J. B. Spooner - The Little Black Dog Has Puppies

The little black dog had grown from a curious puppy to an outgoing, friendly young dog. She and her playmates, Grace Duffy, Abigail, Brandy, Shadrack, and Pasha, spent many hours romping on the beach and tirelessly fetching sticks from the water.

As summer wound down and fall settled in, the Captain began to notice some changes in his best friend.

Shes getting a bit thick about the middle, he explained to the vet when he called to schedule her for a check up.

The vet examined her and his suspicions were confirmed.

Congratulations, he announced, shes going to have her first litter of pups.

The Captain couldnt hide his delight.

Well, my little mama dog, he said happily as he carried her back to the truck, well have to make sure you eat two good meals a day and get plenty of exercise.

The little black dog went about her business as usual. Every morning she joined the Captain for an early walk along the beach. And every afternoon she made her regular rounds about town, always proudly bringing something home to the Captain.

a lost mitten

It might be a hat

or just a single, large oak leaf.

Until one day

or an old shoe

one cold, rainy day the little black dog came home with a very big, but also a very little, surprise.

She was carefully carrying a tiny orange kitten in her mouth. The baby kitten was wet and shivering with a scraggly coat of matted fur.

The Captain remembered when the little black dog first came to him as an orphaned pup, cold, wet, and hungry. And just as he had done then, he set out a platter of milk and he and his little black dog watched while the wobbly kitten lapped it up.

Then, to the Captains surprise, his soon-to-be mama dog licked the stray kitten all over until she was clean and shiny.

She must be practicing for when she has her pups, thought the Captain as he watched her carry the little kitten up the long flight of stairs.

She brought her to the spare bedroom and curled up around her on the big, empty bed.

Looks like Ive lost my bunk mate, said the Captain to himself with a smile.

But by morning the little black dog was sprawled out in her usual spot at the foot of the Captains bed.

Then one morning, to the Captains surprise, his little black dog was not there.

He looked in the spare room she wasnt there.

He called for her and whistled, but she didnt come.

The kitchen door was open. He knew she had gone somewhere in the middle of the night to have her pups but where? It had been a cold and rainy night, not good weather for having pups outside.

The Captain searched all day. He saw Pasha, the dog next door, down by the boathouse, but his little black dog was nowhere to be found. It was getting dark and the Captain was getting worried. It was too cold for newborn pups to be out all night.

He called the dog officer, but no one had seen her.

There was nothing he could do but wait, and he lay in bed listening for her. She had been born on a cold and rainy night and he hoped she knew how to take care of herself.

Early the next morning the Captain woke with a start. He heard the sound of scratching on the kitchen door and he hurried down the stairs to open it.

There was his little black dog, tired and hungry, wagging her tail at the sight of the Captain.

He made her a big breakfast, wishing he could ask her about her pups.

While the hungry little black dog lapped up every last bit of food, the Captain went to phone the dog officer to tell him she had returned.

When he came back to the kitchen, the door was open and the little black dog was gone. He ran outside and called for her, but he was too late. Again she was nowhere to be seen.

She couldnt have gone very far, he thought.

He looked all around the yard, under every shed, and inside any possible hiding place, but he had no luck.