Grant - The dog next door: and other stories of the dogs we love

2011 by Callie Smith Grant

Published by Revell

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.revellbooks.com

E-book edition created 2011

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4412-3733-0

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Scripture marked NIV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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To my husband,

a friend to dogs everywhere

Contents

Introduction

Callie Smith Grant

M y husband and I live on a lovely, tree-lined country road that doesnt get a lot of traffic. We see some commuters, one school bus, tractors and combines, and a few teenage kids with loud stereos thumping from their vehicles. But otherwise its pretty quiet.

Every now and then, however, a pickup driven by an elderly gentleman goes slowly by. We know the truck because weve come to recognize the bark of its canine passenger.

No matter what season were inbitter winter, humid summer, and everything in betweenthe front passenger window is down some if not all of the way. Sitting on the trucks bench seat is a big dog whos either hanging his head out the window or trying to. Around every five seconds, he gives one big, loud, whooping bark with that underlying whine my husband and I recognized from the first as belonging to a hound of some kind. We hear this before we actually see the dog.

The truck with man and dog passes by a couple times per week. We dont know who they are or where they live, but we do know thisthat is one happy hound. Whenever we hear them down the road, my husband and I stop what were doing, look for each other, and smile. No words are necessary.

Americas 44.9 million dog owners know there are myriad reasons to have a dog in their lives. Dogs are good company, they protect us, they keep us on track in the daily grind, and sometimes they simply help us enjoy the world we might otherwise get too busy to appreciate. Thats what I think about our drive-by houndhe reminds me that the air is fresh and the day is full of possibility.

I view the dog as one of Gods finest creations. When I looked for material for this book, I wanted good, true stories about these noble beasts, stories that also might offer some perspective into why the dog came into the authors life. Some things well never know in this world, of course, but some reasons do present themselves clearly.

I found excellent and often powerful stories I know you will enjoy. There are stories of dogs that saved peoples lives and dogs that kept children safe. Less dramatic but just as valuable are the stories of dogs that helped the aged and infirm enjoy their days. I was presented with stories of dogs that offered support to strangers in need. Some of the dogs in this book displayed uncanny abilities to know when their human was in medical trouble. There are some tributes to beloved childhood dogs. I even discovered stories of dogs that saved other dogs.

In the 1930s, the great Helen Kellerblind and deaf since infancy but nevertheless amazingly accomplishedwas given an Akita by the emperor of Japan. She was the first American to acquire this stunning breed, the hometown dog of Japan. She loved her Akita dearly, and when that dog died too soon, the emperor sent her another Akita. Miss Keller called her dog an angel in fur. We lovers of dogs can understand that, cant we?

My father always dreamed of moving to a remote Greek island to live. I once told a Greek gentleman that. He pulled out a map of his homeland and said, In Greece, there are many islands, and theres an island for everyone. Lets find one for your papa.

Im convinced it is also true that there is the right dog for everyone.

Some of those wonderful creatures find us or are given to usyoull read about many of those in this book. And many more dogs still wait to be found.

I sincerely hope that after youve enjoyed the stories in this book, youll wonder about that perfect dog for you and consider finding it if you havent already. Or even the semiperfect dog. Or more than one dog. I also hope that youll feel compelled to visit your local animal shelter, humane society, or rescue association and get involved with some aspect of the running of these places.

And it is my hope that you will meet that dog who is your own angel in fur and add it to your family. In the meantime, enjoy the stories.

A Walk of Joy

Virginia Smith

I sure would like to meet BJ.

My fathers speech was difficult to understand since the stroke that left him almost completely paralyzed, but his request held an unmistakable plea. I knew the boredom of long days at the nursing home was agony for this previously active outdoorsman, and Id do just about anything to help him relieve the tedium. But how would my ultratimid dog react to the unusual sights and sounds and smells of this place?

BJ had moved into my empty nest several months before. My husband and I werent looking for a dog, but when the local newspaper broke the story of a raid on an area puppy mill, the plight of all those mistreated puppies touched our hearts. The rescued animals had been distributed to shelters across the state, including one in our town, so no single facility would be overburdened. We drove out there reluctantly, not sure what to expect but certainly not ready to fall in love with the matted, filthy, stinking, three-month-old black standard poodle huddled pathetically in a cold corner of the concrete pen. We instantly knew he was coming home with us.

BJ had never been around people or even inside a house. He was terrified of everything. He didnt so much cower as collapse whenever he encountered anything unfamiliar, which was just about everything for the first few weeks. We almost named him Pancake because of his habit of dropping flat to the ground in terror, but settled on BJ, short for the French salutation bonjour . (He was a French poodle, after all!) When he conquered one fear, something new and terrifying loomed up to take its placetoys, his food bowl, the refrigerator door, the recliners footrest, even leaves blowing across the grass. One of his biggest fears was any terrain that inclined. Our first outdoor walk turned to disaster as we tried unsuccessfully to coax him up the very small hill at the end of our street. My husband spent weeks down on his hands and knees teaching BJ how to go up the stairs.