Since farewelling the venerable Miss Thriller last October, I have been rescued by a new owner who has claimed me for his very own, a little Black puppy, name of “Mulligan”. Mully is “Irish Spotted” having four white socks, white front, white chest and a delightful white tip to his tail.
It was 12th December last year when first we looked into each others’ eyes, at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport, as the new young Master had been born “across the Ditch” in New Zealand eight weeks earlier, and only flew in that morning. At our first encounter, his new dad ticked all the right boxes for the boy. Firstly, new dad let him out of the dreaded crate; secondly, new dad had food for his starving self and thirdly, new dad had more fresh water for drinking and for paws to be dunked in! An hour later, Mulligan reached his forever home! Each time I looked in the rearview mirror on the way home, or turned around, there was Mulligan looking straight at me. :-)))))))))
Once home, the young Master had a good explore of his enclosed grassy yard, breezeway, and throughout the house, then more food was woofed down like he was one great big empty – and still is! Then several more little drinks which naturally included standing with front legs in the elbow-high water bucket, though I quickly suspected the laps at the water were an excuse for standing in the stuff. Dried his paws/forelimbs many times, and the little fellow minded not. Also dried the floor by the bucket leaving one towel there for the inevitable “next time” – only, the wet towel was where Mully chose to then have a two-and-a-half-hour sleep. Do puppies get jet lag?
Once awake, Mulligan was quite content with his surroundings – I had visions of him waking expecting to be back in New Zealand with his siblings, but he was most accepting of his new home – a realist is Mr Mulligan! Plus, by then he had already claimed me as his own – not that Mully had much choice that way since, living by myself, he only had me to choose from!
Mulligan is an exceptionally laid-back puppy. Nothing bothers him, sudden noises, unexpected movements, etc, are all just accepted with a disinterested calm turn of his head in that direction, then back to his own interests.
Couple days after Mully arrived, he had his first outing, a trip to the University vets so I could show off “His Cuteness”. We were ushered through to the vets’ open-plan office where other puppers rarely go, and His Lordship was a total hit!!!! Had only expected to be there for a few minutes – an hour and a few minutes later we left! There were three vets in the room, one vet nurse and two students all fussing over His Nibs the entire time!
Mulligan went exploring in the office. Once he found a stack of polythene bags containing empty plastic jars, and pulled a lower bag, causing several piled up on top to fall noisily on the floor. All Mulligan did was let go of “his” bag and look at the others, head slightly tilted. No being frightened, no backing off or barking. Then the boy continued exploring. Senior vet Jenni was most impressed that Mulligan showed a total lack of fear or anxiety with the crash! The boy made new friends, and totally reveled at being the center of attention! :-))))))
Same when Mully was visiting Thriller’s favorite eatery, the Uni’s Caffe 104. I carried him in to see Karon and the crew – and they were delighted with the young master. They had been told about the boy, and to expect a visit as well! After all the staff had come over to pat and kiss the boy, and be kissed in return, plus take photos of His Lordship, I ended up placing the boy on the floor! Mulligan had a tentative sniff of the nearby people he’d already met, then went off exploring the place and other people – and no little “accidents” in there either! They fed him grilled chicken too – so he’d want to return!!!!!
Mulligan was sure a hit at the café, then, and several times since! Mully was so confident wandering about that first visit, and visits since, going to people for meet-and-greets, offering and bringing huge smiles each person in turn! Am really proud of the little fellow the way Mulligan brings so much joy to others, and is so joyous while doing it! Mulligan demonstrated early that he has a great career in “public relations”!
Mulligan was invited up to there last Monday for the Year Three vet students’ orientation day – they spend their third year at rural Camden campus studying livestock and exotics. We were in the café where, off to one side free box lunches had been set up for the students, then the doors to the adjacent main lecture room opened and in burst about a hundred excited starving students who came noisily flooding out. Mulligan was not unnerved by the sudden rush of excited humanity, then those in the lead saw His Lordship and the tide turned away from the free food to descending on a then delighted Mulligan – who never took a backward step but was ready willing and most able to make welcome all-comers, huge Newfy grin on his delighted face!!!!! The ones at the back who couldn’t see the boy at first went to the food, then gravitated to the squealing throng adding to the mass about Mulligan. And did that boy work the crowd – he’s a natural!!!!! Like Ruggles and Keaton were looking down, guiding their protégée.
Mulligan would swing from one swooning group to another bringing sighs and comments, or he’d briefly lay down knowing that brings forth collective “ahhhs”, then immediately spring back up for renewed attention! This went on for some time as those at the back worked their way forward to meet His Lordship!
I “dressed” Mulligan in Ruggles’ old “I ♥ Sydney Uni Vet Students” bib, shortening the neck strap with a clothes peg, and the students went wild over that, taking endless photos and selfies with His Lordship, who mugged for the cameras wherever they appeared.
The organizer said several times that she has done lots of these functions, and this was the first time that students were distracted from the free food on offer! The little fellow was totally swamped in excited admirers, and absolutely enjoyed every second of it. And the students were all so excited, squealing, animated and all-around Mulligan, and several people deep too – but Mulligan was undaunted, seemingly in his element! :-)))) The student vets were more like kids on sugar highs than young highly intelligent adults!
Mulligan behaved the same when outside at the student BBQ working the smaller groups, posing for photos, loving all the cuddles and kisses, and bestowing kisses on any face within range!
It was amazing the way Mulligan absorbed all the love and attention of the students! And being unfazed by their numbers or volume! My previous Newfoundlands would be proud of the little man!
Mully has also been going for walks about the lake at nearby Harrington Park – two, three or four times a week, depending on his busy schedule. “The Lake” is a great place for him as it is a popular walking area for people and puppers alike with Mulligan having lots of wonderful meet-and-greets with those walking on two legs and/or four. Some keep on walking, staring at this puppy, already larger than most canines thereabouts, and Mulligan allows them to walk on “unmolested” as there’s always another person/pupper on the way to greet His Lordship. :-))
It is truly magical to be owned once more by another Newfoundland! :-)))))))))
Arthur Witten
Mulligan – I got in on the free food too devouring a hamburger and some BBQed sausages, just don’t my breeder, or my vet!
Sydney, Australia
P.s. Mulligan’s name comes from the 1975 movie Nickelodeon, which has a running gag where the main character, Harrigan, has a girlfriend who keeps calling him “Mulligan” by mistake.