Oreo the Border Collie

Dot: Hello, everybody

Dino: Hello, (munch, munch) everybody.

Dot: Dino, don't eat with your mouth full.

Dino: (Gulp). My mouth is not full anymore.

Dot: We received a very fun letter from a young dog, about seven months old, by the name of Oreo. He said he is a Border Collie. He sounds like a nice young pup, but he was describing a situation that he is having a difficult time with and he is hoping we could help him out somehow.

Dino: OK, lets read the letter.

Dot: Actually, we have Oreo via email on our screen. After we read the letter out loud, Jackie is going to type in our comments and questions to Oreo and Oreo will respond.

Dino: How can he respond? Dogs don't type.

Dot: Listen to the letter and you will find that out.

Oreo:
"Dear Dot and Dino,

I was glad to come across your blog recently while on my computer. First, I'm sure you are saying, "What, a dog doesn't know how to type." Well, I don't type. My mom and dad set up the computer so that I can just touch my paw on the screen and move around that way and put in messages. "

Dino: Wow! That sound really cool. I wonder if Jackie could set that up for me like that.

Dot: No way! You would be ordering take out while she was gone.

Dino: So, why not?

Dot: Let's get back to Oreo's story

Dino: OK

Oreo:
"That is why I am writing to you. My mom and dad are gone so long, all day, and often times over night. Sometimes they have a nice lady who comes in and takes me out to the park down the street, but then she leaves and I am alone again until they come home later that night. Sometimes I am home by myself for up to 10 to 15 hours everyday. I have a nice house, great food and a nice yard. But I am so bored! They set up this computer for me so I can do some things on the computer, but sometimes I find myself just sitting there staring at the screen. I have entertained myself by moving the furniture around inside the house and outside, and then I put it all back so that mom and dad won't be able to tell. I am really good at that. I actually have done that several times in a day, just so I won't go nuts here. Do you have any ideas?" (end of letter)

Dot: That is very sad. I wonder if they even know you are having a problem with this. If you are really that good about putting the furniture back exactly where it belongs, you may be right, they may not even know this is occurring.

Dino: Maybe he is too good. Maybe he should not put the furniture back correctly, and then they will notice. That might let them know that something has been going on when they are gone. If you can, leave them a note somehow on the computer that you are bored and want to do some other things during the day.

Oreo via Instant Messenger: I thought about doing that, but I keep getting afraid. I don't want them to get mad. I know they work so hard and give me a lot of good things. I don't want to disappoint them.

Dino: Hey, Dot, why don't we right a note to his mom and dad? Maybe they will listen to "an authority."

Dot: Dino, that is a brilliant idea. I wish I had thought of that.

Dino: But you didn't!

Dot: Maybe we can write the letter together. Oreo, do you know their email address, and we can send them a note and explain that you contacted us for advice? We won't say that you asked us to contact them, so you won't get into trouble.

Dino: Maybe we can say you asked us about something totally different, and not about being bored. We can say that you just happen to mention that you spent a lot of time alone and that we are writing to them to give them suggestions about getting you more things to do.

Oreo: That is brilliant!

Dino: Yeah, that was brilliant, wasn't it. It was all my idea.

Dot: Jeesh! Dino, your head is getting bigger and bigger as I sit here looking at you!

Dot: Ok, Oreo, why don't you send us their email address and we will craft a letter to them with suggestions like:

1. Taking you to a doggie daycare a couple of times a week so you can play with other dogs.

2. Maybe there is a friend's house who has another dog that you can go over to and play with. Maybe the lady who walks you can drop you off there and mom and dad can pick you up when they come home.

Oreo: Yeah, Yeah, there is a really cute Labrador who lives with somebody mom and dad know that I see sometimes. I would love to go there.

Dot: What is her name? I can include it.

Oreo: Her name is Buffy.

Dot: Buffy, got it. We will put her name in there.

3. Maybe they can come home early or go in late some days and take you out to the park for a couple of hours.

Oreo: Well, I know dad like to go to a gym in the mornings. He leaves really early to go there.

Dot: OK, maybe he can take you out instead and take you running or ride a bick with you instead of going to the gym. Would you like that?

Oreo: OH! That sounds like a lot of fun. What is a bike?

Dot: A bike is a type of machine that a human rides with two big wheels and then the dog runs alongside it.

Oreo: Oh, I think I have seen those. I thought those were just for me to bark at.

Dot: No, but I know what you mean. I used to do that too until Jackie taught me not to. Now, I don't care anymore. There are a lot more funs things to do. I barely notice them anymore.

Oreo: Wow! I envy you guys. I wish I had as much fun as you two do. I have read your past posts, and it sound like you guys do a lot of fun things.

Dot: Well, we will try to tell your mom and dad that you need some more fun things to do, also. Oh, we will tell them about dog sports, like agility and herding. I have heard Border Collies are really popular in those sports.

Oreo: Agility and herding?

Dot: Google "dog sports" and see what you are missing.

Dino: We will include that stuff also in our letter, also.

Dot: Oh, Oreo, how would you feel about having another dog friend at your home to play with?

Oreo: I would like that alot. A little brother or sister. I know mom and dad had a dog before me. I have seen pictures on shelves. I think it looks kind of like me.

Dot: OK, we can include that in the letter.

Oreo: Thanks a bunch guys. I really do appreciate your help. I don't know how to thank you.

Dino: No thanks needed. Both me and Dot have been in your position, but we ended up loosing our homes. Luckily, Jackie adopted us and gave us a bunch of stuff to do. Now, we try to return that favor..................

Dot: Jackie calls it "earning our kibble."

Dino: Right, "earning our kibble" and now we try to help out others. Oreo, we will send you a copy of the letter we send to your mom and dad.

Oreo: Thanks again. I will keep an eye on your blog, and I will forward it to my friends on my Facebook account.

Dino: What is Facebook?

Dot: Nevermind. That is a whole other blog. Say, "Goodnight, Dino."

Dino: Goodnight, Dino.