Sixty One

‘There we go young man. All done’.
‘Is that it?’
‘Yep. He’s all chipped and ready to travel. Aren’t you George?’
‘Gosh that was very quick and easy. Are you OK George?’
I suppose so Pips.
‘Is there anything else I can do for you today?’
‘No I don’t think so. I just need to arrange his passport and then we’ll be off somewhere!’
‘Good. Well it was nice to see you again George’.
‘Actually there is something I’d like to…… I know I’m probably being a bit paranoid but….. I’m a little worried him actually’.
‘About George?’
‘He hasn’t been himself this past week’.
‘In what way? Have you had behavioural problems?’
‘No. Well… yes, in a way/’
‘He’s been beautifully behaved this afternoon’.
‘But that’s why I’m worried. He’s been too well-behaved. It just isn’t like George to be so amenable. You probably think he’s always this placid – especially after the last time I brought him in here too – but/’
‘Last time he was unconscious’.
‘Yes I know. So you weren’t really seeing the real George. Not that that matters because he recovered fully but this past week he’s been so good – which is good but…. it’s not like him. He’s been quiet ….. subdued almost. He seems to have lost a bit of his enthusiasm…. and normally George has so much enthusiasm. Too much in fact.
‘OK well he looks fine to me but let’s have a look at you George. He’s still a young dog so in good physical shape….. and his eyes are bright. Did you say you got him from Battersea?’
‘Yes’.
‘From my experience Battersea dogs are usually plucky little characters’.
‘But he’s not wagging his tail. See?’
‘Not many dogs do wag their tails when they come in here. It’s the effect I have on them! Is he off his food?’
‘No, not really. He wouldn’t eat some chocolate the other night which is unlike him but no, he’s eating. A bit slowly perhaps….’
‘Let’s just put him on the scales and weigh him quickly. Hup!............ There we go. So let’s see…………. Fifteen and a half pounds. That’s a very average weight. OK let’s put you back on the table again now’.
I don’t really like being picked up by the way if I can just say/
‘Hup!........ There we are. He’s still enjoying his walks is he?’
‘Yes. Although now you mention it he’s been a bit difficult about where we go. He has suddenly taken an aversion to going right when we come out of the front door but he’s fine about going left’.
‘So he’s not been too perfectly behaved then?’
‘But almost. I didn’t think I would get him here today because whenever I’ve mentioned him being chipped he’s gone berserk. The last time he ran off so I just can’t believe this level of co-operation!’
‘Uh huh. But there hasn’t been anything else unusual about his behaviour – I mean apart from his being uncharacteristically good?’
‘No. Not really, no. Oh! He did go missing at work this week - well there’s nothing unusual in that - but I thought he was in reception which is where he usually hangs out when he’s not with me, and Nadine, our receptionist, thought he was upstairs with me. It was only when we came to go home that we realised George wasn’t where we all thought he was. I panicked because I thought he’d maybe run out into the street when nobody was looking but Mahinder, one of our IT guys, eventually found him in the stationery cupboard. Which isn’t all that unusual either because I mean he’s always finding new hiding places, but he hadn’t trashed it or anything. Normally he gets so busy and involved with whatever he finds that he leaves a trail of mess behind him but there was no mess at all. He was just sleeping - on a pile of post-it notes and A4 dividers’.
‘Right’.
‘I know it probably doesn’t seem much to you but….’
‘Well no, changes in behaviour can be worrying but I suggest – given that he’s eating and going for walks as normal, albeit that he only wants to walk to the left outside your house and not right, and there’s no obvious physical reason for his emotional change – that you give it a couple of weeks and if he’s still the same and you’re still worried about him, then bring him in again and we’ll do some tests. Maybe he’s growing up and calming down a little. Or maybe he just needs a holiday’.
‘OK. I just felt I wanted to mention it’.
‘Absolutely. No problem’.
‘Well thanks. Come on George’.
‘Just settle up with the receptionist on the way out. Goodbye George’.
‘You know it’s just ironic because normally I’m telling him off every two seconds because he’s up to no good and he stresses me out because I never know what he’s going to take issue with next/’
‘He is a Jack Russell after all’.
‘Yes, but now that he’s not being his usual difficult self, which has caused endless problems at work and home and with practically everyone I know wherever I go, the point is that…. I’m…I’m missing him’.
‘My advice would be to take advantage of the favourable attitude while the going is good. My bet is it won’t last long’.