My Dog Doesn't Like Me (8 page)

Chapter Twenty-seven

The Ending

I'm over the moon. Last night was wonderful. I had fallen asleep with this book on my chest. Dad woke me up with the news that Maggie and my family also think Ugly is a good, brave dog! Maggie says I've done ‘some solid work' with Ugly. As long as I continue with dog training classes, Maggie knows Ugly will be in good hands. Ugly is here to stay!

I've already started planning what Ugly and I are going to do together. And now I've almost finished writing this book, I've decided to write another book. It will be about training and looking after dogs. I'll be writing it for kids like me. It will have sections on things like:

• •
  how to stop a dog chasing a cat;
  
• •
  what to do if your dog poos under or on your bed;
  
• •
  how to stop a dog chewing your school projects and precious possessions;
  
• •
  how to stop a puppy biting your toes;
  
• •
  games dogs like to play;
  
• •
  why does my dog stare at me?
  
• •
  how to tell if your dog is hypnotising you and what to do about it;
  
• •
  ten smelly, yummy dog treat recipes;
  
• •
  how to stop a dog eating other dogs' poo;
  
• •
  how to stop a dog eating your socks or running off with your sister's tights;
  
• •
  what to feed a dog so it doesn't have stinky farts;
  
• •
  twelve reasons dogs have bad breath;
  
• •
  how to read your dog's future by its paw;
  
• •
  tips on how to stick to training even when you don't seem to be getting anywhere;
  
• •
  dog psychology – how to tell if your dog is lonely, sad, embarrassed, jealous, angry or bored;
  
• •
  useful and unusual tricks to teach your dog.
  

This afternoon we had a graduation ceremony for Ugly. We had a big crowd. All our family of Brights were there – Mum, Dad, Grandad, Gretchen and her boyfriend, Shane. My school friends, Milly (with a red ribbon around her ponytail) and Hugh, who had made a big poster that said,
Congratulations Eccle and Ugly!
Mrs Manchester was also there (without Penelope), and she had her grandson Jack and his mother, Nina. Of course, Maggie, who had spent so much time helping me learn how to train Ugly, was there too.

The party was in the back garden. Hugh, Milly and I decorated Ugly's doghouse with flowers. We also made Ugly a necklace of flowers, but he shook it off. I gave Ugly a new chewy toy – a rubber chook that squeaks. He likes it a lot. Maggie made Ugly sit and then she presented him and me with a graduation certificate:

Something really amazing happened next. Jack's mum, Nina, stepped forward. ‘The Manchester family have something to give Ugly, too. This dog saved my mother-in-law's handbag and the photos inside. We're giving Ugly a year's supply of dog treats and this medal.'

Nina handed me a ginormous plastic bag full of packets of dog treats. Next, she held out a golden dog tag. It looked just like a small Olympic medal. We all took a look. These words were on it:

The medal had a tiny hole at the top so that I could hang it on the collar. Ugly sat quietly while I attached it. When I had finished, he leapt around yapping. His tail was spinning in happy circles. Everyone clapped and laughed. Ugly barked even more. He grinned and rushed around getting pats. His medal sparkled in the sun.

Now it was time for Ugly to amaze everyone with the trick I've been secretly teaching him.

I held up my hand. ‘Sit!' I said to Ugly. He sat down, and I gave him a treat.

‘Look at me!' I said. Ugly's ears pricked up and his bright eyes peered through his fringe into mine.

‘Hello, Ugly!' I said, spreading my hand out like a star in front of Ugly's face.

‘Huuwoo!' said Ugly, and he grinned. ‘Huuwoo!' he said again.

The cheering was deafening. Ugly woofed and woofed and whacked his tail on the ground. I crouched down beside him and he gave my face a slobbery lick.

‘Ewww,' I said, laughing and wiping away the dog slobber. I thought about the amazing things that had happened in my life and in Ugly's life. I wrapped my arms around Ugly and pressed my face into my friend's big furry chest. At the same moment, I thought,
Of course, my dog still doesn't like me – instead, he loves me, and I love him!

Acknowledgements

Eric thanks Meg H for generously sharing her expert knowledge about dogs and their responsible care. He apologises if he has in any way misconstrued her advice, and he assures her that he will continue to work assiduously on his dog handling skills.

Elizabeth Fensham is very grateful to the UQP team – Kristina Schultz, Michele Perry and Karin Cox – for their helpful insights and guidance. She thanks her husband, Robert, for his warm-hearted and practical support. Her appreciation is also extended
to Timothy and Alison Fensham for valued insights.

Eric and Elizabeth would like the cover illustrator, Jo Hunt, to know that her portrayal of Ugly is perfect; Jo must have seen Ugly up at the park.

Finally, big hugs and heartfelt thanks to all the children who helped Eric with his research. Your ideas were
hilarious and brilliant.

First published 2014 by University of Queensland Press

PO Box 6042, St Lucia, Queensland 4067 Australia

www.uqp.com.au

[email protected]

© Elizabeth Fensham 2014

This book is copyright. Except for private study, research,

criticism or reviews, as permitted under the Copyright Act,

no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior

written permission. Enquiries should be made to the publisher.

Cover design/illustration by Jo Hunt

Typeset in 13/19 pt Adobe Garamond by Post Pre-press Group, Brisbane

Printed in Australia by McPherson's Printing Group

This project has been assisted by the Commonwealth Government through the Australian Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

National Library of Australia

Fensham, Elizabeth, author.

My dog doesn't like me / Elizabeth Fensham.

For primary school age.

Dogs–Juvenile fiction.

ISBN 978 0 7022 5017 0 (pbk)

ISBN 978 0 7022 5275 4 (pdf)

ISBN 978 0 7022 5276 1 (epub)

ISBN 978 0 7022 5277 8 (kindle)

A823.4

University of Queensland Press uses papers that are natural, renewable and recyclable products made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The logging and manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.