It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was a time of glorious mud puddles and senseless bathing. It was a time of grand adventure, and lengthy naps. And now it's time to tell my tail (actually, my tail won't listen, so I'm telling you)
My name is Icegog's 'Attagirl Chloe, and these are my memoirs. I suppose it's a little pretentious to write memoirs at the age of one, but let me tell you, a lot can happen in a year! I'll also tell you the tail of my companion, Jassz, a strange little foreigner I met along the way. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me go back to the beginning....
I was born one cold January day in 1997. Actually, I don't know that it was cold but it was in the Canadian north, and it was January, so let's assume it was cold. I came from a large and happy litter, however, and recieved lots of love and warmth from my mother (Whisper), my father (Matthius), and my grandparents (Kris and Kevin). As such, I was never cold.
But I was a restless spirit, craving adventure. I left my family at the tender age of 8 weeks and went off to discover the world.
Like many young pups, I felt I had to experience Europe. And what an experience that was! I marked my territory throughout the UK, and across the continent. From Stonehenge to the Coloseum, I've peed in every corner. My favorite? Paris!
Vive la french fashions! This tres chic! look is from my friend, Christian (Dior, that is).
Next I travelled through the exotic and mysterious Middle East. I left there feeling like a wise old woman, and a foolish young pup, both at the same time. The things I learned there would be enough to fill an entire book. Take the dance of the seven veils for example.
And the food! I still miss the savory blend of spices used the Arabic kibble. If I close my eyes and imagine, I can still smell the pungent aroma. There is nothing else like it in the world!
But after a time I began to crave something more than food. I wanted a family of my own. I was ready to settle down. After reviewing applications from around the world, I decided on a couple living in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia. I chose them for two reasons: 1) I was homesick for Canada and wanted to return there, and 2) this couple had never been owned by a dog before, and I believed the inexperienced to be the most moldable. I have since learned that this is not always the case. The first thing they did when I arrived was sign up for a Dog Obedience and Behaviour Class! Groan! Now they analyze everything I do, and try to figure out what 'makes me tick'. Or more specifically, what 'makes me bark'. But I've come to love these people regardless. Mom gives the most wonderful ear rubs, and Poppa is so much fun to play with. I try to make them as happy as they make me. Once, shortly after I arrived, I overheard Poppa say, "Look honey! Chloe's digging a little hole! Isn't that cute? Get the camera! We gotta get a picture of this." Since then I've been cute all over the backyard. Huge craters of cuteness. They don't take my picture any more, but I'm still making them happy, I'm certain.
One day we travelled to a place on Vancouver Island called Piroska Vizslas. There were many strange rust coloured dogs living there. One young male, six months my senior, caught my interest. His name was Jassz. We conversed all afternoon about different smells, various wrestling techniques, and whether or not cats were fierce creatures. At the end of the day, I decided Jassz should come and live with us. He agreed.
Since that time, Jassz has become Kato to my Pink Panther.
He is always testing my defenses, keeping me on guard. Here, I was quietly enjoying an episode of 'Flipper', when he suddenly struck out with a karate chop. He says we are like Yin and Yang together. I suppose he is right.
One day Jassz says to me, "Can you point?"
"You mean, 'Look over there! It's Elvis?'" I answered smartly.
"No. Pointing. Like this. Dogs are supposed to point. At birds."
So I tried it.
But frankly I don't see what all the fuss is about. When I see a bird, I prefer to just roust 'em out.
What else will we find on this road known as life? I have no idea. But as I keep telling Jassz, 'Don't look back. Never look back'.
