I was so excited when my father said that we could get a puppy from my brother's friend's litter.
He was a Heinz 57, resembling a Doberman/German Shepherd.
He was one of eight, I think.
This dog was the saddest, languid, most pitiable wretch you ever saw! I must have a soft spot for lost causes because I was immediately drawn to him, and despite my father's urging otherwise, he was the one I picked.
I named him Daniel.
When we first brought the dog home, he just sat around and moped.
He looked like a butternut squash when he sat down - bottom heavy! The poor little thing always looked down in the dumps, rather despondent, just pining away.
Nothing we did seemed to interest him.
We tried dangling a t-towel in front of him, rolling a ball back and forth, squeaky chew toys, even his own tail - nothing seemed to bring the dog out of it! So, we had our puppy dewormed.
We took Daniel to the vet's and he gave us the medicine to do it ourselves at home.
It was a dark red liquid as I recall.
I put it on his breakfast.
I've never dewormed a dog before and I didn't really know what to expect.
I stared at him for a long while but nothing seemed to happen, so I just went about my own business.
After about an hour or so, I looked around but couldn't see the dog.
I started to call Daniel, but with no response.
I began to search all of the rooms for this wandering mongrel.
I cried out and hunted for him, but still nothing.
I finally found the dog in the far bedroom.
He was looking at his reflection in the full-length mirror that was resting on the floor.
He had a, "Who are you, and why are you staring at me like that!" expression on his face.
I watched him for a while.
He was so cute with his nose to the mirror, trying to sniff out this 'intruder.
' Daniel scratched his reflection with his paws, alternating from one to another when his leg got tired.
He cocked his head to one side and looked inquisitively at the uninvited guest, studying his every move and thinking, "Curious how that buttinsky does everything I do!" He licked the mirror.
No taste.
He licked it again.
No taste the second time, either.
How odd? Becoming rather annoyed with this antagonist, Daniel let out a yelp! But, the invader was still there! Infuriated, the little dog scrunched to the floor with his rear end up in the air, and began to bark and bark at this interloper.
Of course, at that age their barks are more like squeaks...
just too-too adorable! Then, out of nowhere, he sat up straight and looked like he just thought of something extremely important.
He sat there for a minute and then began to walk slightly forward.
He lifted his backside - and out it came - surprise! A little pile at first, then more and more until the pile became a heap.
With each jettison he had to lift his rump a little higher.
When he couldn't raise his bum any more, he had to inch himself slowly forward.
He'd lower his bottom again and the flow gushed anew! Another stockpile; the mound became a pyramid! He shifted again and again...
I thought that something had broken inside of him! I raced to get my mother.
"Mom, Mom, something's wrong with the dog!" I screamed.
Both my mother and father came running.
The poor little pup was still 'unloading' when they showed up.
When my father saw the hoard, he began to laugh.
You can imagine my relief when he told me that it was just the deworming medicine at work.
Of course, you know who had to pick up all of these little surprises! After this episode, Daniel jumped around like a frog.
He really did.
The dog didn't walk so much as spring everywhere.
It was hard to get his attention and catch him, too.
Despite the fact that he was the most pitiful of the litter, Daniel turned out to be the best of the brood.
His other brothers and sisters never quite got the 'faithful, old dog in the trail' routine.
Sure Daniel was a scamp, a scoundrel and a wheeler-dealer, but even so, he was the sort of character that could warm your heart like red-hot chili peppers on a ring of fire!