Translated for Pompom by Anke Terbruggen

I know I was supposed to do my diary yesterday, but things were a bit strange here yesterday, and even more so the day before.

Our main caretakers were here, all together, and they were sitting in the big field, quietly. They all seemed sad. 

The boys behind the fence were a bit stressed and there was something wrong with Big Old Girl. She was different, tired and very sleepy, it seemed.

After a while, she fell asleep, and they carried her away. When they came back, they put her body back in the field, but it wasn’t the same, it wasn’t her anymore.

Now, there is something you should know about us dogs; we do not experience death as you do. We understand life, like all animals, and we accept death. We live now and adapt to the way things are. At first, when one of us dies, we get a bit insecure; you guys act differently and that worries us a bit. So we stay close to you and try to ease things and make you act normally again, so we can feel safe. We don’t like change, but you can make it easier by acting like everything is ok.

So it was really nice that the co-chief, the one that often brings us cool stuff to smell, toys that make us think and smelly things to chew on, took us for a walk!! She really gets us, I think!

The boys are a bit unruly now, I think Big Old Girl kept them under control, but now she’s gone, they seem to think they own the field! Think again guys, even though there’s a fence, I’m still in charge!!! If only I could get in there, I’d sort them out!

So, life back to normal for us, I keep checking what’s happening behind the wall, where the baby-sounds come from. I can see them sometimes, so exciting!! Tiny doesn’t seem to be very interested, I guess she’s seen it all before, I think she had her own babies more than once. Cooler weather means more outside play and sniff time and i’m feeling fitter, so really enjoying myself!