The pet I’ll never forget: Ella the puppy threw up on me, snubbed me and after 10 years decided to love me

Mum, Dad, my brother Michael: everyone in the family got more affection from our ridgeback-staffie cross. And guess whose bed she used to poo on…

I think the tone was set when Ella threw up over me on the way back from the Dogs Trust. She was three months old, rolling around on the back seat between me and my twin brother, Michael (we’d just turned seven), and wasn’t enjoying her first trip in a car. She could have been sick anywhere – over the seat, over the floor – but for some reason she decided to climb on to me first.

It was the start of a beautiful but strangely one-sided friendship. Ella, a ridgeback-staffie cross, was the perfect dog: playful, energetic, naughty and tolerant. She would let us poke and prod her without complaint, turn her ears inside-out or dress her up in T-shirts or the thick woollen poncho my Greek Cypriot grandma knitted her for the British winter. And she was endlessly loving, at least to the other members of the family. Me? Too often it was as if I didn’t exist. If Michael and I were sitting on the sofa, she’d bound up to him. If I came home after a day out with my dad, he was the one she’d jump at. If I tried to take her for a walk by myself, she’d drag her feet and insist that I fetch my brother.

To add insult to injury, about once a year she would do a poo in the house. Not just anywhere, though: she’d climb the stairs to my room and leave it in a neat pile on top of my bed.

I can’t pretend I wasn’t offended by Ella’s attitude – I loved her just as much as anyone. But it took me a while to realise that in her eyes we were both bitches fighting for our place in the pack. I read that dogs are 98.8% wolf, even yappy little chihuahuas. Ella was a definite she-wolf and my mother (she who opened the tin of dog food every night) was the undisputed alpha female. Ella could handle that fact, but she didn’t want to be the omega female. That was me.

Working out the reasons for Ella’s lack of sisterhood, understanding that her indifference was atavistic and not just casual, didn’t make me any less jealous of my brother, who always took great pleasure in the fact that Ella seemed to prefer him. But I resigned myself to the situation. And then one day (happy ending, anyone?) everything changed. I must have been 16 or 17, we’d been away for a fortnight in France, and when we got back it was me she ran up to first, whining and twisting with pleasure at seeing me again. After that it was like all those years of competition had never happened. We were best friends for ever, or at least for the couple of years she had left. Ella finally loved me.

Dedicated Father: Golden Retriever Displays Remarkable Commitment in Caring for His Pregnant Mate.

For dads, do you recall how you took care of your wife while she was pregnant?

Of course, you do. You could have recalled those moments when you conducted errands while being the only one who was in charge of the house and all the chores. Well, you’re not alone.

While some spouses will say that they weren’t as lucky, they can always display this viral film of how a golden retriever took care of his mate while in delivery.

These Goldens went viral. At first, they were seen sleeping next each other. Then, the instant the wife woke up, the dog rushed for the AC switch and upped the temperature.

Next, he snatches a tiny basin with his mouth and trots to the kitchen. He set the basin down in the sink and stretched his paw to turn on the faucet. He then gladly marched to his mate, quite happy with himself.

Once she finished her drink, he went to retrieve her leash. As a pregnant dog, exercise is still vital so she may keep fit. But instead of their owner taking both of them to the park, the dog chewed on the leash and joined his mate.

This provided the daddy dog an opportunity to conduct other errands. Throughout this section of the day, he went into the kitchen to assist prepare his mate’s dinner.

Chicken, fish, shrimp, and some veggies seem excellent. Daddy dog assisted his human with cleaning. He even took out the garbage.

He’s even a gentleman during dinner. He could be incredibly hungry with all his effort, but he lets his mate get her fill first. After all, she’s also eating for their pups.

Later, when he invited her for a post-dinner run, something occurred. His wife urged to remain home.

Then, the labor began. As their fur parents sensed what was about to happen, they swiftly prepared up a nest for her. What was a room only for the two of them became a home for a loving family.

One by one, the puppies emerged from their mother. The owners cleaned them well before leaving them to breastfeed on their mother.

All the while, they were feeding her readily digested meals to aid her through the procedure.

The adorable retriever eventually became daddy. They ended up with seven healthy pups. They all have their unique colorful collars that nearly resemble a rainbow.

And just like that, the daddy dog is on the chores again. But this time, he wasn’t simply taking care of one dog. He’s watching over his mate and their children.