'Poppy' my playmate

It was a couple of years ago when my son moved into his new apartment. My wife Liz and I would spend a few days there on our regular visits. It is a nice quaint place with lots of trees and I would take regular walks in the vicinity of the apartment.

One day, I found a young puppy(female) there and was told by some residents that she was left there by someone and has since remained there. Thankfully, some kind residents used to feed her. I love dogs and made friends with this puppy quickly. Whenever I'm there, I would also feed and play with her and she became very attached to me. The guards at the apartment used to call her 'Poppy' and hence her name. She has since grown into a nice beautiful dog. Whenever the guards go on their rounds in the apartment area, she would accompany them as if it was her duty.

There were a couple of times when a stray dog mated with her and eventually she gave birth to some pups. When the pups were about a couple of months old, some residents took them to the SPCA animal shelter. This left poor 'Poppy' very depressed and she refused to eat anything. I tried to feed her but she just wouldn't eat. One day, I decided to pat and talk to her in a consoling way and it seemed to work as she came close to me and seemed to listen when I was talking. I also tried to cheer her up by playing with her and gaining her confidence. After a few days, she began to eat again and I was happy to bring her out of her depression. I know dogs have feelings too and they need to be loved and reassured.

Whenever I come to see her, even after an absence of a week or two, she would be very happy and run over to greet me. After feeding her, she would play with me and urge me to 'Play Catching'. Seeing her this way really makes my day. I do hope that some kind souls would also give some stray dogs a home if you have the space at home. Dogs need love too.