Henry's Biography: A Small Dog's Tale

This is me aged about two, in the park. I've got a nice body and lovely tail, haven't I?

I can just about remember my Mummy and Daddy. They were the same colours as me but my Mother was bigger than my Daddy and I had lots of brothers and sisters. I don't know how many because I hadn't learned to count. We had our own den in the kitchen of a house with several two-legs there. Two of them were very tall and the others must have been young because they were smaller. I had lots of fun with my brothers and sisters interrupted by strange two-legs coming to see us.

They would pick us up and say,."It's so cute. Is it a boy or a girl?" They say dogs are stupid but we can tell the sex of anybody, no matter how many legs they have. One day, two of them came and picked me up and held me and stroked me. I enjoyed that very much. The female two-legs held me and stroked me the most.

Some days later, the same ones came back and carried me away from my Mummy and Daddy, brothers and sisters. We all got into a metal box that I know now is called a car. I was so frightened. I wanted my Mummy and I cried for her. Then a funny noise started and the box started to move. I was sitting on the female two-legs' knee and she tried to comfort me but I wanted to go back to my den. There were such strange smells in the box and I could smell another dog in there too although I couldn't see one.

This was the start of my new life.

This is a recent photo of me. I look annoyed because She-Leader woke me up to take it.

I had a quick visit to the vet the day after I arrived in my new pack but she just looked at my eyes and ears and felt me all over. It was quite pleasant, really. The next time, though, was horrible. I wasn't allowed to walk anywhere and couldn't get on the floor in the vet's waiting room to say hallo to other animals which was a shame as I would have liked to make some friends.

Then we went in to see the vet and she was nice and stroked me and told me I was very sweet. Then she got hold of the scruff of my neck and stuck this big sharp needle in it. I was very shocked and screamed. It hurt me so much that I couldn't stop crying. Even when She-Leader was carrying me home, I was still crying. Did I get any sympathy? No, I didn't. She just called a wuss and a big girl's blouse. I could tell these weren't compliments from her tone of voice. I think she meant I was being cowardly but I'd like to see her getting a big needle stuck in her neck. I bet she'd cry too.

I had to go back a while later and have it done again but I was a bit braver and only cried for a little while. Soon after that I didn't get carried anymore when we went out. Instead she put this lead on my collar and wouldn't let me walk and run where I wanted when we were in the street. I was let off when we went alongside the river or to the park or on the beach - but that's another story.

Saffy and I in the snow in February 2009. Saffy wants to go home but I want to sniff.

We moved from our big den with the garden in March 2008. Now we live in a smaller one and to get to it we have to go upstairs. I think we changed dens because She-Leader was ill but she's still alpha female.

We don't have a garden anymore either which is a shame. We get taken out more often, though. Usually we just cross a road to get to the Common where we are let off the lead. It's great because we always meet many dogs and lots of them are now my friends.

The picture above was taken on the Common after we had plenty of snow. Saffy didn't like it and wanted to go home. She kept taking shortcuts. I loved the snow even if it was a bit cold on my nose when I was sniffing.

Saffy doesn't run so much anymore because she's getting old so I have given up formation running. I don't mind because it gives me more time for my real interest - sniffing everything and scent marking.

We aren't proper friends but we get along OK most of the time. I've found out I can frighten her. Occasionally I'm given a bone and I growl all the time I'm chewing it. Saffy won't come near me when I do that which makes me laugh inside.

I have to say that two-legs are very odd. Whenever Saffy or I do a poop, the Leader or She-Leader comes along and puts it in a bag which they store in containers around the park or common. I've noticed other two-legs do the same thing and use the same containers to store their dogs' poop too. I have never found out what they do with it after that.

My life has been very comfortable and interesting so far. I'll come back and write more when anything interesting or exciting happens.

Love and licks from Henry