I have always wanted a dog but over the years, my work commitments have prevented me from welcoming a dog into my household. Things are different now though and so I have been looking forward to choosing a gorgeous puppy. Until yesterday!
Canine Hurricane
My friend has a 12-week-old working cocker spaniel puppy. I offered to look after the dog for the day whilst my friend and her husband were attending a funeral. I couldn't wait to spend time with little Darcey but I hadn't realised that I was about to be hit by the equivalent of a massive hurricane!
Dastardly Darcey
Darcey was so excited by her new surroundings that she spent the first hour jumping around and chewing everything in sight. Within minutes, anything which was remotely chew-able had been completely destroyed and my house looked like it had been hit by a tornado. There were clothes strewn everywhere and shredded paper littered the floor. My tape measure was reduced to mush, my boots were perforated and my partner's charger lead had been severed.
Walkies
I had been reliably informed that a good walk would tire Darcey out. After spending just one hour with her I decided that it was definitely a good idea to leave the house. Not that there was much left of it!I enjoyed the walk in the local park which mercifully passed off without incident. Darcey remained full of beans and ran about with such enthusiasm that I was sure that she would need a good sleep. I was wrong! When we returned home, she wasn't at all interested in taking a nap and simply resumed her search for household items to obliterate. My cat was not amused and left the building!
Acquiring New Skills
Happily I was managing to perfect the art of typing whilst the puppy chewed away at my shoelaces. I had become skilled at speaking on the phone in a loud enough voice to drown out the barking and I eventually found it possible to ignore the sound of my footwear being annihilated. Then a miracle happened! Darcey laid down for a nap! I took the opportunity to sneak out of the room in order to make a much needed cuppa. Within seconds Darcey had joined me in the kitchen and was leaping around like a loon. During the short journey back to my office Darcey managed to trip me up and most of my tea ended up on the hall floor.
Giving Up for the Day
I looked at the lengthy list of work to be completed which was pinned to a board in my office. The list was one of the few things that Darcey hadn't destroyed. But she may as well have done as there was clearly no chance that I was going to be able to do any work. Darcey is adorable but incompatible with anything resembling a normal life. She is a destructive force of epic proportions with boundless energy and she left me feeling like I had run a marathon. My cat hates her and my house will never be the same again. Do I still want a puppy? Of course I do but perhaps not that one!