Thursday, April 23, 2009

Dude's best traits...what he doesn't do

Every dog has certain traits that define who he or she is. With the Dude, his best traits are the ones he doesn't have. In general, he's a wonderful dog, but his best traits are characteristics he doesn't have that are commonly found in other dogs. Here are the two traits that I think start to make Dude just about the best companion that a man could ever ask for.

I am so pleased with the idea that Humper essentially doesn't bark. That's a little unusual for a dog, so it leads me to believe that he has a little boxer in his lineage. His muscular build suggests that as well.

I'm not saying he is completely silent, but you'd think that was the case under normal circumstances. Unless he is startled or frightened, I never here a peep out of him. The only way to hear him bark is to start roughhousing with him. Even then, his bark is more of a raspy singing rather than a harsh bark.

With the Dude, I never have to tell him to be quiet. I'm never concerned that he might wake someone up. He just isn't vocal, unless there is a good reason to be.

The second most admirable trait is he never bites. He has had uncomfortable procedures at the vet, and I know that I have inadvertently hurt his ears and tail while playing with him, and he never shows even the slightest inclination to bite.

The one concern that people have about dogs is being bitten. People ask if your dog bites about as often as they ask any question about your dog. Being bitten is a big concern.

I know that any dog can bite, but the Dude has never bitten anyone, and I don't think he ever will. There isn't a mean bone in his body. He loves all people and animals. He truly gives his affection unconditionally.

The Dude has many wonderful characteristics, but best of all, he doesn't bark and he doesn't bite.

Dog rescue...just in time for the Dude

Back in the spring of 2006, I decided to get a Boston Terrier from the animal shelter. I knew they had one, and I knew that I had to act fast because they're popular, and adoption would be swift. I called to have them place a hold on the dog in my name -- sight unseen.

The next morning, I went in and spent some time with that Boston Terrier that would soon thereafter become my best buddy. They labeled him "Rav4." What a dumb name for a dog.

After spending some time with him, I paid the adoption fee, told them to change his name to Humper, walked him out to the car and took him home. Our partnership had begun. He was rescued, and I was like a kid with his first dog (because he was my first dog). And, Humper was glad to have a new home and someone to hang out with.

Just a week later, a dog flu of sorts went through the animal shelter, and management decided that the only wise thing to do was put down all the dogs - more than 40 of them. That's exactly what they did. There was outrage in Cheyenne for weeks to follow.

As I got to know my little Boston Terrier buddy, it struck me just how lucky he was, and just how lucky I was. It still makes my eyes well up with tears. It was only one week. He missed being in the "kill zone" by only one week.

Now that I have experienced the joy that the Dude brings, I can't help but think that there had to be other dogs that could have been saved. There could have been other dogs that would have enjoyed a good home like I have here for the Dude. I'm certain there were other dogs that would have brought just as much joy as the one I rescued.

I often think of the wonderful opportunity that I could have missed if I had just hesitated for only a few days. I'm glad I acted quickly to investigate this dog. I'm glad I decided to rescue Rav4 and turn him into Humper Go-Play Lickerson (a.k.a. Dude).

I'm so glad that I have the Dude, and I know he's glad to be here too. We were meant for each other.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Dog names...here's where it all started

Like most everyone else, I love my Boston Terrier. He's a great dog and a wonderful companion. It's difficult to stop singing praises of him, so I decided to start this blog to sing out loud and clear, and share with others.

And, give others a chance to share as well.

My dog's registered name is Humper Go-Play Lickerson (a.k.a. Dude), so that's where the title of this blog comes from. I couldn't very well attract followers with a blog named Humper, so I settled on using his nickname.

Humper is a rescue from the animal shelter here in Cheyenne, Wyoming. They told me "he's a humper" so I just had to name him that. It's odd, but it's honest. Unbeknown to the technician that showed me the dog, he had been "fixed" so he isn't at all like his name - he is very polite.

And, he knows that he has two names. We regularly refer to him as Dude, but when we really need to get his attention, we call him Humper.

During a visit to my family in Michigan, just after Humper joined our family, my aunt asked what his name was. When I told her, she exclaimed: "Humper?" and I responded, "yeah, he's the Humper dude" and his nickname was born.

I get a big kick out of people in town who enjoy his playfulness and friendliness at some of the stores. They'll often ask me for his name. When I say Humper, men often step back for fear of what might be coming next, and women often go silent and lose interest in my dog. Others that realize it's just a name don't seem to be fazed by it. Some chuckle, some smile, and most prefer to call him Dude.

It's great that he has two names because then we all get a choice.