Anna's Arrival

Like the lull between present pack of Joe, Snoopy, Tuffy and Trixie - Anna only arrived at Dog Woods about a year and a half later. She was the only adult dog that came to stay at Dog Woods. We were told she was about two years old - but without proper documentation you can never tell for sure. But she was possibly the sleekest looking dog i've seen - dark and elegant. What struck me most what how sharp she looked - from the shape of her nose to her pointedly cropped ears.

Naturally, she was of unsure of herself when she first arrived. But after taking her for a walk about Dog Woods she soon relaxed - sniffing out her new home and leaving her own scent - a ritual, I believe for dogs (whether male or female0 in making the area theirs.

The bassets - Snoopy and Tuffy took to her almost instantly. Tuffy was the more curious of the two. Being male he simply had to make sure that the new dog would not be a potential threat to his already precarious underdog status (Joe was alpha male then and would occassional give Tuffy a hard time). Little did we nor Tuffy know then that Anna would be instrumental to his rise to TOP DOG of Dog Woods.

Joe and Trixie being the bigger and rougher of the then Dog Woods pack were gradually introduced to Anna. Joe would the bully of an Alpha Dog then was constantly surprised by Anna's tenacity. She would not have him shoving her about and being slimmer and longer than Joe was she had an advantage of nipping him in spots where he couldn't get back - like holding on to his forehead while he snapped into the air. For once, I worried about Joe than for the new comer!

There were some initial posturing when it come to introducing Anna to Trixie but Anna being the newcomer smartly realised that it would be wise to tow the line. And towed the line she did until she become a mother to Tuffy's puppies. Now that the puppies are grown, they - the remaining four automatically form Anna's pack which possibly explains the fights between Trixie and Anna.

Two perceived alpha females trying to usurp each other for TOP DOG (female category) spot. Truth be told the real alpha female is actually Snoopy. Being being a basset she prefers to sit back and relax rather than competitively gallop about chasing down all manner of bugs, creatures and strangers. Although she may be a basset of few barks but when she does, every pup, Joe, Anna and Trixie included obliges!

Anna's pregnancy was really an accident. Since all the female dogs had been fixed, Anna's going into heat a couple months after she arrived went on undetected until of course Tuffy started baying and was constatly at her heel since she never really allowed him to catch up with her! We thought then that he was merely 'infatuated' ... all a passing phase. Looking beyond all his noisy wailings, we thought that it was a good thing he was finally getting himself some serious exercise. We were right about the love sick passing phase - just we hadn't planned on the puppy part.

It was a month later - noticing Anna's increasing girth and appetite that we begun to suspect. Was she or was she not pregnant? If she was who can the father be? (Not Joe, he's fixed too!) - we didn't think Tuffy was capable of the job - being much shorter and slower than she was. It was only after the good vet's visit (Joe's best friend other than us) that confirmed that Anna is indeed pregnant and she was due soon judging by her size - which made us panick a little. I for one had no clue about whelping puppies. Although once upon a time ago, my dog did have puppies but I was but a child then.

But the puppies arrived one moon-less Saturday night. All nine of 'em. And Anna was the best mommy ever who fed, cleaned and didn't leave their side (except for when she need to do her business) until they were waddling chubby 3 weeks old.

So that was how Anna came to stay - which made the pack of five and along came the Furkids and for a while there were fourteen canines tearing about Dog Woods. But five have since found loving homes of their own and we decided to keep the four - which makes up the present Dog WOods Pack of nine.