Оксана Петряшова-Овчинникова
Pets. How to love them right

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All characters and events are fiction. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.

To children. You want – and you can

Chapter 1. Acquaintence

There is a very colorefull crowd in The Flower Park every morning. On paved paths ones run and drive, on unpaved paths ones rummage and linger. They laugh, halloo and demand by roar, bark and meow in here. Park’s life bubbles with stormy, sweet foam.

Like any other morning purebred royal poodle Fluffy enters the park with his owner Marinka through the twisted arch. Fluffy is a very young and educated poodle and he always pulls his owner to this open exhibition. There are a lot of paintings in here that are changing constantly; on the bulletin board something new is all the time. Marinka is not patient enough to look properly at all these paintings at one time and Fluffy pulls her here on their way back so he can appreciate another beautiful half which is hanging on the other side.

This big grey poodle, curly from head to fingertips (as it is wellknown, dogs have five fingers on each front leg and more often four fingers on each back leg), like a real sheep, with neatly trimmed hair, like cottony little cloud or the most soft pillow ever in the pillow shop, usually attracts views, hands, too (especially kid’s hands), but Fluffy doesn’t mind a bit – he is a well-mannered poodle, and they make durable suits for him, to order, besides there are one-year old twins-owners at home, so he really does know how to handle kids.

There is a wonderful dog walking playground in The Flower Park which they call just The Playground. One can have heart-to-heart talk in here, exercise on special equipment and learn something new. Marinka often trains Fluffy here while her husband trains their twins on kid’s area nearby (they call it The Circus, by the way).

Fluffy, in a royal way, stops beside long twisted bench next to The Playground and admires butterflies fluttering near the flowerbed.

“They are adorable, don’t you think?” He asks someone who sits next to him (Fluffy just can’t admire silently, for him one has to talk about good thing, even shout).

Next to him is Vyunochek – Rex-rat with chocolate-color and luxurious curly hair.

“Pretty, indeed!” She nods shortly and hurriedly looks away from multi-colored splash.

Fluffy looks at her furtively. Not pointed, as rats usually are, she is a round little thing, with tiny ears and note shaped hairpin on the top. He notices that she does not fusse around and speaks after thinking only.

“If only I can do that flying thing… Or they fly just bit closer…” Purrs snow-white Siberian pussycat from the same bench dreamily. Ulyanka pussycat, with eyes of amazing colore (nor light blue, nor dark blue), waggs her bushy tail with big satin bow on its end. She had been lying in that shade so still Fluffy didn’t notice her right away.

“Good morning everyone!” Smiles rat owner, Marusya, a very young woman with big bun of unruly hair she made in a hurry.

“Good morning!” Says Toma, business like woman with light-color bob and stylish horn-rimmed glasses, looking away from her album and set of wax crayons which are next to her.

“I like your sneakers, by the way! Very bright! When our paths cross there are always noticeable and nice shoes on you,” Marinka says to Toma while finishing her warm-up.

“Oh, thank you!”

Meanwhile poodle, rat-girl and pussycat step aside (but not too far – one can’t do that while on a leash) and peek into a mole’s hole.

“Fluffy, it’s time,” and Marinka pulls his leash politely. “See you again!”

Fluffy wags the tail, barks loudly and spins at place to show Ulyanka and Vyunochek his liking as it is time to go.

“Oh, that’s interesting…” And owners look at pet trio under that bush with some surprise.

Chapter 2. Insects

It is summer. Flowers cover the Park like cotton candy balls. And such flavors!

Fluffy runs back and forth, snapps his teath at insects and spins in delight. He is a young poodle, yes he is, but he already knows that he should not touch bees or wasps for them do not sting his tongue, that snails can be infected poisonously with parasites and carry them. He doesn’t know about caterpillars (is this one poisonous?), but he can freely be a friend to butterflies. And butterflies do often think the same and one can see him in fluttering cloud of wings.

“What a thing!” Says Ulyanka, which just came with her owner, and crouches low getting ready for the jump.

Colorful flock flutters up and keeps its distance from Siberyan pussycat (you can play alright, but the priority is wings safety).

“Shame,” she stretches out on the bench and starts licking her paws.

“Do you hunt all insects?” Asks Fluffy, scratching his back on the edge of the bench.

“I am afraid not. I like it with little spiders, but lots of them are poisonous for cats, I had to stop playing with them. There can be allergy if wasp or bee stings. But butterflies, black ants and little multipeds are delicious!” And there is that spark in her dark blue-light blue eyes again. “Only there is so much danger in wild nature that Toma several times a year makes me parasite prevention, and we do have especial fly bites cream in the cupboard (it can be very itching behind the ears, so unpleasant).”

Ulyanka shrugs and turns to rat-girl.

“And how is it for you, Vyunochek?”

“I like grasshoppers, very much. But it’s not something Marusya allows to do, she buys the dried ones. It is the same with butterflies…” And Vyunochek watches all those beauties that are fluttering at a prudent distance with her unblinking eyes.

Chapter 3. Getting closer

It is murky outside, grey clouds are just about to cry, but summer warmth envelopes bushy trees, hugs people and their pets, lies over the roads, tracks, little paths.

Fluffy spins in front of the mirror holding new collar in his teeth.

“I like it!”

“Fluffy, let’s go!” Marinka shouts from the hallway.

Vanjka is ready and third time unzips his sandal, his father is in combat with wide stroller (for the two!), umbrella and the oilcloth, when Marinka ably puts Grishka’s foot in the second sandal, places him inside his stroller, fastens both kid’s tots and dashingly, one movement only, puts panama hats on their heads and clicks it’s rubbers.

“Done!”

All family jovially, despite the heat, heads to The Flower Park.

“Hello!” Marusya is behind. “How is it you… so fast… Oh… Uf…”

And Fluffy barks a happy “Hi!” at Vyunochek sight.

“Too hot for training, is it not?” Rat-girl moves quickly with her front paws’ fingers watching Fluffy.

“Oh, that’s ok, matter of habbit. I have to keep my fit. And there’s agility (an obstacle course competition) soon!”

“I will be cheering for you!” She smiles. “You two seem quite capable.”

“And you?..” He asks.

“We watch and not compete. But we play at home regularly,” she looks at her owner tenderly and Marusya pats her on her back.

They enter The Flower Park. There are a lot of people here, but most are on the lower level so no one bump their shoulders.

On a favourite bench of theirs sits Toma in lotus position, Ulyanka relaxes on her shoulders and looks unblinking at her album.

“Good morning!” Fluffy says to happy wagging tail Ulyanka. “I have to say Toma is a skillful painter!”

“And there is no end to the plots!” Pussycat smiles hundred-watt smile washing her ears up. Ulyanka carefully, so not to leave hooks on owner’s blouse, goes down and trio get comfortable at the bench end. “They published several sets of postcards with Toma’s illustrations on it, and it seems she will be illustrating books. These beautiful children’s books!”

“Have you heard about build-in trampolines at kid’s playground?” Marusya says.

Twin’s father pales, then greens a little, and then with somewhat like grimace of horror takes stroller away towards The Circus.

“Why don’t we exchange phone numbers?” Marinka says all of a sudden. “There are a lot of things for us (she points at herself, Toma and Marusya) and them (rayses her eyebrows at their pets) to discuss”.

“Let’s do that!” Jumps Marusya up.

“Good idea!”

And all of them fish their phones out.

Chapter 4. Agility

Marinka and Fluffy are not only owner and her dog, they are a sport-team and in transition class already. It is hard enough competing with other teams but to test yourself, at new playground every time, is challenging indeed.

Fluffy trains from day to day and has known a lot since his last time.

This year agility takes place in The Flower Park and there is already quite a croud.

“Go!” A shout at dog playground and Marinka and Fluffy start their first task.

Fluffy is excited, but interested too, and agility track is ok with him, so this track is like a dance except touching owner is not allowed.

A-Frame, Dog Walk, tricky See-Saw, Long Jumps, Tire Jump, Bar Jump, Slalom and “Open” Tunel of course!

Fluffy makes everything with clear and in a pretty good time. He is not the fastest one, and winned not him, but he is the awardee, and he is young so there is aim and there is purpose.

Fluffy is satisfied, and proud too. One more year just like this (a lot of patience, efforts and joy) and they could go to Russian Agility Championship!

Toma and Marusya hold their pets in their arms. All this time they were here, supporting their new friends, and Fluffy wags his tail in gratitude.

Chapter 5. Concert for pets

Rat-girl has a very notable house. Not big, cosy, with several floors, multicolored tube-corridors, feeder and running ball. She is after her health that is why tidies up and does her excersises religiously every day.

Vyunochek has hairpin collection in her house.

Music is her passion. She takes the rhythm alright and knows already what she likes. And that is not classics only but dance music too. If not too lound, not too long. That’s why her hairpins are music notes or music instruments-shaped (violin, saxophone, fleute).

Today The Flower Park keeps symphonic consert for pets and Vyunochek is overexcited. They will perform a piece of Sergey Zheludkov and she has been dreaming of hearing it like forever!

Rat-girl has been washing herself for a long time, then picking her hairpin thoroughtly. Finally she stares at herself in the mirror critically.

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