If they could only talk

[Bill Murphy]

Bruce, are you implying that our dogs are missing one out of five of the neccesities of life? They don't give a darn about a shotgun.

[Old and Reliable]

Yessir Dean. also one of my favorites of the late Corey Ford's masterful prose. My top two, and I'll also guess yours- "The Road to Tinkhamtown" and "Letter To A Grandson"-- Corey called his Setter "Cider" because he turned on in the Fall- or so I once heard.

Now as to the poop eating- years ago with my Setter bitch she started doing that, my Vet said a bitch was more likely to do that than a dog, as nature consitions her to lick up and clean up afterbirth events- even though Mollie was neutered and never whelped a litter- His solution was simple, and it worked- feed her canned quality dog food laced with canned collards, turnips greens or spinach- something in the composition of those green leafed veggies that made her walk away from a fresh turd in her kennel run like I'd walk away from a Poker Player named "Doc"-- it worked- and it was easy, as I love Southern foods and especially those above named, along with fried Okra-

Of course, those of us with a military background will also know TURD as an Akronym for "Trainee Undergoing Recruit Discipline"-- ah yes--

[Dean Romig]

Hey, me too . . . but I'd have to add drink, drink, drink to that short list.

[Wild Skies]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to Winston. Winston is a squirrel---or at least he thinks he is. Today we were at our cabin in Wisconsin's Forest County grouse hunting, we broke for lunch and Winston grabbed a hamburger bun we inadvertantly had laid out near the grill. While he had the bun in his mouth he dug a hole, dropped the bun in the hole and buried it. What the hell was he thinking?

[Autumn Daze]

Nice to meet you Winston.. Winston you are supposed to wait until the burger is on it...

[Ben Yarian]

What the hell was he thinking?

"later when they aren't looking I will dig this back up and eat it"

[Jim Kucaba]

I lost my last Lab was Zoe to cancer a couple years ago, and in a way she COULD talk ... When I missed a shot on bird, she'd give me the dirtiest look she had ... And if those looks cound kill, I'd have been dead years ago ... When we were at home and Zoe needed to go out, she'd come to wherever I was and poke me with that ice cold nose ... I swear that dog would have died before she made a mess in the house ... I've had a Labradors at my side since I was six years old and I really miss not having one ... But caring for a dog is a commitment that I couldn't honor 100% at the moment, and anything less than 100% just isn't fair to the dog ... If my health keeps improving as it has recently, I'll have another "Loyal Labrador" at my side in a heartbeat.

Jim Kucaba ... AriZOOna Cactus Patch ... Email: JimKucaba@aol.com

[Lee St.Clair]

Mr Baheman....Winstion is waiting for a 'bun' tree to grow...planning for the future....smiles.
Know your sentiment Mr Kucaba....I too had a wonderful lab that succumed to cancer. And if she could have talked...as we moved into a new house next to a 2200 acre marsh she found a 'new' animal of interest...a black and white 1. And I found out tomato juice does not work!!! A few weeks later I found an article.....peroxide and baking soda slur...well...the next spring....same skunk or not? it happened again. At the time we had foster children....and during the peroxide/baking soda bath I had a bit of an emergency to tend to....and the slur was on a bit longer then I intended. If Alex could have talked....she was such a wonderful dog...one of those the likes of I will never have again....she was the only lab with 'highlights' as the peroxide made her closer to a yellow lab then a black!! She was so embarrassed!!
Thank you guys for sharing your stories....I thouroughly enjoy them, and thank you for bringing back fond memories of my Alex.

[George Lander]

Lee: Each dog that comes into our lives is an individual friend that blesses us with unconditional love and faithfulness. The pity is that they are only with us for two score +/_. The memory of each one who has gone on lingers forever. We have been in our home here for 32 years and in our garden is our pet cemetary where all of our old friends now live. Truely there is a Balm in Gilead when Our Maker has chosen to bless us with our four legged friends and companions.

Best Regards, George

[Dean Romig]

Right Francis, and "Just A Dog" rips me up inside for all the reasons Corey meant it to - outrage and a deep sadness too.

"Tinkhamtown" is very special to me. I found my own 'Tinkhamtown' back in the fifties and sixties in the Vermont hills and keep going back every fall and I desperately wish to go back there, if only in my dreams in my last hours here on this earth.