Mum, Dad, my brother Michael: everyone in the family got more affection from our ridgeback-staffie cross. And guess whose bed she used to poo on…
I think the tone was set when Ella threw up over me on the way back from the Dogs Trust. She was three months old, rolling around on the back seat between me and my twin brother, Michael (we’d just turned seven), and wasn’t enjoying her first trip in a car. She could have been sick anywhere – over the seat, over the floor – but for some reason she decided to climb on to me first.
It was the start of a beautiful but strangely one-sided friendship. Ella, a ridgeback-staffie cross, was the perfect dog: playful, energetic, naughty and tolerant. She would let us poke and prod her without complaint, turn her ears inside-out or dress her up in T-shirts or the thick woollen poncho my Greek Cypriot grandma knitted her for the British winter. And she was endlessly loving, at least to the other members of the family. Me? Too often it was as if I didn’t exist. If Michael and I were sitting on the sofa, she’d bound up to him. If I came home after a day out with my dad, he was the one she’d jump at. If I tried to take her for a walk by myself, she’d drag her feet and insist that I fetch my brother.
To add insult to injury, about once a year she would do a poo in the house. Not just anywhere, though: she’d climb the stairs to my room and leave it in a neat pile on top of my bed.
I can’t pretend I wasn’t offended by Ella’s attitude – I loved her just as much as anyone. But it took me a while to realise that in her eyes we were both bitches fighting for our place in the pack. I read that dogs are 98.8% wolf, even yappy little chihuahuas. Ella was a definite she-wolf and my mother (she who opened the tin of dog food every night) was the undisputed alpha female. Ella could handle that fact, but she didn’t want to be the omega female. That was me.
Working out the reasons for Ella’s lack of sisterhood, understanding that her indifference was atavistic and not just casual, didn’t make me any less jealous of my brother, who always took great pleasure in the fact that Ella seemed to prefer him. But I resigned myself to the situation. And then one day (happy ending, anyone?) everything changed. I must have been 16 or 17, we’d been away for a fortnight in France, and when we got back it was me she ran up to first, whining and twisting with pleasure at seeing me again. After that it was like all those years of competition had never happened. We were best friends for ever, or at least for the couple of years she had left. Ella finally loved me.
Lonely and Heartbroken: The Tale of a Dog Left Behind, Unaware of His Owner’s Heartless Departure.
Oscar’s Unwavering Loyalty: From Abandonment to a Loving Family
The previous owner of this property sold it, leaving behind their loyal companion, Oscar, on the street. Oscar, with his heart full of hope, believed that his family would return to their home.
Oscar, a sweet and gentle dog, was heartlessly abandoned when his owner decided to relocate, leaving him behind. For months, he sat patiently at the front door, longing for the return of the family that never came back.
Oscar’s compassionate neighbors took turns feeding him, and he even found comfort in the company of a neighbor’s cat. Despite being well cared for, he remained sad and missed his original family.
Rescuers stepped in to save him after hearing his heart-wrenching story. Despite the abandonment, Oscar’s love and kindness shone through.
Thanks to the intervention of Love Furry Buddies, Oscar found his way to safety. He received essential care at a veterinary clinic, including a bath and treatment for parasites. After a pampering session at a pet-friendly salon, he enjoyed a trip to the beach for some well-deserved photos.
Oscar’s story touched the hearts of a kind family who decided to adopt him without hesitation. Now, Oscar is living the dream, surrounded by a Yorkie and a loving family.
By sharing his story on social media, Oscar’s tale garnered widespread attention, and it’s only a matter of time before more adorable dogs like him find their forever homes.
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