MY DOG ……. A SURPRISE FOR ME
OR
HOW I FINALLY GOT HIM!

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PAGE THIRTEEN:
CASANOVA/PUPPY …….

THE CHRISTMAS GIFT

Casanova/Puppy is now Ten Years Old

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My dog does not seem to like toys.  When one is presented to him, he will look at it and then ignore it and walk away.  Occasionally, he might deign to sniff at it, but will quickly lose interest and wander off. However, this does seem to have always been the case.

I am told that when Casanova/Puppy was a puppy, he enjoyed playing with a number of stuffed toys.  Apparently, he would jump in the air to catch one when it was tossed his way and would even retrieve and bring it back to the thrower once he had given it a good shakin’!

Jerry Lee Lewis (1935) – Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On

There was one particular stuffed toy that was his favourite. This toy was a long stringy monkey! I am told that he would play with it for ages without growing tired.

The Monkey – A Once-Favoured Toy

The Monkey – Now Totally Ignored

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When he moved here with me, I was given a box of soft toys that I was told, he loved including The Monkey!  I remember tossing various assorted dolls around the room for his pleasure, only to have him look at me without moving. In addition, I have tried to interest him in a couple of short ropes that were in the box, which he would once merrily grab between his jaws and try to release them from human grip.

Puppy with once treasured possessions

The odd thing was that I had seen him chase the Dolls and tug on these same ropes with great glee at his old home. However now that he lives with me, all interest in these accoutrements for once happy living seems to have been lost or left at his old home and now generate barely a glance!

Ropes that once had to be tugged at

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I remember being advised by a Dog Lover that for Casanova/Puppy’s first Christmas living with me, I should buy him a present. It was suggested that a new doll would be a good idea and might generate some interest in him. And so, I purchased a small Leprechaun Doll. Silly me even wrapped it for him! When he was presented with the little package, he sniffed at it and then walked away and promptly collapsed on the floor and appeared to doze off! After I unwrapped the gift and held it close to his nose, he turned away and totally ignored his present!

Mr. Leprechaun

After multiple failed attempts to interest him in the Doll over the Christmas Season, I gave up and placed it in one of the corners of his couch. The gift continued to produce not the slightest response from him.  He did not even sniff it!  In fact, his main interaction with it was to either sit on it or else fling it on the floor when he was miffed over something!

Casanova/Puppy seated on his couch with Mr. Leprechaun in the corner

Periodically I continued to try to interest him in the Doll, but each time I did by throwing it for him to catch and play with, it is me that has to retrieve it and return it to the couch! Eventually, I gave up trying and placed the Doll on a chair along with other Dolls given to me. (I can not understand why I have been given these Dolls!).

Mr. Leprechaun & Friends seated in my Father’s Rocking Chair

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THE SECOND CHRISTMAS

A MORE PRACTICAL PRESENT

For Casanova/Puppy’s second Christmas with me, a friend brought him a large ham bone with some meat still on it.  Behaving like a first-time-father, I was concerned and thought that the bone might be too big for him to grabble with, but I was assured that he would devour it with ease.

Immediately he received the gift, he grabbed it in his mouth, and after making certain that he had a secure hold on it, ran off with it to an empty area of the lawn.  Here, he began biting into it and chewing the meat once he had stripped it from the bone.

Enjoying his Bone

While chewing away at the bone, it was obvious that he was having a grand time and thoroughly enjoying himself. And so, it was made clear to me that this was the type of present that Casanova/Nova preferred! This was a lesson for me and one which would help me when thinking about future gifts for him!

But just when one thinks something is the case, something can happen to cause confusion and causes one to revive one’s thinking!

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THE EASTER GIFT

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When I was a child in London, on each Easter Sunday I was given a chocolate Easter Egg contained in a highly coloured box often tied with a bow.  The Egg was wrapped in brightly decorated aluminum foil and contained a number of individual chocolate pieces with centres of either Toffee or some fruit-flavoured Sweetmeat.

Easter Eggs

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Of course, without doubt, the most fabulous Easter Eggs ever produced were the approximately sixty-nine bejeweled objets d’art made for the Russian Imperial Family (The House of Romanov; 1613-1917) between 1885 and 1917 by The House of Fabergé in Saint Petersburg under the direction of Peter Carl Fabergé (1846-1920).

Fabergé Eggs

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Certainly a little less fabulous, but special favourites of mine are the small Cadbury Creme Egg. Prior to 1971, these Eggs were known as Fry’s Creme Eggs. These delicious Eggs are produced by Cadbury in the U.K. and by The Hershey Company in the U.S.

Cadbury Creme Eggs

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An Easter Egg Hunt

When I moved to the U.S., I discovered that parents often organise Easter Egg Hunts. Here Easter Eggs are hidden in a garden and children search for them. In addition, many parents give their children Easter Baskets.

Easter Baskets

I don’t remember seeing or even hearing of them before. These are very common gifts not only for children, but also for loved ones here. The Baskets are of variable size and are filled with Easter Eggs, tiny through to large along with chocolate Bunnies and often including a soft stuffed toy in the form of a Teddy Bear or Rabbit.

Chocolate Bunnies

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This past Easter, a friend of mine gave me an Easter Basket, which was very kind of her.  Amidst the chocolate Bunny and tiny wrapped Easter Eggs was a pink Teddy Bear!  I was surprised by the Bear being in the basket. When I asked my friend about it, she informed me that it was a gift for Casanova/Puppy. I told her that he no longer played with toys, but she said that I should give it to him and see what happens. Well I gave it to him and, to my surprise, he played with it and seemed to have a good time.

The Pink Teddy Bear

Casanova/Puppy has always liked my friend and always runs towards her when she visits wagging his tail madly. I can only assume that he plays with the Pink Bear since it was her gift to him.  Evidently, my gifts are not to his taste! Could I be a little jealous?

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