A Few Surprises Under the Christmas Tree

by Steve
(Florida, US)

Ophelia, the Present-Eating Puppy

When our dog, Ophelia, was just a puppy, she seemed to get into EVERYTHING. Every Christmas season turned up a few surprises that we didn't really count on.

For example, the first Christmas spent with our puppy, as I was going through the presents on Christmas morning under the tree and pulling out a few select things I wanted to give to my wife to open from me, I saw a hole had been chewed into the top of one of the small wrapped jewelry boxes.

I shook the box (which had a pair of earrings in it) and it rattled way more than it should have. Guess what? Our puppy had chewed a hole and carefully pulled out the little square of cotton that was inside the box. We couldn't find the cotton anywhere, so I guess she ate it. (The thought of eating cotton and enjoying it just isn't something I can really relate to but then, I am not a dog).

We had a pretty good laugh that Christmas, but the next year it got even "better."

Someone had given us a gift that we hadn't opened, and it sat under the tree, wrapped near the other gifts. When we were out on an errand, we came back to a huge mess. Our puppy had gotten into a bag of Bailey's Irish Creme flavored coffee beans, and ate quite a few of them. Needless to say, she wasn't feeling too well, and was wired for sound, more hyperactive than ever. That present cost us an expensive trip to the vet's office after hours, so it wasn't the best gift we ever got for Christmas.

She was a really cute puppy though, and she grew up to be a great dog. Christmas just isn't the same without our present-eating puppy!