Callie Smith Grant - A Prince Among Dogs: and Other Stories of the Dogs We Love

2007 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

Ebook 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 978-1-4412-3695-1

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

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

To my editor, Vicki Crumpton,

good and patient friend

to animals and writers

Contents

H. Norman Wright

Callie Smith Grant

Melody Carlson

Marilyn Martyn McAuley

Anne C. Watkins

Lonnie Hull DuPont

Callie Smith Grant

Chad Allen

Deb Kalmbach

Kathryn Lay

Diane Nichols

Hilary Walker

Callie Smith Grant

Bonnie Leon

Twila Bennett

Kristi Hemingway

Julianne Dwelle

Nancy Jo Eckerson

Shane Galloway

Bernadine Johnson

Michael K. Walker

Virginia Bowen

Joan Guest

Robert Lloyd Russell

Laura Jensen Walker

Callie Smith Grant

Candace Carteen

Mark Ozeroff

Brendalyn Crudup Martin

Carmen Leal

H. Norman Wright

A dog: companion, friend, protector, playmate, and life-changer. Dogs add a dimension to our lives that otherwise would be just a vacant spot. They work for us, guard us, play with us, entertain us, love us, keep us company, and change our lives. Thats one of the reasons we like to read about them.

I was delighted to be asked to read this manuscript, and then I discovered I couldnt put it down... and neither will you. My resolve to read one chapter at a time crumbled as I became engaged by these stories. Its a book about dogs, but its more than that. Its a slice of life as it really isfamilies, difficult times, sadness, joy, losses, and additions. Youll laugh because youve experienced the delights of a dog. Youll say, Ive been there, My dog did that, I remember when... and I hadnt thought about that for years.

This is a book to activate memories, childhood events, family interactions, and just how much a dog can fulfill your life. You may find tears making their appearance with some of the good-byes you read. But you wouldnt miss the experience for anything.

Get ready for an enjoyable journey that may encourage you to reach out and pet your dog, and if you dont have one, to consider opening your heart and home to one.

Callie Smith Grant

A friend of mine collected first-edition Jack London books. He was stunned that Id become an adult without ever having read Londons TheCall of the Wild. You like dogs, he said. Read this, and he handed me one of his first editions. Flattered that hed trust me with such a prize, I sat in the sun the next day and read it straight through. These many years later, one scene still remains with me; its in the chapter For the Love of a Man.

The story takes place in the gold rush days of the Far North. The hero, a man named Thornton, has a marvelous sled dog named Buck. One day in a gold camp full of prospectors, some macho bragging commences around the subject of the sled dogs. One thing leads to another, and Thornton finds himself reluctantly agreeing to wager a thousand dollars worth of gold dust that Buck can pull a thousand pounds of gear on a sled for the distance of one hundred yards.

Thornton is conflicted, of course. Buck is strong, but Thornton isnt sure if Buck is that strong. More important, Thornton deeply loves the dog and doesnt want the dog to hurt himself. So Thornton doesnt want to go through with the bet. But he is surrounded by gold rush men, andmacho moments being what they arehe doesnt back down.

In all the excitement before the actual pull, Thornton kneels down in front of his dog Buck:

He took his head in his two hands and rested cheek to cheek.... He whispered in his ear. As you love me, Buck. As you love me, was what he whispered. Buck whined with suppressed eagerness.[]

I have always remembered that intimate moment between human and dogthe As you love me, followed by Bucks response of anticipation. While gambling on an animals strength would be repugnant to most of us, this scene nevertheless has always shown me the beautiful, mysterious connection between people and dogs, a kind of connection we have with no other creature.

And that wager? Of course Buck comes through and pulls that weight the full distance. Amid all the chaos of the victory, Thornton falls to his knees in front of his dog and openly weeps. Then comes another intimate moment, a both playful and meaningful moment, the kind of moment that helped bring the wolf to man thousands of years ago:

Buck seized Thorntons hand in his teeth. Thornton shook him back and forth. As though animated by a common impulse, the onlookers drew back to a respectful stance; nor were they again indiscreet enough to interrupt.[]

If you have ever loved a dog and been loved back, you understand.

Weve had this love affair with our dogs for thousands of years. During these years, many times our Creator has sent the right dog to the right place at the right time. This book is full of such storiesstories of relationships between humans and their best friend, the dog.

Finding and reading these stories was a pleasure. They made me remember all the dogs in my life. They made me want to adopt lots of dogs. Sometimes they made me laugh, often they made me cry, and since I tend to read in coffeehouses, it got a little embarrassing. These stories made me appreciate that fifth day of creation in a whole new light. Truly, what a creative day that was to produce this noble animal.

My hope is that these stories make you as happy as theyve made meand at least a fraction as happy as our dogs make us.

Melody Carlson

N o one ever knew it to look at him, but somehow this scraggly little black mutt managed to live up to his name: Prince.

Now, let it be known that we did not name him Prince. If hed been our dog right from the start, we probably would have named him something much more appropriate, like Scruffy or Scrappy or Scamp. But no, he came to us with the name and only for a short visit.

His owner, Julie, was an exchange student from Singapore, and shed found the poor puppy literally lying in the street gutter. She told us how hed been wet and cold and hungry, and despite her apartments no pets rule, she had rescued him and taken him in. But after several weeks of hiding the forbidden dog, she brought him to our house for a short visit.

Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haulchicken, pork, half a cow. They must think were the greatest hunters on earth!