Cast of characters

Bea –mom bear to puppies & Scruffles Part 1&2

Sweet Puppy– from Part 1&2 invited by Bea to live in cave

Scruffles–  from Part 1&2 invited by Bea to live in cave (RIP)

Doolie –mom bear to puppies from Part 2

Benny–miniature sheep dog  from Part 2  (RIP)

Annie–Brussels Griffon from Part 2 (RIP)

Maddie–3-legged Brussels Griffon from Part 2

Buddy bear--friend of Doolie & Bea who worked with troubled puppies 

Zoe– Tibetan Terrier from Part 2 Like foster kid who gets moved around a lot

         She lived with Doolie & her crew, then Bea & Sweet Puppy, 

         & finally to live with Buddy bear & her puppy Stormy

Stormy- lived with Buddy bear

Willow–counseling tree (metaphor for people who help children) Part 1&2

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Previously:

We are following some of Bea's backstory to fill people in how Bea ended up taking Sweet Puppy into her home.

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She can’t resist bringing Sweet Puppy home. That’s what Bea names her because she had introduced herself as carrying the name Bea also. There can never be two Beas, that would be too confusing. Sometimes, rarely, but once in a while, our wee bear did things simply. This was one of them. 

When she first met Scruffles, he introduced himself as Scruffy.  He certainly was, along with his terrible story which merited such a name. Bea was not opposed to changing any original given names. 

As Scruffy began to eat well and bathe in the fishing river, he looked increasingly better and less and less like his name. That is when Bea changed his name to Scruffles.

The dignity this gave him might carry our imagination to a cat adorned with a prim and proper bowtie. You choose the color and pattern. In case you do not know who I am, I am the narrarator who was long ago, introduced to Bea by Timothy. He was her furniture carving, clay pot making beaver who had a lodge in a body of water Bea named Timothy’s Pond.

Now, on with our story, which is becoming a cautionary tale for all. Because of Sweet Puppy’s unacceptable treatment of her host, Scruffles, Bea was seriously considering changing Sweet Puppy’s name to Not So Sweet Puppy.

This is how Willow intervened at just the right time. She encouraged Bea to put her foot, paws and claws down. Bea was to review the cave rules for Sweet Puppy. Bea, herself, was not to get physically entwined anymore. It was too dangerous.

Bea did as advised and it worked out splendidly. Now she was confronted with a similar ugly situation. Hopefully, Willow could help. When Bea began relating her saga, she recognized herself to be more upset than she’d originally thought. 

After Willow persuaded her to slow her phrases down a bit, she was able to get the picture Bea was describing. It seemed things went smoothly if Bea was already in the section of the cave she practiced her Be Wee With Bea exercises.

Even as she did her stepstooling exercise, the two little ones played, forgetting all about their mom. It was when she came home and the two met her at the same time, she couldn’t greet either one, for fear of a competitive scuffle.

Zoe seemed to forget that Bea knew Sweet Puppy better, they’d been together much longer. Zoe’d been with Doolie. She wanted Bea, her new mom all to herself. This was something that a confused Sweet Puppy did not understand and was wearying of.

And yet, possibly Sweet Puppy did know exactly what was going on with Zoe. It wasn’t that long ago,  Sweet Puppy could have forgotten how she behaved around Scruffles, taunting him as she did. So now, the situation was reversed.

Being filled in with the background was a great help to Willow, but so far, had done nothing for Bea. What was she ever to do? Willow had the answer to that question.

Willow suggested Bea practice her investigation exercise before entering. As she did her alert but calm exercise, she stopped at the opening of the cave home, as Willow had directed her to do. She needed to see and hear where the two puppies were. 

When she realized they were in a back room talking, she slipped in and when they saw her, she was doing her stepstooling exercise. It was clearly time for her “be good to myself” treat. 

She was so nervous with shaking paws, she spilled a little on her toes. That was actually more fun for her as she did her toetouching exercise. Being as preoccupied as she was, she did not notice the two puppies laughing as she stood back up. 

It was as if they didn’t notice she’d just returned. Willow was so wise to have thought of this non-troublesome approach. She thought it would even work if they weren’t in a back room. She’d just wait until the way was clear.

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The opportunity arises for Bea’s plan to be tested. Sweet Puppy and her mom are going to stay at Doolie’s for an extended period of time. This means Zoe will be spending a greater number of days with Buddy bear and Stormy.

As Zoe became more comfortable with her new cave home, she began strutting around Stormy, who as promised, ignored her. When Buddy bear and Stormy went for strolls, it was as if Zoe were memorizing her surroundings. She doesn’t say much, however, seems to be doing a lot of looking, studying and planning.