Two Dogs

TWO DOGS came to visit.  Usually when dogs drop by, they stay a while, grateful for a resting place, some food and water, in fact mostly they don't want to leave.  These two were the exception to the rule.

It was the night after Guy Fawkes, about 7.30pm and I was busy in the laundry.  The laundry was opposite the kitchen door across the back porch.  As I went to cross back to the kitchen door,  I saw to my absolute amazement,  two dogs calmly sitting at the bottom of the two steps of the back porch.  Just sitting there, looking at me.  They didn't appear stressed,  just panting like they had come a great distance. One was a tan smooth coated medium sized dog, the other was smaller, longer coated.  I wondered if they had been scared by the firecrackers the night before and run off, but they were so calm it didn't seem likely.

I got a small bucket and filled it with water and offered it to them.  The tan dog stood back a little and waited until the smaller dog had finished before drinking.  I had no idea what I was going to do with two dogs at 7.30pm at night. Inside my house were two cats and one dog who probably would not appreciate these two staying the night, to say nothing of  DH. 

The two dogs finished their drink and lay down at the bottom of the steps. I gave them both some biscuits, which they ate quickly but calmly.  I sat down on the step to talk to them.  I noticed that the smaller longer coated one was terribly matted.  Big thick wads on its legs and hips.  They seemed to be pulling the skin in places.  I went inside and got a pair of scissors and tentatively  started to cut the mats into thinner strips.  I was very careful, not knowing what the reaction from either dog would be. They just sat quite relaxed while I cut away.  I did this for maybe 1/2 an hour.  The two dogs had been there for about an hour by this time.  I went back inside for a few minutes and when I came back out they were gone.  Just gone......

I went quickly out the front and looked along the street, there was no sign of them.  They had disappeared as silently and mysteriously as they had appeared.

I hope they got to where they were going, and the smaller dog felt more comfortable for the attention from my scissors.......