Sunday 8 November 2015

Not Just a Shaggy Dog Story...


Someone said to me the other day that they hadn't seen much of my bad step-dog Bonnie on my blog recently - or Bob cat for that matter. Well, today I am going to remedy that by telling you the inspiration behind last week's story in The People's Friend, 'For Better For Worse'.

I've always been a 'cat person' and my sister a 'dog person'. I think it started the first year I found a cat calendar in my stocking on Christmas morning and my sister found a dog one. The same happened every year until I left home, so it's no surprise that when I eventually had a house of my own, I got a cat... and my sister a dog!


I've had many cats over the years and they've all been lovely but I have a very soft spot for my cat of the moment, Bob. He's fifteen years old, a great lap lover and a great dribbler. After my divorce, he, my daughter and I lived happily for several years - not expecting anything to upset our little family. But as John Lennon so cleverly put it - life is what happens when you are making other plans. What I hadn't expected was that life was going to be a whole new family - a husband, three step-children and... a step dog. 



A new husband was a blessing, my step-children a blessing also - but a dog? I knew nothing about dogs - except that they were big, hairy and often smelly. When I visited my sister, I would ignore her dog and refer to it as 'the hound'. Now I was going to be expected to live with one. Would I cope? More to the point... would Bob cope? 

'We'll have a trial,' I said, 'and if Bob is traumatized and leaves home then Bonnie will have to go.' Except that it wasn't as simple as that. When I told my colleague at work (who is a dog lover) what I had said, she warned me that the bond between a man and dog is a strong one. If Bonnie went, so might my future husband (although he insists this wouldn't have been the case). Also I felt sorry for Bon - she was, after all, the innocent party in all this. We would just have to try our hardest to make it work. 

Bonnie started by coming on day visits and then for sleepovers. She wasn't allowed upstairs, so Bob had a safe place to escape to, and we kept her on the lead in the first instance until Bob got used to her. And, you know what? It worked. The fights and the stand-offs never happened. For the first few days Bob stayed upstairs and then he gradually came down. Now they play together like the best of friends and if Bob gets agitated by something (like the cat next door) Bonnie comes to find me to let me know!



So what about me? How am I getting on? Well, for a start, a lot of the scrapes Cindy the dog gets into in 'For Better for Worse' are inspired by ones that Bonnie also got into. One of them is shown in the video below (which I know some of you have seen before but I just had to show it!).


TIme for dog-divorce? Actually no. The truth is, after five years, it is me who walks her and me who worries about her. I moan about Bonnie but I know I'd be the one to miss her if she wasn't there. My story is a tribute to my furry family.

Hmm...I wonder what calendar I'll be getting in my Christmas stocking this year?

24 comments:

  1. I hadn't seen the video before. What a delight! I'm pleased every thing has worked out for your furry companions, Wendy.

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  2. We had such fun making it, Susanna!

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  3. I loved this video the first time I saw it and wanted to share it with a friend a while later but couldn't find it again. Delighted to see it again. Animals are a great source of comfort, joy and, for writers, inspiration.

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    1. Thought it was worth giving everyone a second look - now you can show your friend :)

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  4. The video is excellent. A friend of mine was always worried that her dog was in a state of anxiety the whole time she was out of the house because he barked when she left and would be barking when she returned. The neighbours assured her he wasn't barking while she was out. I can't help thinking a camera would have revealed him calmly snuggling on the forbidden sofa for a jolly good kip. There was always Benji fur on the sofa.

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    1. We haven't tried it again - too scared of what we might find!

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  5. Great to see the 'naughty' Bonnie again. Also loved the concept of Bonnie staying for sleep-overs. Having met them both I can confirm Bob is a sweetie and Bonnie ... well hum ... she's a sweetie too :)

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  6. I'm glad it all worked out so well in the end - and provides story material as a bonus.

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    1. I haven't shown get the published story - it will go to her head.

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  7. I remember that video, Wendy, and the amalgamation of the two families. So pleased it all worked out so well for Bob and Bonnie too!

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    1. Sometimes they run into the room together, turn round and run out together - it's hilarious!

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  8. Loved the video. I'm glad it worked out for you all, too.

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  9. I loved the video, Wendy. I hadn't seen it before and it was a lovely way to start the day. Congratulations on the PF publication too. xx

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    1. Thanks, Joanna. I knew there'd be one or two people who hadn't seen it.

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  10. Aw, that's so sweet, Wendy! Love the video too (can't see it too many times!). I have a soft spot for your Bonnie, of course, because I also have a black dog called Bonnie - and she has a naughty streak too although, to be fair, she doesn't go on the sofa but I do suspect, sadly, that if she came anywhere near Bob she would try to chase him...!

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  11. I'm a dog person, but I can admit that cats are cool, too! Pets just bring so much to our lives.

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  12. I'd not seen the video before. Absolutely brilliant! And lovely to hear the inspiration behind the story and so glad everything worked out so well for you all x

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  13. I tried to put a comment on here a couple of days ago but something was wrong with blogger (?) hope this gets through.
    I've had a variety of cats and dogs over the years but I'm pet-free, or should that be pet-less, now. I do miss the companionship of a dog, but on wet and windy days like today a cat that doesn't need to be taken for walks seems more appealing! But until I do get another four-legged lodger of some sort, I'm quite happy to ooh and ahh over other people's pets. So thanks for sharing this video, I hadn't seen it before.

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    1. Glad you managed to post the comment in the end and glad you enjoyed the video, Linda.

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