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We lost him a month ago today, exactly a month shy of today's what would have been his 15th birthday. Cletus KLTO He was gone for Thanksgiving but we prepared a chikken anyway just as we did last year because that's wot he would have wanted It's wot landed him in trouble in the first place but oh my goodness, how this goober dog loved his chikkens I know you can't hear us Cletus, well, perhaps now you can, but it is very quiet here without the wap wap wap of your tail and we miss you Happy 15th Birthday at the Bridge, Cletus KLTO. I know for sure there is a feast to out-feast any other going on for you and all your frens

11/11/2020: Funny, he was deaf but Cletus wants to be sure that his messages are heard. This morning I held a sparrow in my hand. It was waiting outside the store when I finished shopping for the campers and initially it appeared to be asleep, perhaps stunned? I wanted to move it out of the way of pedestrian traffic and semi-scooped it up, cupping it in my hands, and then it flew to a safer spot under an alcove. 11/10/2020: I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure this morning we received our sign from Cletus that he is safe and well at the Bridge. I did yard work for about an hour and left the door open for the other campers. Finished that and in mid-toothbrushing from the corner of my eye I spotted movement on the floor in the room across the hallway. I went in, closing the door behind me, and was greeted by the sweetest little sparrow fluttering around the room. We had a moment until I could get the storm window open to let it fly free and all I could see and hear was Cletus and his huge bug eyes - Score!!! Tastes like chikken!!! And there's your sign. Cletus, KLTO (KNOT Like The Others) 12/08/05 – 11/08/2020 This morning the news reported an earthquake in CT; however, a correction will be submitted shortly as it was knot an earthquake: it was Cletus, KLTO, on his chikken wings making his way to The Bridge. The incessant tail wag has stopped. We knew the only way that could happen would be when his heart stopped beating. Peacefully and quickly in the back of the BOH2 on a spectacular weather day, Cletus left, appropriately, on his chikken wings to begin his journey to The Bridge. Exactly one month shy of his 15th birthday, our chikken chasing, ever-smiling greyhound in a lab suit was called home. At the clinic, Norm happened to be wearing his Black Dog t-shirt. Our doc took special care of Cletus and afterwards she said “He’s gone, and we’re still here laffing about him.” I became aware of Cletus through a pet ListServ at my office. Cletus was a black Lab crossed with (best guesses) Blue-Tick Coon Hound, Pointer, and/or Beagle. He had been posted on PetFinder after his “family” in Georgia dropped him at a shelter at 13 years of age for some apparent indiscretions that involved escaping his fence and hunting and snacking on the neighbor’s chickens. When I learned this, I said Good For You, Cletus, at your age! The good shelter folks also recognized something special about the old boy and reached out to a Lab rescue group who agreed and sprung Cletus from the shelter and into their TN chapter. On his PetFinder page were a couple of photos of Cletus and there was something about That Face what told me this was a Good Dog who needed to be rescued. I talked him up and forwarded his info to everyone I could think of. There were already five senior greyhounds at my Camp, aside from the fact that Cletus was a dog outside of my breed/s - I had a Rule, after all! But no one was interested in a 13-year-old lab. Still, I couldn’t get him out of my mind and submitted an application to make him a camper. I think the adoption folks knew I’d be good toast after seeing “…this is their home, I get to live here.” Cletus made the trip from the TN shelter to his foster mom in NY where he spent just five days. During that time, the dear woman drove him two hours each way to do a home visit and ensure that everyone was going to mesh beautifully as I always expect they will. Our visit was seamless. Cletus came in as though he had always been here and the campers simply said, “Cletus, you’re one of us now.” And for one year and six+ months, he was. Surprisingly, Cletus was housebroken! He snored like a freight train. He was full of lipomas and yet he was one of my best walkers. He was deaf (or mostly deaf ) and we quickly developed a sign language that worked. There was never any stinkeye, no backtalk, nothing. Just six campers doing their thing – rides, walks, games, treats, doing nothing (or quietly pondering something!) and lazing on beds in the yard. We had a system for noms and meds and turnouts and lights out and it worked. One thing we did need to address was helping him understand that a treat didn’t also mean taking the hand it was in And throughout, the tail never stopped. He loved to head butt to snuggle and hugging him was like hugging a big strong man. He was rarely in a hurry to get anywhere (unless it involved food!) and he would stand in front of me most especially when *I* was hurried. A baby gate to the second floor was needed as he was remarkably spry and would do the stairs, again, super fast! With meals, he hopped and spun and danced down the hall to his private dining room. He was very fast lol. After he ate, on his way outside he reliably stopped to hoover the kitchen. When anything dropped to the floor, even tho I knew he wouldn’t hear I would yell “Cleanup in aisle 3” and somehow he knew! He must have been exhausted for all the hoovering, as well as anytime every time I stood up, he did as well. His nails were long and strong and initially our routine involved tethering him to me as I tried to Dremel; he quickly got the hang of it and would lie down until all of those daggers were shortened and smoothed. After turnouts in the rain, Cletus was a most excellent toweler-offer and licked the other campers dry, the tail going a mile a minute. Our standing expressions became “Jesus Cletus” and “WOT the flock!” Cletus, KLTO had so many friends both in the real and on the innerweb and we had so much fun exploiting the chikken thing because, you know, that’s who he was – Cletus, Chikken Boy! His tag and martingale collars sported chikkens and eggs; his red chikken tag declared “Cletus: KNOT CHIKKEN SAFE”; from all over the world came chikken stuffies and chikken treats; a beautiful drawing of our Goober Dawg captured his personality spot-on. When he visited our friends at the Forgetful Folks home he wore his most speshul red bandana (My ears are just for looks!) sent from friends who loved the boy as their own. How the old folks are going to miss seeing him and cheering him on to catch marshmallows. When he came to work with me, he became “Academic Cletus”! Who could have known that antics what had landed him in trouble could turn around and become his legacy, in a good way! The weather during his final few days was beautiful but he preferred to be indoors, tucked into Bugs Healing Camp. To say that our vet, her clinic, and our friends there are the best does not do justice. They had a special fondness for the GA/TN Chikken Boy; indeed, on a recent visit our invoice carried the line “Less Discount Chicken Dog” Including a ladybug on our ceiling this morning, we received our signs that Cletus would be making his journey. Our friend offered “They’re ready for him.” I’d like to believe that his ears, those big floppy velvety soft and snuggly ears that had been just for looks, are now whole and in werking order, along with the rest of him that had failed as he grew older. Cletus arrived on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXgi8f5BCqI Godspeed Cletus . The silence here is deafening … Wap Wap Wap. I am grateful for you finding your way to Camp Greyhound CT and becoming “one of them.” Old Dogs are the Best Dogs.

Cletus KLTO !

Trying again. All of y'all having fun at our expense We are alive! Whilst the EF1 cut through our town (2 miles from us) plusalso towns on either side we were spared, although I have to say, those taunting wind gusts were KNOT fun. First, we had this, a real and true tornado warning. And whilst our building is sturdy (concrete block) our windows are made of spun sugar We discovered that the first floor hallway plusalso the bathroom can accommodate five campers plusalso their hooman to ride out a storm! Cletus, Wot's the problem? He also has a message: Eberybuddy ware dey mask More srsly, this gorgeous drawing recently arrived addressed to Cletus. I swear, that boy has the bestest frens And, for sure, that boy ain't rite either! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXZFEULkhaM

While waiting for Cletus at the clinic, through the windows of our BOH I noticed the car next to us:

Update: Pics on page 3. Cletus did well during his surgery! On the way home last night, he scarfed down a 6-pack of Chikken McNuggets He's had a good overnight and should be good to go. Thank you again to everyone who waited with us and sent healing vibes, it helped! Cletus, aka Chikken Boy aka Goober Dawg, does KNOT seem concerned about Friday's surgery: In preparation, a big Thank You to those with non-greyhounds who responded positively - I did order the Kong collar and it should arrive tomorrow. If the collar is a FAIL, this perhaps is our Plan B? He was actually a VeryGoodBoy and left them alone for the five minute experiment. I dunno …. (Many, many thanks to Karen for sharing Lexie's Doggles with us!) So until three sleeps go by, the Goober Dawg could KNOT care less about much other than *food* (I am srsly thinking of changing his name to "Dyson") and how much of hisownself he can cover with lawn mulch. Sigh ... Thanks for the good vibes, and we'll keep you posted. Pandemical Cletus? Yay Chewy! Ordered one sleep ago and it's here. I thought for sure it would take me 'til Friday to inflate it

O.M.G. Eye sware, eye no nuffing abowt dis. It was KNOT meee! Cletus, the Innosent

One sleep ago we had piktur perfek weather and a BEEG day. Today we had rain and a much smaller day, lol. April 25 is Aiden's 7th Gotcha Day. How is that possible. He was my collateral dog after I'd signed up for Paddy Mayhem, the boy who w'ant rite, and the boys made the trip together from St Louis along with 38 LWFs. This was Aiden yesterday, which is exactly what he did the moment he stepped into our camp seven years ago when Seamie and TPGIT welcomed the boys home He and Cletus KLTO went for a long ride that included a lovely walk and stopping for treats and a sing along http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTM5scDnTsw And, April 25 is also this! Snugglers, post-BEEG Gotcha Day celebration Wate. Thare's moor! April 26 is Aiden 1-4's *11th* b'day Doesn't he look thrilled ... We had a bit of a party This is a bit long but here are all the campers scavenging for birfday and gotcha treets! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALH9gqSY1vo Happy Birfday #11 my young man, Aiden 1-4, and Happy Gotcha Days to Aiden & Cletus KLTO! Thanks for looking, and for going along on these adventures with us!

Nope, just Cletus

To all of you from all of us. Today we will knot have turkey, we will instead enjoy ... a chikken ... because, you know ... Cletus!

Oh right, he's deaf This also happens when I get home from work and he's asleep in the back room - I have to poke him to wake him Thankfully no sleep aggression, although the non-stop wagging tail can be dangerous So, you can't see them, but Cletus can: baby turkeys Wot? Prolly tastes like chikken! Coloring is eggsaustink! (does anyone still color?) Thanks for looking!

Someone sent this to me this morning asking if Cletus was involved The Camper Cam suggests otherwise Oh Cletus ... Lord help us

Friday was National Bring Your Dog to Werk Day, and while I often bring *someone* with, I didn't want to be non-compliant on a National holiday, lol, and so Friday was all about the Goober Dog Here we are on our commute You would think this pic had been taken after a long day at the office. Nope, about 12 minutes Chikken! We just left the door open because once he falls asleep the boy doesn't hear a thing, people just stepped around him

We are gonna need a coop for the Cletus Flock O'Hens ... Thank you Patsy Linus & Jazz LabRetrieverCoonhoundPointerBeagleChikkenBoyWOTEBBER mixes do really good stinkeye Aiden 1-4, Chikken Thief! He has clearly learned from the best The chikken Cletus had to have this tag, too, I couldn't resist Thanks so much!

Hard to believe but Cletus has been with us almost a month. He has made himself right at home and the campers are still saying "Cletus? You're one of us now." I'm working on his nails and he's doing really well with the dremel. He's so darned wiggly tho that I tether him. To myself LOL. It works! Thanks for looking! Checking in with Annie about sharing the Marshall's bed that everyone seems to love. You could see this coming, amirite? We have the best and silliest friends! The first of the Cletus's Own Chikken Flok arrived ... Annnnd ... more chikkens ... For anyone wondering about chikken feet, here you go Every chikken chasing deaf boy needs some wardrobe Cletus, KNOT Like The Others along with a bucket o' fried chikken Cletus and his mom say Thanks sooo much!! You people are toooo funny! ps, Jenbo if you're seeing this, our thoughts have been with you and Myka

Mom's lower Invisalign tray ... Sigh ... Jesus Cletus!! (recovered in time, sigh)

I think I got it ... Cletus Blurry pics because the boy was in constant motion until the last one. Notice the mentor in the background, lol We have a wellness visit in the morning

It's a week today since Cletus became a camper (although, he is the one knot like the others ) and it seems as tho he has figured out that this is home . He is the fifth of six campers who can catch treats! (Annie lol). I don't think he has selective hearing, rather he seems to be mostly entirely deaf but he is doing great with hand signals and taking the lead from the other campers. He's still eating well and, Poop Report = Excellent! haha He's worse than our hounds with standing up when I do and then placing himself *directly in front of me* for whatever distance I need to go, be it the LR to kitchen, yard to door, any room to bathroom I find myself repeatedly saying Jesus Cletus and then laffing when I remember that he can't hear a thing ROFL. We're keeping him When I can't find him, inevitably he is in the bed either with Punkin or hisownself, snoring! Thanks for looking!

When I knew he would be ours, I couldn't wait to introduce him. He's here now. From a high-kill shelter in GA, sprung by a lab rescue group that works with a local chapter, 13.4 yo Cletus got on the hauler last Thursday and arrived at his foster mom's in NY late Saturday. Sunday was our M&G and home visit, and today was delivery day. Welcome home Cletus. Glory boy. After all he's been through, he is such a HAPPY dog. His tail has not stopped wagging except during naps (when he's snoring ). The campers have welcomed him and he's been exploring as tho he's been here forever. He can't hear worth a lick lol. Please welcome Camper Cletus! Wagging with mom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-aJUkAbSzk Slow-mo wag!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsTwVY8RPFI ETA: It's the funniest thing ... the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, right? Even if that means point-to-point routes underneath a greyhound