Our standard poodle, eleven-year-old Charlie died. We loved him and were close. He was a character in my published, hard cover, illustrated novel, A Diary by Victims of Love, Banished in 1914. 

The sad thing is our pets don’t live as long as we humans. Although, if the situation was reversed, I don’t think any of our standards would have done a proper job of burying me and in a pinch, may have eaten me.

In any case, we were looking. There is nothing like a pretty face to mend a broken heart. My wife, Debbie indicated, “We are too old for a puppy. We need a mature dog.” I reluctantly agreed.

One day walking by a house with a white picket fence, I saw a sign stating, “Talking poodle, free.” I said to the fellow on the porch, “Okay, I’ll bite, can I see the dog?”

” Sure,” and we went to the back yard. It sat there staring at us. I asked, “So, you can talk?”

“Yep.”

“Really! What’s your story?”

“Well, at a young age, I knew I had the gift. I was trained by the CIA as a service dog, laid unnoticed under conference tables, listened to sensitive conversations and then reported back to my superiors. It was dangerous work, created a great deal of internal stress, I got tired of it, and I quit. Then, I worked for a breeder and made a lot of puppies. That was a good duty. Finally realizing, I wasn’t what I used to be, I decided it was time to retire and I’m here.”

Stunned, I turned to the owner and blurted, “He’s amazing. Why do you want to get rid of him?”

He answered, “Because he is such a liar.”

(Pause for laughter?)

Okay, I confess some of that story was fiction. We now have our fourth standard and first female, Lynora. She is sweet, has a lovely smile and a pretty face. Animal behaviorists have observed poodles are a very intelligent breed and could have the ability to converse. Maybe it was only nonverbal communication. After a poodle haircut, they all show a distressed expression for days. Things have changed. Perhaps it was as simple as the warmth from long hair was replaced with a cold sensation, or a tragic embarrassed look that followed a puffy hairdo.  She confided in us; keep it simple and don’t cut my hair like that.