Another Corky Story

Writing that blog about Corky brought back so many wonderful memories of him. We thought, as most dog owners do, that he was the smartest dog that ever lived. I once wrote 2 full pages of words he understood.

One of the sweetest memories is of the day, not long after he came to live with us, that my daughter thought she should teach him some tricks. They settled in the middle of the livingroom floor and she explained to him what he should do. Corky sat obediently and watched with wise brown eyes as Kim explained "roll over"...she'd lie on her side and roll across the floor. Kim explained "sit up"...she'd stoop down and hold her hands up to look like paws. Kim explained how to "play dead"...she'd flop down on her side and close her eyes.

Corky looked for all the world like a student waiting his turn to try out these amazing new tricks but when Kim tried to get him to do them he'd just sit and look at her. After many frustrating attempts to show this stupid dog how to accomplish the tricks that all dogs seem to know how to do, Kim went into the kitchen to get some cheese, hoping that would help encourage him.

As she walked back into the livingroom, Corky smelled the cheese and, before she even got back to him, immediately began doing all the tricks she'd shown him.

Now, who was the dumb animal?

Corky was so smart that you could show him any brand of shampoo and the only one he'd respond to was "baby shampoo". He'd run and hide because he knew that's what we used to bathe him.

He could talk. When he wanted to go outside he'd go and sit by the door. If we didn't notice him he'd bounce around a bit and say "out". I swear!

When my grandchildren walked around with cookie in hand, he'd stalk them until he saw his chance. He'd ever so gently take a piece of the cookie in his teeth and carefully slip it out of the baby's hand without the baby noticing.

He loved to help us carry in groceries. He could carry in a pound of butter without piercing the foil wrapping! That was the Lab in him.

There are so many great memories of the years we were lucky enough to have this dog. I even have an original ink drawing of him framed and displayed in my house. If I had one of those family portrait walls that you see in some houses his picture would be right there with them. After all, he was a member of our family for 15 years.