Marley's Doggy Diary . . .

  Marley Comes Home . . . 19th January 2014

Hi, my name is Marley...well I do get called lots of other things too...The Ginger Ninja, The Blurr and Mars Bar are mum and dad's favourite names for me...they call me other stuff too sometimes but I don't know what all those words mean?? I am the baby of the family at two years old and I've lived with mum and dad for just over a year now....wow! That year went so quick!!! So much has happened in that time, I really don't know where to start. Today I'll tell you a bit about my background I think, might as well start at the beginning!

Before I came to live with my family, I was in something called a foster home, quite a lot of miles away in a place called Bournemouth where I lived with aaaaaaacres of land around me...it sounds great but I wasn't allowed to run free as there were pheasants and I didn't know how to come back when I was called!! Why would I want to anyway?? There was so much fun to be had out there!!!

I used to like looking out of the window on the stairs looking at all that countryside watching the people come and go from their homes, the birds bipping about in the garden, the men with the guns shooting the pheasants...lots to see out of that window and I fitted into the ledge really well!  It was my very favourite place. I lived in the foster place with a black Labrador called Beth, who was quite quiet but really really nice.  My favourite thing to do in the house was pick up the logs from next to the log burner and move them all around...ohh...that and eat all the stuff that was left out on the worktops hehe...I was a master at that ;)

Before I lived with my foster family I lived with a family who had a couple of children and another dog but I spent a lot of time outside in the small yard which was very very dull and boring. My family decided they didn't have time for me so they packed up my things and took to me to these stranger people who seemed nice and had lots of bits of paper that needed writing on before I could leave. I was so sad when my old family left without me!!!  Where were they going??? I know I'm meant to be a tough lad, but I must admit I did cry quite a lot over the next few days when no one was looking. I didn't know if I had done something wrong or very bad for them not to want me anymore? I mean, I know I used to open up the round tub in the kitchen that had all the goodies in...mmmmm...lovely tasty bits and bobs that my family kept in there. They smelt so delicious I couldn't help but take some out when they weren't looking. I know it left a bit of a mess on the floor sometimes as it was hard to put the wrappers and plastic back in the round tub...any let's face it...nowhere near as much fun as taking it out lol! I also know I used to get told off for jumping up at the back door and if I timed it right I could get my paw on that bit that sticks out funny that makes the door open and close...I was so pleased with myself the first time I managed to do that...I mean, I don't get it, the little people in the house were allowed to do that, so why couldn't I???

So that's it, I was left with the stranger people...with no-one I knew. I felt so lonely.  They introduced me to my foster mum and dad and Beth lab who were all lovely with me. They seemed to know that I would be sad and did things to cheer me up and try and make me smile. Also, they didn't get too cross either when I used to open their round tub of goodies...though theirs was harder to get in to and I noticed less and less tasty things seemed to left around the longer I was there! What was that all about???

Just after Christmas last year foster mum and dad told me some special people were coming to visit me. I had to have an extra long brush and was told to be on my very best behaviour...now, anyone who knows me, knows just how hard that is for me!!!! How long would this best behaviour have to last for?? Five minutes?  Oh my, what if it was longer??? They said the new people might take me with them. What??? I didn't understand....I thought my foster mum and dad were my new mum and dad...I've no idea what the word "foster" means, so maybe that had something to do with it?? I didn't want to get sad all over again, and maybe even cry...how girly would I look??!! I liked it here, I liked the people and I liked Beth.  Beth told me that it happened quite a lot in my foster mum and dad's house. That she had met new dogs, they had stayed for a while and she had seen those dogs come and then go.  That  panicked me!!!  What if I was going to be taken somewhere horrible!!! ...but Beth saw my panic and quickly told me that whenever any of the dogs from our home went, they always looked really happy and they didn't cry...so that sounded good!! I've a reputation to keep here!!!  I decided that if I didn't like them, I would just act naughty, then they wouldn't want to take me away...good plan eh? ;)

Soooo, we waited and waited, I think it was for a long time, but there again I am not very good at waiting!...and the new people arrived. They came in, and true to my word, I was on my very best behaviour...I know how to work the humans when I have to ;) they're a pushover really hehe. I was introduced to them and they sat on our couch. They stroked my head and I quite liked them, they seemed alright.

I got to go outside into the garden then and four dogs that I didn't know came into the garden...FOUR!!! I hadn't really seen that many dogs in my garden before. I was quite excited but the dogs were all sniffing around the garden and they didn't really bother with me too much. I liked the little one...he was ginger like me and he seemed to really like me. There was an older smaller one and two bigger dogs...they were all very cool and I liked them straight away. We got to go and have a run round in the big pen together and I ran and ran and ran...as I didn't get to do that very much....Like I said, I was told I can't run if I don't come back!!! But I liked these dogs and I didn't want to run away from them!! When I was all puffed out we went back to the house...the new people said they had never known a dog pull so hard on the lead before in their whole lives!!! which I was very proud of...I tried really hard to show them how good I was at doing that and it wasn't hard to do as I was just sooooo excited!!  Yay...let's go and run again!!! When we got back to the garden, my foster mum and dad were stood talking and the new people's car boot was open...so I thought I might as well jump in there...you know, just in case the new people had any doubts over whether to take me with them...I liked them and all the other dogs and decided I would let them take me with them!

My foster dad got really upset, and he tried not to...he was just like me, he didn't like to show people he was a wimp!! But I licked him and told him I knew I would be happy with these people as my new family and I could tell I would have lots of fun with all the boy dogs!! I waved my paw at Beth and thanked her for all her help and advice she had given me, and kissed my foster mum goodbye.

C'mon people....stop talking and writing!!! start the engine....let's go home!!!! YAY!!!!!

Love Marley xxx