Norwich Terrier

Hello, all you dog lovers out there. Let me introduce myself. I’m Macris Labelle Beaumont III. I know you’re saying that’s a mighty fancy name for a little dog that’s less than ten inches high and weighs about twelve pounds. You have to realize that I’m a show dog, and I have a fancy name on my registration papers. Of course I have a call name that friends use, and mine’s Astro, short for Asteroid. The reason my owner gave me that name is because she said there was about as much chance of an asteroid hitting the earth as a dog being born as close to its standard as I was.

I always blushed when I heard her say that because I think she exaggerated a little. Scientists tell us at the current rate of asteroids hitting the earth, we can expect one large impact about ever 100 million years. I doubt if I’m that rare, but at the risk of sounding conceited I am expected to set the dog show world on its ear. That’s me in the picture. How about that stack? Real cool, don’t you think? For those not familiar with dog show lingo, that’s how my handler poses me for the judges to get a good look at me.

I’ve been worried lately that I may not get the chance to strut my stuff in the show ring, because some bad things have been happening at Jordan’s Kennels where I live. Leigh Dennison is the new owner, and that girl knows nothing about dogs. To make matters worse, she has ADD. I heard her tell Blake Cameron that means Attention Deficit Disorder. I have no idea what that means, but I think it has something to do with all the disasters we’ve been having. I hope somebody can get things straightened out before the whole kennel goes to the dogs. (Sorry about that.)

Maybe Sandra Robbins, the author of my story Pedigreed Bloodlines which releases in May from Heartsong Presents Mysteries, will come to the rescue before it’s too late. She seems like a nice lady—loves dogs. So she can’t be all bad. Sandra, who has four grown children, lives in Tennessee with her husband and dotes on her Yorkshire terrier Belle. . I have a sneaking suspicion that Belle’s living the good life in Tennessee. In fact Sandra used her pet’s name for my mother’s name in the book. That makes me want to roll over and howl with happiness

I know there has to be a lot of you dog lovers out there. I’d really like to hear from you and see if you cater to your pet’s every whim like you should. After all, we are your best friend. Who else gives you unconditional love and never holds a grudge? All we want is plenty to eat and drink, a warm place to sleep, and an occasional pat on the head. Ah, a dog’s life. How sweet it is!

Astro