Dakota's Doggie Tale

By Jacquelyn Ingram

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2009 Jacquelyn Ingram
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4490-1327-1

Chapter One

To begin this story I will introduce myself to you. I am Dakota! I was born a full-blooded registered Akita doggie. "Akita," oh, yes, what is an "Akita"????? Well, that is a very good question. Akita is the name of the breed of doggie I am. Akita doggies' history goes back hundreds of years ago from Japan. We're known for being large, powerful, and alert. Akita's are dogs of great strength and substance. Many years ago in Japan we were trained to be fighters with very aggressive natures. The famous blind lady Helen Keller brought the very first breed of Akitas to America, and now there are lots of us around. Hey, don't let me scare you about the aggressive nature because with puppy training we become the most devoted, loyal friends ever!!!!! My doggie tale began when Audra, my master took me home to live with her. She tells me I am the most handsome, fiercest looking doggie on the block. HEE, HEE, you know, I think she is right on the mark with that statement. When Audra and I take our daily walks, I sorta understand why most people react so afraid and move far away from me. Why, full-grown I weigh 114 pounds, and I stand 20 inches off the ground! I have a broad, large body with thick, coarse smoke-gray hair, white trim around my neck, forehead, and legs. I have an incredible set of big teeth, and my feet (HEE HEE!!) are a size 13 (human size)! Wow!!!! I can't lose those big things. You should hear my growl: G-G-G-R-R-R-O-O-O-W-W-L-L-L-L!!!!! I even scare myself!!!!!

I came to live in an adorable apartment home with the most loving and beautiful lady five weeks after my birth. Audra has the blackest raven hair with deep-sea blue eyes. She is only about five feet tall in statue, but very strong and can handle me quite well. So at five weeks our life together began and oh how wonderful it was. I resembled a baby bear cub at first; absolutely adorable if I say so myself.

Audra told me many times how she was so lonely coming home to an empty apartment every night. She said she would pray to God to bring her a friend to help with her loneliness. One of her customers came into the shop where Audra worked for her appointment one morning. She mentioned to Audra that they had six puppies at home, and were ready to sell them. She thought Audra would love having a puppy around and needed a good watch dog. Audra told me later that she was so excited with her friend's idea about getting a puppy. She just couldn't wait that day to see them. She hurried with the rest of her appointments and left work earlier than usual. She was going to check out the puppies. She was so excited!!

That's how I came to live in our lovely home, just Audra and myself. She said I was the most handsome, fiercest-looking little ball of fur she had ever seen and fell in love with me at first glance. A wonderful answer to her prayers!!!! We had a lot of work to do getting to know each other. I would try so-o-o-o hard to be good and not tinkle on her beautiful carpets. Sometimes, she would be so long getting home, I just couldn't help myself. I was just a little runt back then, and could not wait all day long. Audra was always so patient with me. She never lost her temper or fussed, and boy, was I glad! I grew to love her so much, and I knew she loved me just as much.

She came in one evening and said "I have made an important decision for you." The decision was to send me to obedience school???? Yikes!!!!!! What in the world did obedience mean??? I had never been with strangers. Audra kept telling me over and over that evening that I had to be a good boy and do everything the trainer would tell me to do??? Everything they were going to train me to do??? That really sounded serious to me. I just went along with the whole idea by flopping my tail back and forth. I would flop my tail around Audra to reassure her I was happy with whatever she decided. I knew she would never intentionally let anyone hurt me. I just crawled into my big furry bed that night and just talked to my stuffed friends about all this stuff. Audra made sure I had lots of stuffed toys. Anytime she would be very late coming home from work she would always surprise me with a new stuffed toy. She would throw it across the room for me to chase. My doggie bed was full of furry stuffed toys. I was so glad to have them that night, and they were so comforting. They were all the friends I had.

Talking about my toys, I would play throwing them up in the air and catching them during the days while Audra was at work. Sometimes one would land under the couch, and I would spend all day just trying to get my big paw under that couch to get my friend out. I would work so hard it would just wear me out. I loved my toy friends, but they never seemed to talk back to me?! I would get so lonesome having no one to talk to all day long. I remembered Audra telling me about praying for a friend, and look what she got-ME!!! I decided to do that. Yes, Yes, I would pray for a talking friend. Oh yes, yes, yes!!! "Dear God, I'm a good doggie, and please bring me a talking friend to help me with my lonely days!"

One morning Audra did not leave for work as usual?? I was wondering what was wrong? She came down the stairs very excited. "Dakota," she said, "today is the day for you to start your obedience training." "Gee, Dakota is going to obedience school!!!" She was so happy and I just trembled in my big furry paws. The drive there seemed forever, and when we arrived this man came out to greet us. Audra told me his name was Gregg, and that he would be my teacher for the week. He looked OK, and seemed to have a nice scent on him. Doggies go by scents a lot, you know. We smell them to make sure they are OK. Gregg took me and started to the back of the building.

Audra was standing in the lobby just smiling so pretty at both of us. She was always good to me, but right then I just wanted to run away as far as I could. I just could not help myself. At that time I was still just a young doggie. I was so scared!!!! I knew I had to make Audra happy, so I tucked my tail and went into this large room with Gregg. Boy my teeth were chattering.

Gregg started talking to me about what he was going to teach me. He placed the leash around my neck, and something in my mouth that almost choked me. They called it a training leash. He would walk me back and forth and pull on this training leash while walking me, giving me commands. Walk, sit, stop, back and forth, sit stand, walk stop, lay down, get up, back and forth, back and forth and back. Then he would tell me to do it all over again and again. Boy, it was tough! He did give me the most delicious treats when I would do what he told me to do. I survived, and believe me, my tummy was full of wonderful, delicious treats because I did everything he asked me to do!!!! Gregg said I was the most handsomest, fiercest, and NOW obedient doggie that he had ever worked with. Audra was so proud of me. I just pranced around with my ears up and my tail all curled, flopping back and forth like a great Akita would. I was the handsomest, fiercest, obedient doggie on the block!!!!! Tee hee hee. Audra took me for a long walk that night and she bragged on me, it was great!!!! Obedience school wasn't so bad after all.

One morning, the sun shone in our back window and I noticed some pretty flowers blooming outside. I went over to look and discovered something crawling outside our window. I barked really loud and said "Hey, who are you and what are you doing digging in my yard?" "Well, hello to you big boy! Jumping rabbits, you are big and scary! What's your name?" I was so shocked! Something was talking to me! "My name is Dakota, and folks say that I am the handsomest, fiercest, and most obedient doggie on the block!" "Dakota, huh? Well, I am Tia the turtle. I live in the lake. Look, can't you see it right out there?" "Well, yes I see. I never looked out this way much. I usually hang out in the front of the house playing with my toys and waiting for Audra, and of course, protecting our home. Well, so what are you doing there at my window, digging in the dirt?" "Dakota, I am so excited! Today I am laying my eggs under the dirt." "Laying your eggs??" "Yes, Dakota, turtles lay eggs to have babies." "Boy, I never heard of such, Tia. Turtles lay eggs to have babies, huh?? This is the happiest time of my life-you are talking to me! Tia, I am so happy. Thank you for explaining that to me, and thank you for picking my yard to lay your eggs." "Thank you, God, for hearing my prayer and giving me a friend that talks to me. Yippee, yippee, yippee!!!!" "Dakota, are you OK???" "Oh, yes Tia, I'm great. Are there any more of you turtles in the lake?" "Are you kidding? There are bunches of us, not just turtles, but also fish, snails, frogs, and a few other things we don't want to mention, Dakota." "What do you mean, Tia?" "There is one very old, very big, very mean-looking papa turtle that lives there. His name is Bartholomew, but we all call him 'Ole Bart,' He's a monster!!!! We small turtles try to avoid him all the time. He will nip you hard if you get close to him, and eat all the fish when he can. They say he's so old - I mean like 110 years old! He has lost most of his eyesight, and he's always bumping into big rocks and limbs on the bottom of the lake. I guess that makes him ache a lot from all the bruises and bumps on his tender parts. Not being able to see and all is what has made him so mean. Dakota, they say that in his younger days he was the greatest and most powerful turtle on the lake. He could move rocks and logs, bigger than anyone had ever seen! We all just try to stay out of his way. Boy, he got a hold of my toes one day and I thought I had lost them. You know, we are sorta like you, Dakota." "Like me???" "Well, we turtles look tough because of our hard outer shell that's on our backs and wrinkled tough looking skin, but our body parts that are exposed are very tender.

We turtles don't step on each others' toes, ha ha ha!! Boy, I wouldn't want one of those paws you got standing on my toes - ouch, ouch, ouch!! Oh Dakota, you seem to be enjoying this conversation so much you aren't even insulted with what I said about your big paws. Such a good sport! To look at you would scare anyone to death, you are so-o-o-o-o big-! I was just teasing about your big paws, ha ha ha."

"Gee, Dakota, have you ever swum in our lake? It's so lovely, very small, but just perfect for me and my family and friends. I wasn't made to be a big turtle. I lay my eggs here near the lake so the babies don't have very far to crawl to get into the water. Once they hatch, the birds eat them. I always lay them close to the bank of the lake for safety's sake. Did you know that??" "Know what??""

"That birds like baby turtles for lunch?" "No, you don't mean it?!" "Oh, yes, they will eat my babies. Tuck and I just love to have babies." "Tuck, who is Tuck?" "He is my husband. You will have to meet him some day. Well, I have talked your ears off, and I need to get back to the lake to start building our home for the little ones when they arrive. Bye, Dakota, I'll see you in a couple days." "Bye, Tia, Please come back, I will guard your nest, Tia. I'll watch it every day."

Several days went by, and then one sunny morning I saw Tia making her way to the window. "Tia, Tia, hello!" "Gee, Dakota, did you see me coming?" "Oh yes, Tia, I have looked for you every day. I'm so glad to see you again!" "You know, Dakota, the last time I talked your ears off. All the talking was about me. Let's talk about you." "About me?" "Yes, Dakota. So, what do you do?" "What do I do? What do you mean?" "Do you have a family? What do you do all day in that apartment?" "Well, I'm not sure about family, but I have Audra, my master. She is so beautiful and loves me so much. Sometimes when she comes home and she's not too tired, we will sit in the living room together.

She props her feet up on the couch and I just lay beside her. She will rub my head and tickle my ears. Hee, hee, hee. It tickles so much and feels so good. She'll get my favorite toy and throw it for me to get. I run through the house catching my toys till I'm exhausted, and then lay down beside of her and fall asleep. I guess she's all the family I have, but that's OK. I love my home and Audra, but I do get lonely when she is at work. I sure am glad I met you, Tia. I don't think you talked my ears off before. I can still feel them on my head, so I guess you can just keep on talking some more." "Oh Dakota, you're so funny. Tell me more about you, OK." "Yes, I have lots of toys, Tia. I wish I could get through that glass and play 'let's throw the toy in the air.' It's so much fun. I can catch them in my mouth, but that would be sorta hard for you probably with that tiny mouth. I do take a lot of naps throughout the day." "Gee, Dakota, that sounds a little boring to me." "Boring to you, huh?! Well, I never thought of it as boring. I love it, and I am the most handsomest, fiercest, obedient doggie on the block! I'm a good watchdog, and I protect our home, so that keeps me very busy. Oh yeah, I get to take my morning and afternoon walks. These are great, and I get to stretch my legs. Do turtles ever sleep living in a lake?" Oh, sure we do. Early in the day when the warm sun is out we'll climb up on a rock or a log and just sunbathe in the warmth of the sun and snooze awhile. Sometimes you can see the entire family lined up side-by-side basking in the sunshine - our own personal sauna bath! Yep!! I love our lake. I'm really glad I met a new friend like you Dakota. You have got to come for a dip in our lake. You just gotta get Audra to bring you around on one of your afternoon walks and take a dip." "Oh, gosh Tia, that sounds wonderful - take a dip! I am so excited I can't wait to tell Audra. Even though we don't talk the same language she always seems to understands what I'm trying to tell her. I have got to figure out how to tell her that I want to go to the lake and take a dip. We walk a lot, but not usually right around the lake. I will have to try to change the direction with her somehow.

I will start on that project tonight. Maybe I can tug her in that direction? Usually, if she's not tired we can try different ways and take a longer walk. I love my walks, and they are so good for me. You know we doggies have to get our exercise to stay so handsome and stay in shape. Tee hee hee. I will try to tug and tug and maybe we can end up at the lake? Let's pray she will go that way." "Pray, oh, Dakota, do you pray?" "Oh yes, I learned from Audra. I see her praying every night. I thought if someone as wonderful as she prays, then I need to do that , too. Tia, it works!!!!" "Oh, I know it does. Tuck and I pray for my babies all the time, Dakota. I pray that Ole Bart won't eat them up. They're so tiny swimming around in the water, and he can just scoop up a bunch of them all at once. I know the poor fellow needs food, but not my babies! I pray every day to God they will be safe and live long, healthy turtle lives." "Oh, me too Tia, me too. Oh goody, I'm going to get to go to the lake and take a dip. They say swimming comes natural to most dogs. I can't wait for Audra to come home tonight!" "Oh, thank you, thank you God for Tia." "Tia, I want to do something for you. I will lay here every day and protect your eggs." "Oh yes, and how do you plan to do that through that big glass door?" "Well," scratching his head, then he remembered "Tia, listen to this: G-R-O-W-LLLL!!!!!" "Oh my goodness, Dakota, now I see what you mean, oh my goodness, I have got to get back to the lake, that is if I can find it. That growl has my head spinning it was so loud!!!! Talk more later. Bye, Dakota." "Bye, Tia."

Weeks went by, and no Tia in sight. I was so hoping to see her again to talk to her. Then one day I heard someone saying "Hey Dakota, Dakota, where are you???" I ran to the back window, and to my surprise it was a turtle, but not Tia - one just a bit larger than she was. "Who are you???" "Well great jumping rabbits are you big!!!! You must be Dakota. I'm Tuck, Tia's husband." "Oh yes, she told me she had a husband. Hello, Tuck. Is Tia OK?" "The babies were born - all 26 of them! She is ecstatic!!!! She stays in the water making them a safe and warm home to keep them out of Ole Bart's mouth. She made me promise I would come over and give you the good news." "Oh boy, the babies are born, all 26? Wow, that's a lot of babies to take care of, isn't it?! Gee Tuck, that's great news!!! Congratulations Pop!!!! Yeah, I have missed Tia so much, and our talks." "Well, she wanted to get back to see you, but she has been so busy. You know, she told you about old Bart, mean ole soul. We have to make sure the babies stay on the safe side of the lake while they're so tiny and learning their way around. So she has to stay with them at all times, and I patrol the lake all day. We stay very busy with our new family." "26?? Wow! You turtles have a lot of babies, don't ya?" "Well, believe it or not, 26 is a small number." "You're kidding!" "No, those large turtles have been known to have over a hundred at one time." "Oh Dakota, you're so funny. Don't you want doggies???" "I don't think I can have any, Tuck." "What do you mean?" "Well, Audra tried as best as she could one day to explain it all to me. It was after she took me to see the doctor. He put me to sleep and did some kind of surgery on me. When I got back home, I was feeling pretty rough for several days. Audra tried to explain to me that I would never have puppies. I really did not understand it all. She had tears in her eyes when she told me. She said it was a decision that was hard for her to make, but she felt it was best for both of us. Tuck, I can still enjoy yours." "Sure you can, Dakota. We have more than enough to share. Hey, Tia said you were supposed to come to the lake and take a dip? What happened; we have not seen you yet??!!" "I know, Tuck, I keep praying I can get Audra to go in that direction one of these afternoons." "Yeah, Dakota, you have to get to the lake soon to check out Tia with her babies. They're so cute, but they grow pretty fast! Definitely come before cold weather sets in."

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Dakota's Doggie Taleby Jacquelyn Ingram Copyright © 2009 by Jacquelyn Ingram. Excerpted by permission.
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