April 2010 TRUCKER TALK
TRUCKING HAS GONE TO
THE DOGS!
BY WRITER & DRIVER KIM GRIMM
A few weeks ago, Pete told me that not having a dog is what is missing in my life. It’s been almost two years since I had to find new homes for my previous little pups, Lizzie and Starbuck. When I started running the truck alone, it was too much to take care of my dogs and make all the picks and drops necessary. It broke my heart to know that I had to find them another home, but at the time, it was the right thing to do. Now, with a different situation and different circumstances, I have a new pup in my life and I couldn’t be happier.
Two years ago, when I had to find new homes for my two Cocker Spaniels, Lizzie and Starbuck, I knew that I couldn’t take them to the Humane Society. A friend gave me the name and number for the Shorewood Cocker Rescue and those people were wonderful! The two dogs didn’t get to stay together (which was something that I was really hoping for), but the two homes they went to were best for each dog. Lizzie, being older, was taken into foster care by Elaine in Chicago, and after having her for a few weeks, she adopted her.
After Elaine adopted Lizzie, we continued to keep in touch. I often sent Lizzie doggie treats and Elaine and I would exchange pictures. Elaine said that most of the dogs that they get have been abused and some have lived in really horrible conditions – but that wasn’t true with my dogs. But on October 20, 2009, Elaine called me and I knew that Lizzie was gone. She had cancer and Elaine had her put to sleep and was kind enough to have her cremated and sent her back to me. She knew how much I loved and missed her. Elaine told me that staying with her was Lizzie’s “retirement” from trucking.
Starbuck was adopted by a couple named Cindy and John who live in Genoa City, Wisconsin. He (Starbuck) has a new girlfriend named Shiloh who is a lab that helps him keep his toys picked up. He gets to go out and play in the yard every day and Cindy calls him a little love bug. I’ve sent her pictures and she has sent me back pictures of Starbuck (A.K.A. Bucky) & Shiloh together. Last Christmas, she sent me a cute picture of Bucky wearing a Santa hat. I often send treats and toys, and it’s good to know that he too is in a good home. Cindy was glad to get his medical records and find out that he has always barked at airplanes. When we used to deliver near Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, he had lots to bark at!
As many of you who have dogs know, once you have one, they really do become an important part of your life. Some people say it’s cruel to have a dog in the truck, but I disagree (my dogs have always loved it). They are a big responsibility, but the rewards are worth it. However, you have to look at your situation honestly before you get a dog. Some companies won’t allow you to have a dog, so, in that case, you have no choice (unless you decide to change jobs). But, if your company does allow you to have a dog, here are a few tips.
When getting a dog to take with you in your truck, be sure to have a veterinarian at home but carry all of the dog’s records with you in the truck. If there is ever an emergency while out on the road, having the records will be helpful to any veterinarians you might need to use while away from home. I’ve always been able to find a vet on the road when I’ve needed one. Be sure to carry plenty of food and water with you. I’ve always chose to give my dogs bottled water instead of water from the tap at all of the different places we travel to (it’s better for them). Fill your truck with dog toys, treats and, hopefully, in this day and time, you have an APU. It is important to be able to keep your truck warm or cool for your furry friend. Sometimes finding a place for your buddy to do their “business” can be a challenge, but be responsible and carry bags with you so that you can pick up after them (this keeps shippers and receivers happy, too). Make time to take your dog out for walks every day – this will be good for both of you.
After selling my truck last year, I began running with Pete, either as his pilot car escort (he hauls many oversize loads) or together with him in the truck. Not long ago, Pete suggested that maybe I should start looking for a new dog, which quickly prompted me to go online and start looking for a Cocker Spaniel puppy. A vet once told me that if you get the same breed that you had before, they usually will have some of the same traits. And now, since finding a new Cocker puppy, I have found that to be true. Surfing the web, I found many great websites, but the one I liked the most was Mary & Philip Breidenstein’s site at www.sbgcockersandquilts.com.
After e-mailing Mary, she replied to me and then I called her. We had a really nice chat. I looked at a few other sites and made a couple phone calls, but none of them felt right. I kept going back to Mary & Philip’s website, where there was one puppy that was three months old. Mary takes pictures of all the puppies – she is quite the puppy photographer! Looking at these photos, I kept going back to a puppy she called Bumble (his mother is named Bee and his daddy is Weylan – she had a bee theme going on for that litter). Showing the pictures to Pete, I could see that he was thinking about it.
Mary sent me an e-mail that a couple in Pennsylvania was going to come and look at him (Bumble) on that Sunday. The woman really wanted the puppy, but her husband wanted an older dog. I answered Mary saying that if both of the people didn’t want him, that might not be the best home for him. Later that day, while sitting on the couch watching the Las Vegas car race, Pete, out of the blue, looked at me and said, “Call the lady in Pennsylvania and let her know that we’ll take the dog.” I immediately called Mary who said, “That was fast – I just e-mailed you.” I hadn’t been on the computer to see the e-mail, so I had no idea that she had shown my note to Philip and he told her to send me a message about letting us have Bumble. Talk about meant to be!
Mary will not put any of her puppies on a plane for anyone. I really liked Mary’s commitment to her puppies – she always puts their best interests first. So, the next day, I took a little road trip to Pennsylvania. Arriving at Mary’s place on Tuesday morning to pick up our new puppy, I found myself in Cocker Spaniel heaven. Mary was concerned that her house would not be perfectly clean, but I found that house to be filled with more love than any home I had ever been in – who cares about a little dust! I sat down on the floor with seventeen puppies that all wanted my attention. It was awesome! And then our little boy came and sat down by my feet while Mary and I looked through my picture albums of Lizzie and Bucky. It made Mary just a little sad that Bumble was going to leave her, and the fact that he was sitting by me and not her, but she knew he was going to a good home, which put her mind at ease.
Breeding pups started out as retirement for Mary & Philip, but it quickly turned into a passion. Their website, Stonebroke Gardens Cockers and Quilts, is fun to visit even if you’re not looking for a puppy. And I didn’t just get a puppy in PA, I made a new friend. This little dog is really special. Mary was a little concerned about how Bumble would react to a leash and Pete wasn’t sure how well he would ride in the truck, but neither was an issue – he was fine on the leash and he rode like a champ. I stopped several times on the way home and he was really good about doing his business when we stopped. All of the time Mary spent with him made a big difference (she regularly talks to, grooms, photographs and plays with her puppies).
One time, when Pete called to check on our progress, he wanted to talk to the puppy so I put the phone down in front of him – but he thought it was something to chew on. Pete told me to hurry home because he couldn’t wait to meet him. When we got home, I set Bumble on the bed – he stood there, growling, and then barked at Pete. But that didn’t last long. A doggie treat and a little bit of playtime was all he needed to know that he was finally home. I let Pete name our little guy. When I left for Pennsylvania, Pete had suggested “Rusty” for the puppy’s new name, and that is what we started calling him until I could get him home and spend a little time getting to know him and his personality. In just a little bit of time, his new name became “Mister H” – named after Horatio Caine – the lead character on the television series CSI: Miami (our pup has red hair and a little bit of attitude, much like Horatio on TV).
I told Mary about the name change and she thought it was cool. A week later, I told her about the hair on the back of his shoulders, just behind his collar, that I thought looked like angel wings. She later sent me an e-mail telling me about how her older sister Carol Haugen, who passed away from liver failure last year, had always called her husband “Mr. H” and the one thing she had collected over the years was angels. To Mary, these “coincidences” were signs that her sister had helped find this little puppy the right home.
Pete has had dogs before, but he’s never had one in the truck with him, and he couldn’t be happier. Pete has a little buddy now, and it’s really great to see them together. Yes, we brag about our “good boy” because he really is. We think that the breeding of a dog really does make a difference. If you want to get a puppy, find a reputable breeder – those puppy mills are not breeding healthy puppies.
If you would like to keep up with how “Mister H” is doing, Mary has created a blog that is blogged as if it’s from the dogs themselves, and “Mister H” already has a little following of his own with his blog and pictures. It is a lot of fun! To look at his blog, go to http://mrhreportsfromtheroad.blogspot.com. And if you are looking for a terrific companion to have in the truck with you, consider getting a dog. And, if you like Cocker Spaniels, I would highly recommend Mary & Philip’s puppies. Check out their website (and Mister H’s blog) to see just how much trucking has really gone to the dogs!