A Puppy Called Hugo - Fiona Harrison

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      I nodded. ‘I know, it’s just at times I don’t ever want him to leave. I’ll miss him.’

      ‘I will too, Percy,’ Peg barked quietly. ‘Despite his faults he’s a sweetheart, but the best we can hope for is that he finds a human who he has an unshakeable bond with, like you have with Gail and I have with Sal. Why don’t you just enjoy the here and now? We’re all together, our pugs have great owners, and after yesterday Hugo has the makings of a wonderfully brave little dog, despite what he’s just done to that poor runner. Isn’t that enough?’

      I barked nothing, I knew she was right. Whatever lay ahead for Peg, me, our pugs and our families, I just wanted to enjoy this perfect moment of joy while it lasted.

      All too soon the park was a distant memory as Sal returned to her flat together with her brood, leaving the rest of us to troop home to deal with health visitors and vets. As Ben had been a little difficult lately I think we were all expecting him to be fractious when the health visitor arrived. Usually he spent the whole time crying as the poor man performed his various checks and measurements and I usually ended up feeling sorry for the little chap.

      Today, strangely, and somewhat pleasingly, Ben was on his best behaviour as the health visitor arrived. Gail of course laid on the royal treatment complete with matching teacups, saucers and posh biscuits, specially purchased this very morning for the occasion.

      Thankfully, the visit went well and both Gail and Ben seemed to let out a sigh of relief once it was over. With all the biscuits demolished, largely by Hugo I couldn’t help notice, it was time to get him to the vet.

      ‘Come on then, Hugo,’ I barked from my position in the hallway. ‘Time for one last check-up with Gemma and then hopefully you can stay out of the vet’s for a bit.’

      For once there was silence.

      ‘Hugo,’ I called again.

      Nothing.

      I padded upstairs, walked up and down the hallway, poked my nose in Gail and Simon’s room, Ben’s room, formerly Simon’s man cave, and even checked under Jenny’s bed, a favourite hiding place of his, but Hugo couldn’t be found.

      ‘He’s not in the loo is he?’ Jenny asked desperately, spotting me peeking in her wardrobe.

      I turned around and looked at her aghast. ‘Why do you think he’s in there?’

      ‘I don’t really. I just saw it in a film the other night; he was watching with me. A pair of dachshunds didn’t want to go to the vet so they hid in the loo and got stuck.’

      ‘Well, dachshunds can be particularly daft,’ I barked loftily. ‘But still, perhaps we’d better check just in case.’

      Together, the two of us dashed to the bathroom and fearfully pushed open the heavy wooden door. Thankfully there wasn’t a puppy in the loo, but there was an awful lot of rustling coming from the laundry basket.

      Nodding at Jenny, she stood behind me and lifted the lid. Sure enough, an eager little pug face popped out of the basket, looking for all the world like an adorable meerkat. It was all I could do not to roar with laughter, particularly as my boy had his head firmly stuck in a pair of Simon’s boxer shorts.

      Jenny had no such manners and, at the sight of my son looking so disgusted by the pants stuck on his head, she burst into a fit of giggles.

      As I swallowed my laughter, I shot Jenny a mock reproving look and she managed to recover enough to pluck Simon’s underwear from Hugo. He was so excited to be rid of the offending pants that he bolted out, turning the basket upside down for the second time that day.

      The relief on his wrinkly little face as he sat on the floor breathing in great lungfuls of air almost had me in stitches. Thankfully, I managed to restrain myself and instead concentrated on picking up the rest of the laundry. The last thing I wanted to do was encourage him to do this again by letting him know I secretly found it hysterical.

      ‘The smell, Daddy, the smell,’ Hugo whined between gulps of air. ‘I thought I was going to die, Daddy.’

      ‘Well you’re perfectly safe now,’ I barked.

      ‘What were you doing in there anyway?’ Jenny chuckled, as she helped me scoop the laundry back into the basket.

      ‘I got stuck,’ Hugo explained. ‘I was just practising my climbing and jumping skills but ended up falling in.’

      Jenny paused for a moment and looked at Hugo, clearly trying to decipher what he was barking. Although she usually understood me perfectly well, the puppies were a different matter. As he looked at Jenny, Hugo did the thing he knew always made her heart melt and slumped on the floor, head on top of his front paws, and looked up at her with big eyes.

      ‘Oh, Hugo, we’ll make sure you never end up in the washing basket again you poor thing,’ she said, planting so many kisses on his face, he howled in delight.

      I rolled my eyes. Hugo might not have been with us very long, but he had become a master manipulator when it came to human beings.

      ‘Anyway,’ I barked, moving things along. ‘You’re OK, that’s the main thing.’

      Hugo eyed me fearfully as Jenny got up to stand the washing basket back on the floor,

      ‘You say that, Daddy, but I’m not sure. I think the smell might have damaged my little lungs. I feel ever so weak.’

      With that he gave a little cough, before turning it into a full-on choking fit.

      It was no good I had to turn away from him. There were times being a dad and setting a good example was the hardest job in the world, especially when all I wanted to do was join in the joke or smother Hugo with kisses. Even though I knew he was trying to do all he could to get out of going to the vet’s, his performance was so good, I was almost tempted to let him off.

      Almost but not quite. I managed to get myself under control and, without looking at Jenny, who I knew would set me off, cocked my head to one side and regarded him carefully.

      I barked seriously. ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’

      Hugo met my eyes. ‘That’s OK, Daddy. It’s not your fault.’

      I licked his ear. ‘That’s sweet of you to yap. But I’m worried about you if you’re feeling this poorly.’

      Hugo nuzzled my nose. ‘I’ll be OK, Dad. You taught me to be a big strong boy so that’s what I’ll be.’

      ‘I know,’ I barked thoughtfully. ‘But I think if you’re ill, then it’s even more important we take you to the vet’s.’

      As Hugo looked at me in alarm, I could almost see the cogs of his little brain cells working overtime as he tried to work out how his plan had backfired.

      ‘You know,’ Hugo ventured, ‘I think I’m feeling better now and I don’t want to waste Gemma’s time.’

      I glanced at him, pretending to give it some serious consideration before I shook my head.

      ‘Sorry, think we’d better let Gemma check you out even though you have made a miraculous recovery.’

      Growling under his breath, Hugo knew better than to argue and instead padded slowly out of the bathroom.

      ‘What was all that about?’ Jenny asked me as we followed Hugo downstairs.

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