I came to live here when I was 8 weeks old. I am a Blenheim Cavalier. Mum and Dad came to collect me, I was so excited, I kept licking Mum's face and then Dad's face. What new adventures awaited me! Yippee, a new bed, toys, balls, squeaky toys, new smells. Hang on a moment, what was that smell, is it chicken, yes, its chicken and its for me! This is the life, time for a nap now, and try out this new bed, its nice and comfy.
I get lots of attention here which is nice, I am the new guy on the block, up on the settee and bark at the postman, I will show them I am in charge, I will defend my new family. Run to the door, its Mum's son, Brett, he will become my friend over the next few weeks and train me to do tricks. He rode a scooter and I fitted in his crash helmet. Mum has to work and leaves me sometimes I do not like that so I sulk. It would be nice to have another Cavalier here too, to have fun with. One day she takes me with her to work in the car! I can only go on not sunny days. Shame I love the sun, it comes in the lounge in the morning and in the kitchen at night.
I am getting bigger now, it's all that chicken and rice I get fed, and I love it! Plus biscuits too, this is doggy heaven. Mum and Dad are having tea one night, I am now 17 weeks old and I am waiting for them to drop a chip or maybe some meat my way when I feel funny, I fall on the floor, no control over this at all, make a funny noise and then remember nothing till I hear Mum saying its ok now and giving me lots of kisses. I am very tired and want to go to sleep.
Mum took me to the vet the following day and had me checked over, that was not nice, and I had an injection, ooh and my temperature taken, indignity. Then the vet listened to my heart and told my Mum I had a murmur eh, what's that! I would need tablets for the rest of my life he said. Oh yeah, I do not take medication, its nasty! Mum was upset I could tell and I tried to tell her I was feeling ok really, no worries. Heart trouble, that's for old dogs, I was a young whippersnapper! Watch me run and play!
We had fun with those tablets, I kept them in my mouth for ages, and Mum discovered I was spitting them out, so the game was up. I had won; I never took another one again. Funny, I now got ham slices before my tea? No worries! I heard Mum and Dad say one day, perhaps Henry would like another Cavalier to keep him company while we are out at work. You bet, bring them on, I had a friend called Sweep who was a Cavalier who I walked with sometimes. It would be great, I get lonely sometimes, Cavaliers come in four colours, and can I have three please? I really don't mind sharing, well except for my food and golf balls, but we could have fun running together.
What's this? Off to my Grandma Coopers, something is going on, Mum and Dad have left me. When are they coming back? It's been two hours now, I know the time! It's nearly teatime and I will starve if they don't get back soon! I hear the car, it's them! Hooray, I dash out of the door and what's this? It's a pal, he is a bit skinny, but we will soon fatten him up! Pooh, he smells funny, I shall have to sort him out, give him a bath and make him smell like me! It's my mate, Albert, well we have to have Royal names, Mum says because we are Cavaliers named after King Charles who loved all our ancestors in the past. Boring! Come on Albert, let's play, I am first with the golf balls! There is chicken for tea!
Oh good grief, Albert wants to sleep on my head, cannot he sleep on his own? Still he is only a pup, so I will put up with it for a while. Ten years later, he still insists on doing it, no worries! Albert and I became really good pals, we fought, good-naturedly, I always won! We ran and played together with our Mum and Dad. Never put in kennels. We went on holiday every year at the seaside in Northumbria, which has lots of lovely beaches for us to play in, and lots of rock pools too to investigate in the hope of a crab snack or two. Loved holidays in the country too, but I am partial to a lamb chop, so Mum never trusted me off lead. Shame I would have had a go if she had let me.
Funny where time goes, I get very tired now on walks and Mum sometimes has to carry me home, I get out of breath easily and cough a lot. One day, Mum called me for my tea and I was so tired, I could not find the strength to go. Mum came and fetched me and put the bowl under my chin. I did not eat. I looked into her eyes and told her it was time for me to go to Rainbow Bridge. Mum began to cry, I knew she was sad but it was time to go. Mum took me to the vet. I had an x-ray and he told Mum & Dad I had a tumour on my liver. This together with my MVD meant I would not survive an operation. They took me home and all my family came and gave me kisses and told me how much I was loved. Mum and Dad both held me as I went to Rainbow Bridge, Henry Cooper (not a Boxer) but an adored Cavalier.