A Tail of Two Dogs

Here is a true and recent dog story for you.   I am currently taking a wonderful class about writing for children – specifically, writing picture books.  When our name comes up in the roster, it is our turn to submit a story for critique by the other students.  Although I have a “ton” of children’s stories to submit, this past week I watched Kate, the Border Collie who stays with me, occasionally.  So, I wrote about that event, and here it is.  The story that I submit for the reading won’t have the photographs, but I couldn’t resist putting them in the BLOG.  Feel free to critique it and tell me how it can be improved.  Thanks.  (Oh, by the way – you can tell that I don’t know what the story’s name will be because of the two possible names.)

 A Tail of Two Dogs

or

Katie and the Pest

Mom and Dad are on a trip, so I’m here at Grammy’s.  With the pest.  She IS a PEST, you know.  When I come in the door at Grammy’s, she jumps and jumps on me.  And, barks and barks.  I wish Lady would not bark as much as she does.  For goodness sake.  I’m already inside the house.  It’s okay that she barks before I come in, but she should stop when I get inside.  Border Collies do not want to be barked at!

She really is a pest.  She takes my bones.  She takes my toys.  She tries to eat my food.  But, I guess that’s okay because I take her bones and her toys and play with them.  And, I would eat her food if Grammy would let me.

Lady lives with Grammy all of the time.  But, I get to be at their house a lot.  It’s like it is my house, too.  We love being together.  Sometimes, I get to chase the ball in the back yard.  Grammy throws the ball, and I chase the ball and take it back to her so she can throw it again.

The Pest only runs around the yard and smells and smells the ground and the bushes and the rocks.  One day, she found a dead rat, and she barked and barked.  Grammy took the rat’s body and put it in a sack so that Lady couldn’t find it again.

My friend Kyle comes over in the afternoon.  He plays ball or plays with the Frisbee.  He throws the ball or the Frisbee, and I chase it and bring it back to him.

At night, I get to sleep in my big bed on the floor.  Mom and Dad don’t let me sleep on the bed when I’m at home.  The Pest always gets to sleep on the bed with Grammy.  Sometimes, I get up on the bed with them, but Grammy is asleep and doesn’t know I’m there.  If she wakes up, she says, “Katie, get off of the bed.  Go to your bed.”  I like sleeping with Grammy and the Pest.  Their bed is softer than my bed on the floor.

Before I came to live with Mom and Dad, I worked on a sheep ranch.  I was in charge of a pack of Border Collies.  We kept the sheep in the fields where they were supposed to be.  I was the alpha dog.  That means I was the dog in charge.  The dog who is the boss.

At Grammy’s house, I still want to be the alpha dog, but Grammy makes sure I know that she is the alpha.  Lady and I have to do what she tells us to do.

Lady and I have toys to play with.  Lady has two sheep and a chicken that squawks.  I have a penguin.  I like to take all of the toys and put them into a straight line.  Grammy says that I’m herding them the same way I used to herd the sheep.

Lady is barking and barking at the front door.  Mom and Dad are here, and I get to go home.  I’m always glad to go home, but I love coming back to Grammy’s when I can.  She pets us a lot and talks to us and gives us treats.  She tells us that she loves us, and that we are good dogs.  I miss Grammy and the Pest when I don’t see them every day.  Don’t worry, Lady, I’ll be back soon.

The End

Tell me what you think.  Which name?  The story.

Be Safe and Be Well

The Cranky Crone

Thoughtful comments are appreciated