thin to find their way home and get back to their owner. I say 'owner' though there really is some doubt as to whether the man owns the dog, or the dog owns the man. The best time to 'acquire' a dog is probably when it is at six to ten weeks old. At this point in time, it is a wrench for the dog to be separated from their 'mum', but very quickly a new bond forms with the new owner , and if the dog is given the time and love that all creatures need, the bond becomes life-long and unshakeable. I have owned eight dogs during my life time. Every one has been very special, with individual and different and endearing traits. It has been a joy to share their lives and their love , to help them discover the natural world, and to form an eternal bond. When the end of their life has come, each and every time............. the grief has been unbounded. .................. but the memories remain forever, and this little book is an attempt to share some of these precious occasions and moments that occurred and we enjoyed together.
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Sharing time with our wonderful dogs
is never …………….
misspent !!
Robert Parker
Published by Robert Parker 2022
Copyright © Robert Parker 2022
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the copyright owner. Nor can it be circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed on a subsequent purchaser.
Dolman Scott Ltd
www.dolmanscott.co.uk
An Introduction to man’s best friend
A dog certainly is a wonderful friend to men and women.
In my experience , all dogs are forever constant, loyal, obedient , consistent, and faithful.
They will remain by your side through thick and thin, ever ready to defend you, comfort you, and love you.
Indeed I have heard stories of dogs getting separated from their owners, but still waiting faithfully for years until the time comes when they can be re-united. There are tales of dogs getting lost, and then going through thick and thin to find their way home and get back to their owner. I say ‘owner’ though there really is some doubt as to whether the man owns the dog, or the dog owns the man.
The best time to ‘acquire’ a dog is probably when it is at six to ten weeks old. At this point in time, it is a wrench for the dog to be separated from their ‘mum’, but very quickly a new bond forms with the new owner , and if the dog is given the time and love that all creatures need, the bond becomes life-long and unshakeable.
I have owned eight dogs during my life time. Every one has been very special, with individual and different and endearing traits. It has been a joy to share their lives and their love , to help them discover the natural world, and to form an eternal bond. When the end of their life has come, each and every time…………. the grief has been unbounded.
……………… but the memories remain forever, and this little book is an attempt to share some of these precious occasions and moments that occurred and we enjoyed together.
SKIP, NUTMEG, WELLINGTON, BOOTS, TIGGER, MILLIE, JASPER, ALPHIE AND MUNGO
Contents
Skip…. Who are you, and why are you here
Skip
‘It’s not been the greatest first day at my new school.’ I thought, as I stepped off the bus from Bakewell at Ashford in the Water Post Office, and still pondering as to how it could have been a better day, I began the short walk home to The School House, my new home of only one week.
‘It’s been my dad’s first day too, at his new school’ I mused ‘I do hope that he has enjoyed it more than I have enjoyed my first day. Ah well, there is the school coming into view, and there is the school house, I shall soon know how his day has been. Better go up to my bedroom first and drop my blazer off…………. And actually I had better put it into the wardrobe, mother will get airated if I leave it on the floor or on the bed.’
I had only slept there six times but I was already very fond of my bedroom. Compared to the previous house it was extremely large, with a big picture window, and a view such that I could see right down to the river Wye, and then to the hills beyond. It was going to be fun heading off to explore them, especially if I could find a girl friend to go with me.
As I pushed open the garden gate, a black and white ball of fluff seemed to dart from behind the gate and then vanished under the laurel growing against the wall at the end of the garden.
I stopped dead. It was a dog…. A puppy, or so it seemed. Yes I was sure that I had seen a puppy. But who did it belong to?............ and how on earth had it got into the garden? The wall was five or six feet high, and the gate was completely solid, and when closed there wasn’t even a gap big enough for a mouse to squeeze underneath. How on earth had it got in.
I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder, and I spun round. My dad was standing just behind me, and then he suddenly cried out ‘Look………… Robert, look …………. there , under the laurel’
There peeping out from beneath the lowest branches , was a tiny furry black and white nose., and suddenly there was a puppy coming across the lawn towards us. ‘I must be seeing things ‘ I thought.
, but instead of voicing my thoughts blurted out ‘It’s a puppy, a sheepdog puppy, he must be lost. Shall I try to catch him?’
Softly from behind me, dad said ‘He’s yours, his name is Skip… if you call his name he will probably come to you’
A moment later and ‘Skip’ was in my arms, and licking my face. ‘Why is he mine?’ I hardly dared to ask the question.
‘Well’ dad said, ‘Coming here is a new beginning. We all need a new beginning some times. You had problems at Warsop and at your school , and so mum and I felt that a new puppy, a new puppy for you, would give you the chance of a fresh start.’
‘The puppy is mine’ ………… I couldn’t believe it ‘Skip is my dog. Amazing. Mine. A reward for being the worst boy in all the world. How can that be.?’
In the months before we had left Warsop, I had had a run of appalling behaviour. I had been told several times that I was the worst son in all the world. I had more than several thrashings. I had been head chorister at St Peter and St Paul’s church , but my father had sent for the Rector, and insisted that the rector demote me.’ And now………… now I was being rewarded. It is a strange world.
Shepherding the sheep
Skip with family
‘A knock on the door. Better go and see who it is. Gosh , there it goes again…. And so loud. For heavens sake give me time to answer. ‘ By the time that I had put away my fountain pen, neatly folded my Biology homework into my desk ,and crossed through the hall towards the front door, mother had beaten me to it, and was already opening the door.
‘Gosh it’s George the farmer from up at Top Farm’ I realized ‘And he looks very angry. What can possibly be the matter?’
‘Where’s that Collie of yours…………. Skip, isn’t it? I’ll strangle him’ George thundered. Mother looked very crestfallen, and her shoulders shrank towards her feet. ‘Why, what has he done…………. He is such an obedient dog……….. he never causes problems.’
‘Well he has this time’ spat out George ‘ He really has gone and done it. I have wasted my whole day’ I leapt in front of mother, and looked George straight in the eyes. ‘He’s my dog’ I said as forcefully as I dare ‘Whatever he has done, it is my fault. I train him. I am to blame whatever it is he has done.’
George , just for a moment, looked a bit cowed.
And then !!
I spent all morning in the Harrup field, … you know the big one… nearly 30 acres…. I’ve over one hundred ewes in there all with lambs, altogether there must be about 250 of them. I want to send the first 20 lambs to market to test the prices, so I went up there early after breakfast.’
I knew that George didn’t have a dog… very unusual for a farmer. Nor could I understand why. His farmland was nearly all pasture, and he kept a large flock of sheep, and quite a big milking herd. Why he didnt have a dog was a bit of a mystery to me.
By now George seemed a little bit calmer, and then he continued in a much quieter voice. ‘ I took some sheep fences up on the trailer, and put them by the stone pen in the corner, in order to separate the ones that I wanted to go to market tomorrow. Joyce ( his wife ) came with me, and it took us till after lunch to get the twenty that we wanted into the pen.
At the end of it, I was exhausted… and so was Joyce… and she had to miss her hair appointment this afternoon cos we were late finishing.’
‘Then after tea I just popped back to make sure they were okay , and that when the wagon came tomorrow at 7 o’clock I would be ready’
‘That’s when I found out what your Skip had done. He’s been up to the Harrup field, … I caught him still there…. And he had got into the pen, and chased all twenty lambs back into the field with their mothers. They are all mixed in together again. I’ll kill that dog if I can catch him. Where is he?’
I didn’t dare tell George that Skip had already returned, and was now in the back yard safe and warm in his kennel.
I prayed that he didn’t give himself away by barking or coughing . … and my prayer was answered.
Walking down the street, …. ‘Who the hell are you?’
‘Robert, Skip has gone walkabout, he’ll get run over if he’s somewhere in the village, go and find him.’
I opened the door to the back yard, where Skip had his bed, and the run of the backyard, and mother was right.! There was no sign of him.
‘How long has he been gone’ I called towards the kitchen, hoping that the answer would be ‘less than ten minutes’. ‘I’ve no idea’ mother yelled over the noise of Kenwood mixer that she was using as she prepared a sponge cake for the oven. ‘I thought that he was out in the yard,’ she continued,’ But somehow he has managed to get out, and he has gone. And I have told you already to go and find him. Go ……………. Now’
I muttered under my breath, but aged only fourteen I knew only too well, that she who must be obeyed, must be obeyed, so I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door.
‘The most likely place is the Hall Orchard’ ( the village playing field ) I decided, and since it was only around 100 yards from the school house I headed straight there. There were three of four grubby kids playing on the swings at the far end of the Orchard, and I shouted to them at the top of my voice, ‘Have you seen Skip, my black and white collie’ To my irritation they ignored me and so I headed straight for the swings and said very sternly ‘I was talking to you………… are you deaf…………. Have you seen my collie?’
‘We know you were talking to us’ came the reply, ‘but our mothers have told us not to be seen with you, you are always so unpleasant, so go away, and no we haven’t seen your dog’
I left the playing field and headed down through the village towards the cricket field. There were three of my friends in the nets having a work out, and I wished with all my heart that I could join them. Bob Peters and Alan Bibby were bowling and Jim Smith was padded up, and swinging the bat. I watched them for ten minutes, and was delighted to see that Alan bowled Jim middle stump at least twice. Alan had developed a formidable leg break, which he interspersed with an occasional ‘China-man’ , and he got lots of wickets with this clever combination. I tore myself away, but still managed to have a quick look at the rubbish bins behind the pavilion just in case. Not a sign. Where on earth can he be. If he’s been gone from the house for twenty minutes or more, he could be miles away. I shall never find him. What’s more it getting close to six o’clock, and I’m hungry………….. I think that I’ll head home and just say that he cant be found………… and which is true, and with any luck mother will have supper ready. She mentioned a cheese and onion pie this morning, which will be great, but I hope that there is no salad with it
As I turned the corner of the village post office, a black and white collie suddenly appeared around the corner of the pub some forty yards away.
‘Is it Skip? Yes it must be ! It certainly looks like him’
‘Skip’ I called ‘Come here’
The head of the Collie immediately dropped, and he turned tail, and headed off in the opposite direction.
‘ Skip……….. it’s me………….. come here’ then I shouted ‘Come here now’
Now some sixty yards away, the sheepdog clearly hesitated and then continued his escape, and now at a slightly higher speed.
It must be Skip. I was quite certain. He wouldn’t have hesitated when I called, and it certainly looks like him.
I broke into a run to overhaul him.
‘Skip………. Stop…………… wait………….. wait…………. It’s me’
I must be wrong , there is clearly no recognition of me or my voice whatsoever.
The chase continued but with the dog increasing the gap between us , past the church, up High Street, along the edge of the Hall Orchard, and then towards home.
To my amazement the collie, now a good seventy yards in front of me, turned in through the gate of School House. I raced after him not quite sure what to think.
Once there I rushed in through the gate, and was now only ten yards from the front door.
To my astonishment there sat my lovely Skip. He was right outside the door. Moreover he was looking me directly in the eyes, and wagging his tail as if to say. ………….. ‘ You wanted me to come home ?
Well here I am
………………... aren’t I good ’
He’s gone back to UNI… I had better go and find him
Skip
‘Bob, Skip has gone walkabout, go and try to find him and put your mac on first, it’s pouring with rain outside and you don’t want to get soaked’ Greta said in a stern voice
With a very resigned look, Bob decided that he had better do as his wife had told him. Even though he had a fair amount of preparation to get through for the following day’s school lessons for the top class that he would be teaching , he had better put it to one side for the time being, and go out to find that wretched dog
‘Strange’ he thought,’ he hardly ever goes walkabouts…. And when on the odd occasion he does head off, he usually goes to the farm at the top of the lane, and then when he arrives there, George normally calls and tells me to fetch him’
It was more than an hour later before Bob arrived home.
‘I’ve been everywhere I could think of’ he intoned ‘ Up to the farm, down to the village hall, past the church, round the Hall Orchard playing field Then into both pubs, but no-one had seen him at all. . Quite a mystery !!’
Greta , his wife, put down her book, and said ‘Better come and have your supper, I’ve put it in the oven to keep warm, but it will be getting a bit dry by now. I know it’s a real worry about Skip, and a bit of a puzzle, but I’m sure he’ll be back by morning. He’s a man, and when any man gets hungry, he goes home to be fed!’
Skip
Next morning, they were up by 730am, and quickly opened both the front door and the back door, but there was no sign of their Collie.
‘After breakfast’ said Greta ‘I will ring the police station, and see if they have had a dog handed in as lost , or have had a report of one being run over and perhaps injured ’
The telephone conversation with the desk sergeant at Bakewell police station was completely fruitless. ‘ Nothing madam’ said the sergeant, ‘no reports of any dogs at all. But tell you what , if a report comes in, I will call you straight away, give me your telephone number, …………. And oh, what is his name, and does he have a collar on?’
It was about four hours later that the phone rang. Bob answered it, and was a bit taken aback to discover that it was the officer on duty at Bakewell police station.
‘ We have had a report of a dog being found’ he said. ‘He’s at Matlock. He’s been handed in to the police station. He’s a black and white Collie, with a brown leather collar. They tell me that he seems to answer to the name Skip. They have put him in a cell , and given him a bowl of water. They were told that he kept going up to people in the street, and seemed to be smelling them, as if he was looking for someone.’
Bob smiled. ‘ They have put him in a cell? Why? Has he committed a crime. Not to worry. From your description It must be Skip ‘ he responded. ‘ My son , Robert went back to Uni yesterday morning, and within hours Skip had vanished. It sounds as if he has headed off trying to find him. Gosh Matlock is 12 miles away. Amazing that he wasn’t run over.
Greta rang Matlock police station. The constable who answered was extremely helpful. Describe your dog to me ‘ he said. ‘ Black and white. A boy, black tail white a white tip,’ replied Greta. Oh , and he should be wearing a black leather collar, and he answers to his name………………….. Skip’
Sounds like him missus. You had better come and get him’
Two hours later Greta and Bob had made the return trip to Matlock, and been to police station. They had identified Skip instantly, signed a couple of papers, and taken him home. Now he was tucking into his supper just as if nothing had happened. !!
………….. and as far as he was concerned …………. It hadn’t
