Wuf ! Wuf ! Who Wouldn't Have A Dog ? Why ?

I was born into a house which had Dogs. The Dogs were English Bull Terriers the male dog was called Jack and the female was .Elsa......

Jack was a kleptomaniac!. He kept the family in legs of lamb during most of the war years, the terrible years of rationing in the U.K. So My future, was, it seemed ,mapped out to include dogs.

Bentley

I can now very clearly remember,at the age of eight, being picked up in a huge car ,which, I was told later, was a Bentley .

My Dad and I, and Jack,(the dog) were driven to kennels some few miles away where Jack was, I was told, going to 'Mate'.

At That young age I didn't know what that meant . Soon I saw huge animals chasing each other in this game of 'Mating' The Two I noticed more were like some kind of Bear,now I know them as Newfoundland dogs. They were so big.

Jack was chasing a snow white girl dog ,and they were so alike, I couldn't tell one from another. Anyway they were chasing each, other and I didn't think it was anything remarkable .

I was more interested in getting into the luxurious Bentley and investigating the secret wooden draws where sweets and drinks were kept. Even to this day I can smell the tangy leather upholstery and see the green,green carpets of the floor and the pull-down blinds.

Where Does Doggy Sleep ?

In those days I remember dark winter nights when my Mother would allow the dogs to sleep on the bottom of my bed. This caused trouble between me and my Brother who thought he was the owner of the dogs!

Times That Are Sad

I have carried on allowing my dogs to sleep on my bed all my life, except the few years in between dogs , when they, my darlings had left me.

They had reached that time which we all dread, and life was not joyful for them any more, sad days which we will, all of those who are in this game of loving and losing these wondrous spirits, know only too well.

How many of us love so much that to 'leave go' is too hard. We may make the mistake ,it is a mistake, and it is harder for us and our pet in the reluctance to let go.

Anticipation

when I met my Husband and had children. We would spend long periods on the beach with the kids those lovely sunny times I would think how great if we had a dog- I obviously was thinking of my dogs from the past.

I was tough and I waited until my youngest child was Seven.

Back to the old days

Thinking back to my younger days I remember a house full of different kinds of people my parents were 'Progressives' The house was always full of noise even the cocks and hens would wander in .

Sometimes there would be jazz nights and always the piano was playing anything from jazz to classical along with brilliant singers.

The animals just accepted this 'noise' and from then ,to now ,I always make sure that my animals are never left alone without the radio or T.V. on.

In those days dogs were accepted anywhere. In restaurants,cinemas,shops just anywhere,especially pubs!!

One period my Mother was unable to walk, after a bad slip, and as we all worked my elderly aunt came to stay, so as to look after My mother, who was confined to her bedroom.

It was decided to leave our Boxer Boy Bengo ,at home for the day, he was still a pup but was a big boy and very much still in the playful mode.

We were driving home earlier than usual. The phone call from my aunt had us all worried !

In a hurry, it seemed that all the cars in the world were on that already busy road .

The traffic lights on red forever. We arrived home !

No Dog In Sight

I was the first to jump out of the car and rushed in to see my dog. 'Bengo, Bengo' I shouted but no dog in sight- What we did see, my Dad and Brother were inside by now, was my old aunt in tears and saying she had to go, and go now !

We dashed upstairs to see if anything was wrong with mother. She was in tears also !

It took ages for us to make any sense of the situation. Meanwhile my brother had driven Aunt home ,then, in her own house she had told him the story.

She was frightened of the dog and he ,the dog,had made a game of it ! Anyone who knows the Boxer will "get it". It seems two young cousins had arrived for a visit . She brought them in gave them drinks and cake, then they played around with the dog.

It was only when they attempted to leave that things changed. He,the dog, stood by the back door and showed his teeth then a deep ,deep growl !

The boys were aged 12 and they were petrified!

The first thing they thought of was to hide in the coal-place. Aunt was terrified as she was not a dog person. She managed to get to the telephone ,where she phoned the RSPCA They were there soon !

Without any questions they took Bengo away... and apparently the boys crept out and ran for their lives

We were all in shock!

Furious, Mad !

it was decided that My Brother, and I, would go that very night to an Aunts house-another aunt-who lived near the RSPCA in order to be on the spot as quick as possible for the morning in order to search for Bengo,the Boxer Dog .

Early Morning

We awoke very early. The three of us,John my twenty two year old brother ,and his girl friend Dorothy, and myself,17.

We got in to the Ford V8 car and John drove to the RSPCA in Manchester. We parked and almost ran into the office. I was nervous,we all were apprehensive.

Would Bengo be there ? In a cell !

Would worse have happened ? Oh No! I almost cried out in my terror at the thought..

In Shock

A Woman appeared and John asked about Bengo, ' where was he '? She was shaking her head as she told us he wasn't here. 'Where is he? Where is our dog'? he asked again.

We were in shock when she told us quite calmly 'he's been sold' !

she said this, as she was shuffling papers through a drawer. More questions from us, like ' who to' and 'where is the address'

'I can't give you that information' she replied. She then said she would fetch her 'superior'.

She walked off through a swing door, and as the door closed, John jumped over the counter and opened the draw .

Easily he found the paper with details of Bengos new address. In a trance, we three, speedily, went through the same door we had earlier come through, in a state of unhappiness, but now, we had a little glimmer of hope in our hearts !!

Would she know ?

Would a taxi-driver cum car-sales manager(my brother) know his way to Urmston, a suburb of Manchester ? He'd know ! We were there in no time ! I didn't believe in miracles ! I do now..

We had barely reached the area when John said to Dorothy and myself 'look for a railway bridge' . that car was barely touching the ground as John ,who had quite a bit of experience as a stock-car driver, put it through it's most challenging test.

The thought going through our three minds was 'would she know' the 'she' being the woman in the dog shelter. if she knew she could easily have telephoned the people who had our dog and they would be warned and could hide him, whatever!.

Miracle

We Turned a corner and we saw a boy of fourteen or so,he had a lovely Boxer dog on a lead!!!............

The car made too much noise as it skidded to a halt about thirty foot away. No worry!

The whistle of my brothers brought a,tornado-like mass of matter hurtling towards us !

Into the large bench seat in the front,then as the car speedily,very speedily moved away the mass of excitement vaulted over to the rear seat where it gave us two teenagers a face wash we will never forget.....We marvelled at our success ! We smirked at each other! we grabbed and kissed that dog ! that wonderful boxer dog called Bengo...........The last sight as we looked back,was the astonished look on the young lad's face,but he was our dog after all..

All Welcome

That was one of the best moment of my life,the way we found Bengo again.

Another incident from those days was when a beautiful snake wandered in and just made himself at home ! he stayed with us for many years, all were welcome....

My Dogs Today

I still have Boxers today,they are my dog,I wouldn't be without a dog and I know that all dogs are super. However my personel choice is the Boxer Dog.

Thanks for reading..