New dog, old tricks!
I’d lost my beloved pooch, but he was keen to train his replacement...
Mum was sitting on the sofa, a furry grey face gazing up at her from her lap. ‘His eyes are like chocolate buttons,’ she said soppily, nuzzling my Lakeland/Border Terrier cross, Buster’s ears.
Mum had never been a dog person, but as soon as we’d got Buster in 2007 they’d clicked.
Mum suffered a lot with aches and pains from arthritis and Buster would sit by her on the sofa sensing she wasn’t feeling good.
It wasn’t just Mum Buster looked out for. When my son, Joe, had trouble sleeping, Buster would lie on his bed until he drifted off, even snuggling up under the duvet.
When Buster passed away in early 2019 we were all heartbroken. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever love a dog as much as Buster,’ Mum said.
It didn’t feel right to replace Buster straight away, but we missed having a dog and, in July 2019, my elder son, Dan, found Bob, a border terrier miniature poodle cross at a breeders.
When we introduced Bob to Mum he seemed so excited, jumping all over her as she sat in her chair and licking her face. ‘We’re going to get along fine,’ she laughed. It was like they already had a connection. I couldn’t help but notice other similarities with Buster too. Like how Bob
would often head for Buster’s old spot under Joe’s duvet or constantly sniff around the old tea chest where Buster used to hide his toys.
We have a little boat and Buster used to love going out on it, his ears flapping back in the wind. At first Bob seemed nervous when we took him on board, but as soon as we tied him to Buster’s old spot his tail started to wag.
As Mum became less mobile Bob would sit by her chair when she visited and, when she moved into a nursing home at the beginning of 2020, he’d leap onto her bed and nuzzle her when we visited.
Sadly, Mum passed away in May last year. Then that August I had a reading with a medium named Erene.
Although I didn’t mention that it was my dad’s birthday she immediately said she could see cake and balloons – and my Mum and Dad together in Spirit.
‘I can see a scruffy little dog with them too,’ she said. Buster!
I was delighted Mum and Buster had found one another again, but then I’d always sensed he was still around. In fact, I reckon he’s been teaching Bob a few of his old tricks from Heaven!