Missing Dog

We are slightly bereft this morning - we have no Talulah!!  And how we miss her.  But don't worry, she is just a quarter of a mile up the road, having a weekend with her "dad".....

People have often asked me how I cope with four big dogs.  I don't really see it as coping, rather it is just a way of life.  I have had some folks say that at least I wouldn't notice it if I lost one - I would still have three more.  That says more about them than me and most dog owners that I know.  Would you say such a thing to someone who has lost one of four children?  No.  Each child and each dog is an individual and brings their own touch to a cohesive unit.  Granted, if you do lose one, then yes, you still do have others to love and cuddle, but it doesn't stop  you missing that lost individual.

But back to Talulah.  Chris and I have often discussed her having some lone time with him.  As she gets a bit older, she has been showing a preference for "me time".  She stays downstairs at bedtime for a few hours, she sometimes doesn't want to go in the back of the vehicle with the others, often does her own thing out on a walk, gets a bit grumpy with the younger ones, goes up to the bedroom in the evening, or if it is summer, stays out in the conservatory.  She also loves to go visit Chris.

I have often left Tussock and Talulah with Chris if I have been taking the two youngsters to a show, and lately, on returning, Talulah has actually been quite "off" with them on their return.

Anyway, we decided to give it a go this weekend and Chris picked her up on his way home from work last night.  How strange it was without her last night - and the other three dogs noticed it too.

I missed the 9.30 reminder that it was nearly supper time.  I missed my special cuddle time that I have with her before going to bed.  I missed the grumble from the sitting room as I came down to the loo in the night.  I missed the gentle woof at the bottom of the stairs as she asks me to put the light on when she is ready to come up in the night.  I missed the jostling for position that she and Skara perform on the bed.  I missed the pre alarm clock whines and whistles as she tells me it is nearly breakfast time.  I missed the frantic scuffle as she finds my slippers to take downstairs and presents them, foot-ready, in the sitting room.  I missed the fight for my socks.  I missed the vertical jumps at the door as she waits to get outside.  I missed the increasingly loud whingeing as I prepare their breakfasts.  I missed the paddling she does with her front feet as I go to put her bowl down.  I missed the growl as she bursts back through the door when I let her in the house when she has finished, and she aims for the other bowls to see if anything has been missed.  I missed her morning grumpy sounding growls as she wishes everyone good morning and how it increases in volume as she vies with Tussock for the morning bum scratch.  I miss seeing her and Skara have their morning play session, with River voicing her jealousy.

And it's only 9.30 am...... Going to be a long weekend!

And the other three are very quiet too - there is an air of puzzlement about them.  Part of their team is missing, and it will be interesting to see how they adjust, and who will fill in for each of her duties within the unit, and in what way.  It will be also interesting to see how they will be when she comes home again.  Will she tell them all off for invading her space, or will they tell her off for going away?

It isn't a permanent arrangement.  She will be generally be better off with me due to our different jobs and lifestyles, but it may well be that she will spend a bit more time on her own with Chris at weekends.  And I have to put aside any ego accepting that she might actually prefer to be there!