The Daughter and I both call dogs "puppy poodles" irrespective of their age, size or breed. We do it because we like the alliteration, and also because the word "puppy" is one of the most onomatopoeic we know. It's soft like a kiss, it is warm like their tummies and sweet and small like their little souls. All dogs keep the puppy that they were within them far longer than most adult humans manage to hang on to their childlike wonderment, and this recommends them above most humans in our mind. We like the word "poodle" because it is idiotic, like the breed itself, (especially the standard version and larger), and yes, I KNOW they are very smart dogs, but their haircuts aren't and if you will persist with giving your poodles pompom tails the rest of the dogworld will always find them faintly risible. All dogs have a touch of the idiotic clown about them, which is makes them the best company ever. Hence the "poodle" in our favourite doggie phrase.
Pooch is another word with a kiss in it, and if one has a dog who needs professional grooming then in our family they have to have an appointment to be "pooched". But best of all our dog-related words is "paw". Of course other animals have paws, we realise that, but it's dogs that have left their paw prints on our heart, so it's a dog's paw we think of when we say it.
I decided a few years ago that the saddest two words (combined) in the English language aren't (as is often said)."if only...", but "sore paw". Rehearse it to yourself, dear reader, and imagine the plaintively limping animal to whom the sore paw belongs. There! See?! Am I right, or am I right?
The Daughter and Her Intended are going to be using all these wonderful words starting with P a lot more in their active vocabularies now, as yesterday they went to an animal rescue charity, filled out the forms and had their interview and were introduced to the dog the workers there assessed would suit them best, and whom they could offer the most appropriate help and home. I don't believe in counting unhatched chickens, or unadopted dogs, so i am going to hold back from typing any more about this, except to say that, subject to acceptable references and succesful home check, they may be able to bring this particular puppy poodle home with them as soon as next weekend.
All I will do is cross my fingers, get The Dog to cross his paws neatly when lying down, and send up a brief prayer to the god of dogs that nothing happens to disappoint any of the three beautiful creatures involved in this adoption.
POST SCRIPTUM 21.54 Sunday 27 March
The adoption is set to proceed. A Grand-Dog has been acquired for Goldenoldenlady to dote on. The new parents will bring him home next weekend. His blog name will be The Handful, as he promises to be at first. He pulls on the lead summat fierce, so much pent up energy and enthusiasm, but The Daughter has the Dog Whisperer books and she is determined to lose him his bad habits and give him the good life he deserves.
Crossing fingers here too, even though I'm not really a dog person, but a cat person, who just happens not to have any cats at the moment. Once we've ceased our peregrinations, I too shall head for the local animal refuge to rescue a moggy or two, as we've done before.
ReplyDeleteI think everything I have said about dogs and puppies could be said about cats and kittens as well. Pet preference can hinge on all sorts of things - early positive formative experiences with either dogs or cats must have an influence.
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