The Puppy in the Dog

It was a glorious weekend to be a basset hound. Sam and Matilda took up residence on the deck. Sam sunning his belly, and Tillie looking for all the world like bloated road kill. Truly, her girlish figure is a thing of the past. But, as long as she raids the pantry and eats entire bags of marshmallows and sneaks tootsie pops for treats when our backs are turned, things are not likely to change.

Sam is getting on in basset years. He will turn eight in May. As a puppy, Sam was "an only pup." As such, he was incredibly high maintenance. Before learning to channel his enthusiasm we lost a couch, two cell phones, a couple of heirloom keepsakes, many nights of sleep, and much of my sanity. After learning that a tired basset puppy is a good basset puppy, we made evening swims part of his daily ritual. I would put his harness on him, connect a leash and carry him into the river to swim against the current. I could stand there while he paddled feverishly, making little progress, but expending great amounts of effort to do so.


We went through countless dog toys. His sense of delight apparent when he successfully gutted a brand new toy in less than ten minutes. But, his very favorite toy was a blue peacock. He particularly liked the sound the unique sound that the squeaker in the peacock made. The peacock has been gone for years. But, on Sunday, while shopping for new collars and tags for the dogs, we ran across a duck that made the same unique sound. Thinking it might be a treat for Sam, we purchased it and brought it home.

At the first quacking sound, Sam's ears perked up and it was apparent that the sound had struck a chord with him. He came running up in anticipation of a great treat, knowing it had to be for him. Then for the next two hours, Sam carried the toy around in his mouth. He was not letting go, and he was not sharing. Every so often he would bite down so he could hear the quack, then he would go back to just carrying it around. When he finally decided it would be safe to lay it down, he would come back periodically to make it quack and carry it around some more. You could just see the puppy in the dog.


Oftentimes I ask young people what they want to be when they grow up. As some struggle with the answer, I tell them it is OK, to not have an immediate answer. As for me, all I know for sure is that I want to be really, really old and in good health when I finally grow up. "Growing up" implies reaching an end in the growing process. Personally, I never want to reach the place where growing ends. Regardless of the gray hair and the slower movement, I always want others to be able to see the "puppy in the dog."

Joshua and Caleb received the blessing of God when they went into the promised land and brought back a good report. In reward for their faithfulness, the Lord gave them long life after all the naysayers had passed away. You could still see that puppy in the dog when Caleb said to Joshua at the age of 85, "I am still as strong to this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war, and for going and coming." Joshua 14:11