There’s something strange going on. Listen to this. Duke, a new dog, came to visit me in Vermont weekend before last. He was cute and curly — a Labradoodle, I think. At first he seemed kind of wimpy when I started
wrestling with him (the way I do with Ruckus all the time), but I have to give him credit — he caught on pretty quick. And for a newbie, the little fluffball had some pretty decent moves! From that point on, he copied every single thing I did. I chased the ball, he chased the ball. (I always got it, obviously, but he didn’t seem to care.) I ran through the woods to visit my friends, he ran through the woods. I peed in the snow, he
peed in the snow. Same spot, of course. I was totally the boss. And when Beagle Man put my food in my bowl, you should have seen Duke back off . . . like I was the king, or something. Come to think of it, Ruckus does exactly the same thing. What I’m trying to figure out is, when did this happen??!! I used to be the new kid on the block. I was the one who needed to let Bruce eat first. I was the one who had to let Ella run ahead of me when we went cross-country skiing. When did I become “the older dog”? Beagle Man still calls me “Puppy” — and I like that. Aren’t I still a puppy?
Beagle Man and Ricky always have a lot to say, so I’ll just pipe up in The Duck Dog Speaks whenever I can.
Sadly enough, Kimba, we all get older faster than we think possible. It does have it’s perks, like having your food all to yourself and getting the ball every time. Enjoy it while you can, because from my perspective, you’re indeed still a “Puppy.”