A Tribute to Dk More or Les
Dear Les
I never met you, but I want to let you know how thankful I am for the gift
you gave me. Your daughter, Penny, is a treasure. I believe that you sent
her to me. I did not pick her out at the kennel, it just happened that she
was offered to me, sight unseen, and I agreed to take her home. I could
not have picked a more wonderful dog or a dog who "fits in" as well as she.
Only you, thru God, could have known the situation with our other grey,
Tornado, and worked out the circumstances perfectly.
I want to tell everyone the story about that day, four years ago, when you
gave birth. Because of you, and despite your death, we
have this joyous creature in our home.
It was September 23rd. A happy day and a very sad day. You gave
birth to a large litter, but only two of your puppies survived. God called you
to the Rainbow Bridge, to watch over your babies who could not stay here
on Earth. I'm sure that everyone who knew you was filled with immense
grief that day. I was, too, when I heard the story two years ago. My grief
did not last, though. I believe that you would not have wanted anyone to
linger over those feelings.
Nearly two years later, one Friday morning in September 2005, I called
June to ask her to let us know if any females came in to the adoption
kennel. I was looking for a girl who might be compatible with our Tornado,
our five year old grey. June had met Tornado only briefly, several months
previous. Early afternoon, that same day, she called to let us know there
was a girl for us! June said there was no room at the kennel for her and
since the kennel would be closing, she was hoping I could come get her
within a few hours. I remember thinking, at the time, that the story
sounded like Mary and Joseph when they were told there was "no room at
the Inn".
I left work to get home (I was fortunate to have a supervisor who was
sympathetic to my situation). I picked up George and we got to the kennel,
shortly before it closed for the day. All June knew was that the dog was
white and a "nice dog". I remember thinking, I'm sure June thinks all of
them are 'nice dogs'. We met June at the kennel and soon a trainer, Mike,
walked in with a dirty, white, bow-legged dog who had a spot that looked
like a giant penny on her behind. I remained silent. June had said that Mike
had just given the dog a bath. Okay. Right. Her name - DK Forever More.
Mike called her "Laverne". Her sister's name, DK Les is More, was "Shirley".
Shirley was still racing. Laverne just wouldn't ever be a racer.
This dog certainly did not look like a "Laverne". We brought her home. She
sat quietly in the back seat the whole way. I was nervous at this point,
not knowing if Tornado would accept her. I certainly had not. Tornado,
dominant and temperamental, could make things rough for her if he didn't
like her. If someone looked at him the wrong way, he would emit a
menacing growl. He had this idea that his "personal space" extended about
five feet around him. Anyone, human or animal, that entered that space,
saw his teeth. If we mistakenly bumped into him, no matter how gently, he
would growl and dart away. He was definitely a "work in progress".
They met, both muzzled. After a few sniffs, I knew they would be okay
together. He sniffed her a couple times and walked away. She followed him
and he did not complain. She accepted that he was the teacher and she
the student and that the lesson was "How to Be A Retired Greyhound". This
was Part 1 and she passed with flying colors.
That night I made spaghetti and meat balls for the human's dinner. I made
garlic bread out of slices of bread. George and I sat down to eat and Penny
showed us how long a neck she has. She started eating off George's plate!
We chuckled, gently pushed her away and resumed eating. She walked a
few steps away and started in again. No matter how many times we pushed
her away, she came back. Tornado sat and just watched. We put her behind
a baby gate and she cried a mournful, lonely cry. I couldn't take it, so I let
her rejoin us and we just put up with her behavior. Then she grabbed two
pieces of garlic bread right off the table and walked away. When I caught
up with her, she hung her head low and looked up at me with her beautiful,
chocolate eyes. I melted and she ate her garlic bread.
Two years later, there are so many things I can tell you about DK Forever
More, aka Laverne, aka Penny.
-She has taught Tornado that it's okay (most of the time) to sit close, get
bumped a little and be silly. Even kids are okay to be around. Nearly all of
Tornado's "issues" have disappeared, and I believe Penny played a large
role in that. She showed "respect" for him, but not submissiveness. She is
very interesting in that way. She knows when to let him have his way. But
she will stand up to him, demand his respect and get it when he is out of
line!
-I've discovered that she has a beautiful white coat with what looks like
chocolate and peanut butter chips under the white. She also has black
spots. She would be good for a math class. The kids could count her spots.
Oh, how she would love that.
-And she is NOT bow legged, it just sort of looks that way sometimes from
behind.
-She has learned from Tornado how to do a "360" in the yard. And though
she can't (or doesn't care to) run as fast as Tornado, she knows every trick
in the book to get ahead of him as they run thru the yard.
-She loves to dig deep holes and I let her (don't tell George). She gets
down deep in the hole then springs out of it, with her teeth bared, when
Tornado approaches. He knows it's all a game, she doesn't have a mean
bone in her body.
-When we go for a walk and she notices someone out in their yard, she
tries to walk over to them and her tail wags madly. Surely they came out of
their house to see and pet her? There are no strangers in her world. Everyone
she meets she treats like a long lost loved buddy.
-I wake up in the morning to find her head on my shoulder, her nose an
eighth of an inch from my face.
-I never had to teach her to sit for a treat. She saw Tornado sit and shake
hands for a treat only three or four times and then started to do it on her
own! She even knew to give the opposite paw and extends it ever so lady-
like.
Les, I could go on and on about Penny. We have our silly nicknames for her,
because sometimes she doesn't seem too smart. But she is very wise. She
has a heart of gold. I never thought I could love a dog like I do Tornado.
But I was wrong.
I didn't pick her, but she was the perfect addition to our home.
I thought she was ugly, but she is actually quite beautiful.
I thought she wouldn't "work out", but she worked her way in to my heart,
quickly.
Only you could have known where Penny belonged.
Thank you for giving me this priceless treasure. She truly is "Forever More". In my heart.
Dk More or Les (L) - DK Forever More ®
Craigie Whistler, Dad, below
L to R > Midstate, Hi Spade, Wild Win Willy (Mid State is Penny's maternal "grandma")
L to R > DK More or Les, DK Bruces Margie, DK Willy's Middy (Penny's mom and two sisters)
