Maggie's first Big Adventure - Living Between the Lines

Hi, Maggie here on the keyboard for the very first time! I just had to tell you about my first big adventure. It began on the morning not long long after I had arrived.

I thought I was safe from ever going outside that front door, unless carried. We had been to the place where they prod and poke you and then try to distract you while they prick you with something sharp. ‘She can go out in a week’, the Vet said. The Boss carried me back to the car and I was ushered back into the house. That, I thought, was that. Here I would stay with Charlie. I’d sleep in this house and run around in the garden. If we went anywhere outside those boundaries, I’d be carried.

One week later:

Well, would you believe it? On went my harness, on went my lead and I looked over at Charlie who had, for the past two hours, been a bit jittery, thinking he might be left behind. Left behind what, I do not know, but now he was looking almost excited as his own harness went on, (not to mention relieved!)

I was a little hesitant, not to mention confused, because the family had been rushing around, carrying bags up and down stairs, going in and out of the front door to the driveway where they appeared to be filling up the metal monster with everything from my favourite toys to my bed – my bed? Was I to sleep in there now? I told you I was confused.

Well, it turned out we were travelling in style to somewhere called Cornwall. This is us…

dogs in car — Charlie and I, travelling in style to Cornwall

A considerably smaller house than this one, awaited us when we arrived. A miniscule ‘garden’ was available to me although rumour has it there is a lovely terrace garden high up on the cliffside, the Boss thinks I would not be able to manage the steep steps.

She could have been right. To reach the house itself, I had to be carried up some very steep stone steps for the first few times but during the week, I mastered the upward climb. The downward climb was a little daunting. However, with the Boss’s guiding hand and a lot of cajoling and to be honest, pulling, I even mastered that.

Well, this was my first foray into the big wide world and I am not kidding, it was a revelation.

First, there were the walks along the streets in town. We seemed to have to hug the walls every time that a town bus or car went by. But our progress was further interrupted by everyone we met who stopped us to enquire my age, (rude) my breed (isn’t it obvious?) and could they make a fuss of me? I decided sitting at this point was the best option because they all seemed to be very pleased when I did so. Everyone seemed to have a dog or two with them and I dutifully allowed those to sniff me, if they so wished. Meeting another puppy was exciting, none like me until we went to Restormel Castle. Yes, a real Castle! The Boss man had taken a picnic and we sat on the grass above the moat enjoying the views and the grass and the insects and the sticks…(I love sticks).
On the way back, I spotted a puppy, not only that but this was a Golden Retriever puppy. The Boss thought she was fully grown on first sight. As we tried to lunge towards each other, it became apparent that the other puppy was 19 weeks old, a mere 6 weeks older than me! The Boss could not believe her size. Well, hang around for six weeks and watch, I said but nobody listened.

The best part of our little holiday though was the beach which we visited several times in rain and in sunshine. Here are my holiday photos…

There is not a photograph of the time when I saw a family sitting by a sand dune, eating lunch and wrapped in towels. This is probably because the Boss and her friend were too busy trying to chase after me to find their phones. I had spotted a small human, wrapped in a towel, sitting in a chair, and I was intrigued. Did I know him?

I suppose I can forgive the Boss for not trusting me to come to a stop before I reached them. All I heard, as I ran helter-skelter towards the family, were cries of,
‘Puppy coming! Mind out!’
As it happened, the Boss caught up with me just as I was within licking distance of the nearest person.
“I am so sorry,’ she said as she clipped the lead to my harness and hauled me away.
“Oh, it’s a puppy!’ the family chorused. Only the child in the chair looked a little traumatised, thinking I was after his bread roll. (as if!)

Apart from that, it was great to run off lead for a bit, once the Boss had checked out the area. Apparently, this was a dog friendly beach we had driven to. Well, maybe someone should have told the child in the chair.

Our journey back home, shown in the final photograph, was a treat, although I had previously assumed we were going to stay in the new house forever. Charlie Brown was keen to explain that the humans called this a holiday. Don’t worry, he told me, we always end up back at Liberty View.

My walks were all very well when I was with Charlie, but once home, the Boss wanted to take me out by myself. I admit, I have been less than enthused with the idea at times. Have some sympathy, I mean, picture this. There I am, snoozing a little or enjoying a quiet chew when along comes the Boss with my Harness and lead. This thing that goes over my head and under my body can only mean one thing, we are going out in the big wide world again! But wait, where is Charlie? Charlie is nowhere to be seen. I am expected to go all the way to the front door and into the unknown, alone! Well, no way am I about to do that!

The Boss can’t be very strong because I sit, she stops, sighs and cajoles, I lie down and she realises that although I am moving, I am sliding across the floor on my tummy, so she stops. That mode of moving is ok with me, but she actually expects me to stand on all four paws. Oh well, eventually, we get to the door, down the step and – stop! You mean I must walk out there without Charlie? The narrow road looks long and forbidding. I falter, the Boss sighs again and cajoles and I move, reluctantly. (This is a good game). Ahead I can see a human and a large dog. This has become interesting, could this be the nice lady we met the other day when Charlie was with us? I quicken my pace which makes the Boss sigh again, no pleasing some people, and we are soon chatting to the nice lady and her dog, who ignores me for a bit before giving me a sniff. He’s Ok. What’s this Boss? Walk round the field? Well, if you insist, I will walk slowly round because this is new to me.
But homeward bound is a different story. Well, we are heading back to safety and all those chewable treats – and Charlie.
With a sigh, the Boss attempts to keep up with me (actually she does this with ease) her legs are moving normal fashion, mine are racing along.

We have had several walks since of course but I still prefer it if Charlie is with us. It is nice to be back so I can see my sister regularly too! Here we are, she being lighter in colour and fluffier than I.