‘Be a friend’: A senior dog’s advice to a puppy before it leaves for its ‘forever home’

Now listen up, young feller, and listen well. Tomorrow those kind people who came to see about a puppy are going to take you home. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I don’t know … I’ve done it all: I’ve lived on the street and I’ve been part of a human pack. And now, here I am in the Welfare of Stray Dogs Kennel. It’s a decent place – the food is regular, the folk are loving. Some nice people come and take me for walks. They feel good and it’s nice to get out once in a while and see the sights. There’s lots of company, warm snoozes in the sun on a winter day and in the cool shade in the summer.

When you’re an old hound dog, that’s more than enough. Sixteen times I’ve watched the sonchafa carpet the streets with gold. It’s good to sleep for as long as I want.

So you’re joining a new pack tomorrow. You’re going to a “forever home”, as they say. I wish I could give you some advice about humans but from what I’ve discovered, they …

No, perhaps I should just tell you what happened to me and you...

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