This move is now behind us and all that is left is to organize the new house. On 28 May we arrived in Charlottetown after 2 days on the road from Ottawa, Yes Canada is a big country.
Our two dwarf Dachshunds slept in the back seat of the car all the way, only stretching from time to time and we stopped to let them walk a bit and smell the air, which they did. It must have smelt strange to them, nothing familiar, everything foreign including the surrounding landscape. Nora being a hunter liked the challenge, it was like doing a cross word puzzle for her, trying to figure out what she was smelling and what was about. Her familiar things were the car, her toys, the blanket, the food and us taking care of her and being there. On the other hand our Nicky the sunshine boy, Mister show Dog was stressed, he did not like the trip one bit and was acting out. He also had lots of familiar things about him and Nora was there so what could be wrong. His routine was upset and he did not like the smells of things, too foreign. He wanted to go home to his two sofas to lounge, but they were gone. What was happening, this was scary and so refusing to eat, feeling lethargic, looking worried was his way of telling us this was no fun.
On 1 June the truck arrived with all our things, all 4 tons of it, which by the way is normal for a couple without human children or so says the moving company. This time around lots of boxes, cardboard does smell and Nicky again did not like it one bit and the new house, was fun because he could run everywhere with Nora, which they did a lot of. Now the furniture which had disappeared in Ottawa had miraculously re-appeared in Charlottetown. Nora was happy, Nicky not so much, and one member of the family was missing, so for Nicky the equation was not perfect. He was mopping so much that I phoned the Vet to enquire what should I do. He went on a 3 day hunger strike, though he would eat treats and drink water, would pass on regular food.
The Vet assured me that A) dogs do not, ever, let themselves die of hunger. B) Nicky was stressed by the move and all the changes. All the while I was busy getting the new place in to shape. Painters came in to re-paint the apartment on 7 June just days after our effects had arrived. Then the spouse arrived on 9 June and instantly Nicky found his Joie de vivre and bounced back. All was well now and he could put the move behind him.
I was telling the Vet that often people will say that dogs are just dumb animals, I disagree. We have had dogs for 26 years now all of them Dachshunds and found that dogs can be very perceptive often more so than humans. They have their own personalities, witness Nora and Nicky, they are so different from each other, they are not related having different parents but nonetheless they are individuals.
Nora speaks to us in varying growls with many different pitches depending on what she is trying to say to us. Nicky whines or whimpers, he never growls unless he feels threatened. Nora barks to sound the alarm if someone approaches but Nicky does not. Nicky barks only if he is warning someone not to get to close or else. He also barks once sharply at 07:30am every morning for his breakfast, Nora never does.
I am sure they are both happy with their new home. Nora has lots of new parks to explore and she enjoys it immensely, she also wants to throw herself into the Hillsborough river behind the house. We won’t let her because it is the harbour and I do not want to have to go in after her. Nicky still does not like to walk, he never did, too lazy.
Nicky and Nora hiding behind the hat.
