Twas The Night Before Christmas 1995......

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring not even the Italian Greyhounds.
The leashes were dragged to the door with great care,
in hopes that Gaile, might possibly take them somewhere.

Laina and Supe were cozied up in their crates,
dreaming of filet served on the good china plates.
And Gaile in her nightie after dinner was fed,
had just settled down with a good book in bed.

When out in the street there arose such a clatter,
Gaile sprang from her bed to see what was the matter.
The full moon shone bright and lit up the new snow.
The air, quite chilly, felt like fifteen below!

When what to her eyes soon appeared through the fog,
but a sled powered by eight harnessed non-sled type dogs.
And a little old driver so lively and quick,
She didn't know it then, but it was the *BAD* Mr. Slick.

More rapid than Rudolph his coursers they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name,
"Go Pebbles, Go Taku, Go Mika and Raider,
On Tayla, on Meggie, on Honey and Beamer.
To the front of Gaile's door, take me up to that point,
And I'll begin to unload all the dogs from this joint!"

So up to the doorway the canines all ran,
pulling the sled without much of a plan.
They tried to stop short but the misdeed was done,
and the sled crashed and burned. It wasn't much fun.

By this time the IG's were awake in their crates
and they weren't contemplating a piece of the steak.
Gaile ran to the bedroom as fast as she could,
When she opened the crates, the howling ensued,

Which scared the non-sled dogs and they, FAST, ran away.
On the front of Gaile's porch was the burned and crashed sleigh.
The harnesses meant to stay attached to each dog,
Were tangled and broken .....but no dogs had been mauled.

Mr. Slick was unconscious when the IG's appeared,
But even in slumber he couldn't miss what he heard.
He woke to the howls of the IG's from hell,
His head felt like someone was inside with a bell,

Gaile stopped in the kitchen and called the police,
who were all busy pushing their cars from the ditch.
They said they would get there as soon as they could.
She just said "Thanks" and grabbed a piece of stove wood.

She took it outside and told Mr. Slick to beware,
that she would bonk him again if he moved, if he dared.
But he was afraid of the IG's from hell,
that were still circling round the place where he fell.

And after awhile the police showed on the scene,
and charged Mr. Slick with K-9 larceny.
The eight non-sled dogs now gathered around,
and Gaile couldn't bare taking them all to the pound.

So she invited them in for some steak on her plates,
and then a good sleep, but not in the crates.
She let them sleep on her couch and her chairs,
And they slumbered soundly, they felt comfortable there.

It was now Christmas morning and no one had presents,
so they sat round the tree, Taku thinking of pheasants.
The Belgian and Aussie were playing around,
like they hadn't a care, they felt they'd been found.

Gaile fixed them all a good breakfast indeed,
and pondered aloud what she would do with each breed.
"The Min Pin can stay since he is so small,
and possibly the Whippet because she is so calm."

She looked at the Poodle in her favorite old chair,
"and I just can't part with a dog with white hair."
But that Chessie must have a home with a man,
who can hunt with the dog and keep him on his command.

The ACD Cross needed a special home too,
where she might chase cows or have something to do.
The Shepherd looked frightened and kept scratching the door,
Back and forth, back and forth, he paced on the floor.

Gaile watched him and thought, "He's got an owner somewhere",
and decided to advertise them over the air.
She phoned KINY, asked if they'd had any callers,
missing a Shepherd or Poodle or maybe an Aussie?

Uncle Fatz said, "Why Yes, as a matter of fact,
We've had calls here all morning for a whole lost dog pack."
"A Min Pin, a Poodle, a Whippet and Chessie,
A Belgian, a Heeler, a Shepherd and Aussie.

They're owners are frantic because they noticed them missing,
during last night's excitement in the Chrismas Eve frenzy."
They suspect they'd been stolen by a nasty old man,
for resale to puppy mills.....at least that was his plan.

Well, all's well that ends well, or so they all say.
Mr. Slick went to jail and not just for a day.
And everyone got their dear doggies all home,
in time for the feeding of their afternoon bone.
And Gaile felt that she and the IG's were safe.
She fed each a filet served on the good china plates.

*Any similarity to any real persons or dogs, is entirely intentional.*

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Copyright © 1995 P. Kalbaugh
All Rights Reserved