Sunday 25 August 2013

Inheritance.

When you have a series of dogs over the years you accumulate various pieces of paraphernalia.
Maia has Bramble's dish, you know which one was hers because she carried it around and one day dropped it at the top of the steps, it bounced on the concrete yard with a resounding clang and ever since has a 'ding' in the side. Hebe got Bracken's, the matching pair to Bramble's but without the ding. Juno was the third dog of the tribe (with Bracken and Bram) and consequently needed a new dish, hers has a different rim on it and will be Dido's or Hester's in the fullness of time.  Leads are not quite as long lasting as metal dishes but they too have been passed down. Dido is already using Juno's slip lead and Hebe's long puppy fixed lead, Hebe has a smart new fixed lead to go with her posh town frock (a leather collar with an engraved ID plate). As we usually have only one puppy at a time Hester has her own all new fixed lead.  Bramble never had a slip lead so Maia had her own but it's too heavy for the pups so Hester has a new one waiting on the hook, because of her huffing (and general naughtiness) Maia no longer uses her slip lead and only goes out with a leather collar and short fixed lead.  Until I dug out Juno's lead Dido was using Hebe's which was actually Bracken's originally - it no longer has a stopper on it but that doesn't bother Hebe.
Hester with Juno's lead, a little big yet!
Toys are generally short lived however we have a few which have been around for a long time, we have Cara's giant Wolfie-sized kong, Hebe's 'flying saucer' also made by Kong, Maia's green nobbly, previously squeaky, ball  but the oldest is a Ty rainbow snake called Wormie and he was Juno's we have a photo of him being washed before Maia arrived in 2000, apart from having his 'black feelies' (don't ask) chewed he's still in fine shape.  Until last week we had Juno's 'very, pleasant, Christmas present, pheasant' (again best not to ask), it was a little worn around the edges but a puppy tug of war allowed its stuffing to see the light of day and he has finally left the toybox. 
I wonder what Hester and Dido will pass on.

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