Brunch with the Small Dog

Posted bySue VincentPosted inDogs, Humour, photography, PoetryTags:, , ,

Me and the dog had a sandwich for brunch

(Well, for me it was breakfast, for her it was lunch.)

She follows me into the kitchen like glue

Just in case I might rustle up something to chew.

You don’t eat alone with a small dog in tow

And if you forget she will whine so you know

That she’s starving to death, hasn’t eaten in weeks…

Just so you’ll believe her she’ll suck in her cheeks

And manages somehow to look so pathetic,

With puppy-dog eyes that are purely cosmetic,

That there’s no way you’re eating that sandwich alone

Not unless in your breast beats a heart made of stone.

Now that’s bad enough but there’s worse on the menu

The kitchen, of course, is a wonderful venue

For practising how to look thin and appealing

While keeping an eye out for something worth stealing.

She sits there observing me, testing my mettle

And licking her lips as I’m boiling the kettle

In dutiful mode I obey and I pour,

Put the small bowl of milk on her mat by the door,

She yawns and walks over and takes up position

And just to be cheeky looks up for permission

While keeping an eye out for possible plunder.

Just who is in charge here? I know you must wonder.

The answer is easy, when life seems a muddle

She’s there with her head on your knee for a cuddle

And giving her love as the heart’s true physician

While serving as some kind of weird dietician,

For when chips are down and you’re feeling quite blue…

The small dog will happily eat the chips too.

From Laughter Lines: Life at the Tail End

Published by Sue Vincent

Sue Vincent is a Yorkshire-born writer and one of the Directors of The Silent Eye, a modern Mystery School. She writes alone and with Stuart France, exploring ancient myths, the mysterious landscape of Albion and the inner journey of the soul. Find out more at France and Vincent. She is owned by a small dog who also blogs. Follow her at scvincent.com and on Twitter @SCVincent. Find her books on Goodreads and follow her on Amazon worldwide to find out about new releases and offers. Email: findme@scvincent.com.

84 thoughts on “Brunch with the Small Dog”

  5. You know, Duke pulls that same thing. He’s so hungry, he can barely stand on his own legs which are shaking from starvation. And the funny thing is that this week, we’ve been feeding him kibble with actual cooked minced meat. It was a bit too freezer burned for us, but there was quite a bit of it, so I cooked it up for El Duque and he has been eating very well indeed. I actually think he is less hungry, probably because the meat is all meat — not grain, no filler, no preservatives. Just chopped beef, it’s own fat, and a tiny bit of salt. I think it’s part of the DNA of all our beloved pets to feel that whatever we are eating, it’s got to be better than what they are eating. Generally speaking, they have a point.

    Except he’s also taken over the bed, planting himself in the middle of it so he’s actually pushing Garry out of the bed with his back and pushing me out with his legs. When I suggest he move over, he sighs deeply, gives me that LOOK, rolls those big eyes, He then moves over and refuses to talk to me for minutes. Unless I have something edible — in which case ALL is forgiven immediately.

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    1. Oh they have us so well trained. Stuart is constantly at Ani’s beck and call when he is here… I always am… and the food thing, I think, is just to establish that and make sure they are loved to the top of the food chain and back.

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  9. She just knows how much you love to have company while you’re eating! And once she’s there, of course she has to join you, right? It would be rude not to, right? 😁❤️

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  15. A perfect poem. The dogs can be anywhere but as soon as I´m in the kitchen they are right beside me. Heaven help something falls on the floor and they aren´t there to eat it up! They know I´m good for a snack or two. xo

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  21. It’s impressive how the stylized look of starvation comes across so poignantly. I have friends whose cats I took care of while they (my friends) were away. When they returned, their cats communicated emphatically about my never feeding them and don’t they need a lot of food right now.

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  22. I truly loved the four footers I had with my little family.
    The last one I had is now a warm memory.
    She helped even out the score of gals and guys
    She was a priceless trouper in my eyes.
    ❤🐶

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  25. Dear Small Dog; It’s me, Curly. I know, I know, I’m not really a dog, but Kid, the fictional character who runs the Saddle Up Saloon and who shovels shift at Carrot Ranch, adopted me thinking I was a puglet, not a piglet, and now we’re stuck with each other. Hey, we get fed, right? You have sure got Sue trained! It reminded me of something you might be interested in. At the last Saddle Up, I overheard them thinking about future episodes. Here’s what I heard:

    “Hey, Pal, how about a pet show? Mebbe stupid human tricks. We kin ask folks ta send us a picture a somethin’ their pet has trained ‘em ta do. Like Charli Mills now snuggle-naps on Mause’s command.”
    https://carrotranch.com/2021/01/25/saddle-up-saloon-quizzical-trivia/

    I’m sure to be featured because I’ve got Kid having me eating out of his hand. Who’s training whom?
    Anyone is welcome to send a photo and brief caption or haibun of their pet controlling them to shiftnshake@dslayton.com if they want to be featured in a future Stupid Human Tricks Pet Show at the Saddle Up Saloon.

    You’ve trained your human well, Ani. And you sure picked a good one, you lucky dog. Hope to see you at the Saloon. All are welcome there, even four -leggeds.

    Curly, pet piglet of Kid, c/o Saddle Up Saloon, c/o Carrot Ranch

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    1. Hi Curly, I will have to see what evidence I can rustle up. I have my two-legses…even the visiting one who looks after mine… well under control here. They don’t always realise who is in charge… which is a good thing, as long as they do my bidding 😉

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  27. Hi Sue, So you’ve met my small dog, Puppy Girl? The sound of the refrigerator door brings her running from any room in the house sucking in her cheeks and bulging out her pretty eyes to get a morsel of whatever I’m having. She’s even been known to eat broccoli, but she draws the line at lettuce. 🙂

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      1. Be glad she’s not a cat! My cats used to share their findings even if they’d eaten part of it. Even better if we could watch them enjoy their catch! 🙂

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            4. I laugh out loud – literally with each comment thread of this story, Sue. I’m terribly sorry it happened to you, but what a story!!!!! 🙂

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            6. Poor, Sue! That’s pretty funny, too. I’m going to give my cats a giant lecture about what they can and cannot bring into the house! They’ve only become houses cats during this move – so since November 17.

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