Pinkie and Pow-wow. The tale of two playful pups

This is a little something that has been forming in my mind for a while and was inspired by the office nicknames of my two work colleagues Gill and Gill (you see why they need nicknames!)  I suppose it’s something of a childrens story but I hope you still enjoy reading it – this is just the start… there will be more to come

Part One

Pinkie lay in her favourite position, sprawled on the back cushion of the sofa looking out of the window. Her tail would twitch and her head lift at the sound of each passing car, only to stop moments later as the vehicle drove past, her soft chocolate eyes closing again until the next sound caught her attention.

Pinkie may have had no real concept of time but she was sure that Lucy was late home. It felt like a long time since the woman Lucy called ‘mum’ had called around to take Pinkie out for her afternoon walk and Pinkie was getting worried.

Lucy was never normally away this long, what if she wasn’t coming home?

Pinkie’s head shot up at the sound of another car approaching, her twitching tail began to wag faster as this time the car pulled up in front of the house and its engine stopped.

Pinkie got to her feet and let out a small excited yap as the car door opened and she saw Lucy stepping out.

Pinkie loved Lucy, more than anyone or anything in the world, even more than food or walks, and Pinkie really loved those two things. But Lucy was special, she was Pinkie’s very own human. Whenever possible the two of them were inseparable and Pinkie knew that Lucy hated leaving her every day just as much as Pinkie hated to see her go, but apparently ‘work’ was not something Lucy had a choice about and she had to leave home and go there more often than either of them would like.

As Pinkie watched Lucy approaching the front door she noticed that the woman was carrying a large box, Pinkie’s tail began to wag faster. That was why Lucy was late, she had been getting Pinkie a present.

At the sound of the key in the front door Pinkie jumped down from the sofa and ran around in excited circles, barking at the closed living room door that prevented her greeting Lucy the moment she entered the house. Lucy and Mum used to leave the living room door open for Pinkie but her excitement each time either of the entered the house had left them stumbling over her on more than one occasion and, after Mum had hurt her leg when she fell, it had been decided that Pinkie shouldn’t be allowed to run to the front door any longer.

Finally, after what felt like hours to the fluffy white bichon frise, the living room door opened and Lucy stepped inside.

Pinkie ran to her owner, barking and jumping with joy as Lucy bent down and began to fuss Pinkie’s ears, much to the small dog’s pleasure.

“There’s my lovely girl,” Lucy said, laughing and pushing Pinkie away to stop the dog licking at her face. “Have you missed me.”

“Of course I have,” Pinkie said, although to Lucy it was just her usual barking yap. “You were gone forever.” Pinkie stopped barking for a second, Lucy had a strange smell on her. It was the smell of another dog. Is that why Lucy was late home, had she been petting other dogs?

“Look what I’ve got here,” Lucy said, pushing the plastic box towards Pinkie.

Pinkie took a small step towards the box, it had some kind of mesh front to it and Pinkie peered inside, leaping back with a start as a small voice inside the box let out a high pitched bark.

So that was where the other dog smell was coming from. Pinkie’s top lip curled and a small growl rumbled in her throat.

This was her human and her home, why was Lucy bringing another dog into it?

“Now then Pinkie,” Lucy said as she unfastened the box’s mesh front and scooped out the small black pug from inside. “You just be nice.”

Pinkie took a step backwards and the strange puppy was placed on the floor before her. The puppy’s tail was wagging excitedly and it let out a few more yaps.

“Hello… this place looks nice… do you want to play? I don’t know where my brothers and sisters are, they used to play with me… will you play?” The puppy’s stream of chatter seemed endless and Lucy tried to hush the puppy with a tickle under her chin.

“Come closer Pinkie,” Lucy said, beckoning the dog to her. “Come and say hello to your new friend. This little girl is called Pow-wow.”

Pinkie took a few steps forward, the new puppy didn’t seem that bad she supposed, as the two dogs noses touched together Lucy moved away to observe if her new pet would be accepted by her old.

“Hello,” Pinkie said quietly, sniffing in the puppies unfamiliar, but not unpleasant, scent.

“Come and play,” Pow-wow yapped, leaping up and landing with her front paws in Pinkie’s face before running off around the room.

Pinkie couldn’t help herself, chase was her favourite game, with a small bark she set off after the little black pug and the two were soon running after each other, taking it in turns to be the chaser or the chased.

Pouring herself a glass of wine Lucy settled onto the sofa to watch her dogs get to know each other. She hadn’t doubted that Pinkie would quickly love having a small friend and she was glad to see that Pow-wow had been the perfect choice.