Cheryl Schaeffer Designs

The Tail Wagging Adventures of Charlotte
Chapter 1

It was extremely humid and loud that day. Big banging noises and flashes of light from outside the furry comfort of my litter mates. This was my first memory. It was raining “cats and dogs” outside our wooden den. Afraid, not knowing what was to happen, anxiety set in. My experience so far was to cry and whine for my mother. She loved us but I somehow knew that love was fleeting. The warm feeling of her kisses across my back made the strong illusion that all was right in the world. I knew I was special but not to the extent I was to know soon enough.

After the rain had gone and the puddles of mud had disappeared something inside me said my life was about to change forever. I raised my small black noise and breathed in the sweet Carolina air. There was the scent of something I was not familiar with coming closer. I dare not leave the security of my small wooden world. My mother’s master then approached and gently scooped up my three sisters and myself. She carried us to the soft green patch in the yard surrounded by metal bars. That is when I first saw her. She radiated love and comfort. She is the one human I was meant for. I perked up my ears and rolled onto my back, tail wagging. I could not let her leave without me in her arms. It was time to be as adorable as possible. I learned early on that the cute card always works on the female humans. I had to do my best. That’s when I hear the calling I was waiting for, “aaahhhhh”! I knew I had her now.

She had two other people with her. They all smelled similar. She brought her pack with her! They both had the look of love in their eyes. The younger one had a long coat of fur flowing from her head to her back and the other had the sweetest smelling shoulder length hair. I knew that this was meant to be. I batted my glittering blue eyes and laid the softest kisses upon all three of their chins as they switched me from arm to arm. I KNOW I’m captivating. I KNOW I’m precious. Hopefully they knew that too.

All that excitement had made me exhausted. I curled up on the neck of the sweet smelling female and closed my puppy eyes. The next thing I know I am being cradled in soft blanket having sweet nothings whispered to me from all three of my new pack. We were off to my new den.

I slept the whole drive home. As we came to the front door I heard the calls of two other canines. Not like me though. Their welcoming barks were deep and intriguing. My new mother leaned me down to where a humongous brown nose began to sniff me. His nose was bigger than my whole body. A bit intimidating but I was not afraid. Another bark called out. The other dog was smaller than the first but compared to me he was a giant, a very fuzzy giant. Thrilled at all the new things, I let out a joyous yip.

A few days past and I was still ignorant to my new routine but I had learned my name and the names of my new pack. Cheryl is my new mother, Barbara is my new aunt and Jenny is my new sister. Then there was Bastian the Doberman and Turkish the Chow mix. I love having a variety of species around me. So much to learn about the world.

It was early morning and things around the house were stirring. My mother and my aunt had packed their things and moved the suitcases to the door. Then I was snatched up and placed in my travel condo. We got into the car and were headed off, but headed off to where?

30 minutes later the car stopped and we got out. Jenny gave me hugs and kisses then moved on to the others. The roar of large metal birds came from above and the area all around us was filled with busy humans. Humans of all kinds, large, small, scary…. But knowing my mother was by my side put me to ease. Then Jenny was gone. I looked and looked but the scent of her was no longer in the air. Mother and Auntie carried me through the terminal and aboard the plane. Cradled in the arms of the ones I loved I fell into a deep sleep and awoke in a new land…California.