Road Rescue ~ "Hey Dad, Is "Blackie" Our New #4 ??"

[Cinder & Smoke]

We wuz UP a bit urlee - <BARKIN> frumma Basement 'Partment soon az
Dad's footpawz hit da floor! - He *ignored* da noize till it stopped.
Inna <quiet moment> he went down an brung "Blackie" up fur an outie
on da frunt porch tie-out. (NO *messes* inna 'Partment!)

Dad started puttin on sum Fancee Dudz - where we GOIN, Dad?

"WE aren't - Youze Guyz are STAYIN!"

NUTZ!
Den we *noticed* ~ Dad pulled out inna Bus wiff "Blackie" On Board
inna back seat! ~ ~ SUPER NUTZ!!

We headed over to Doc Mike's Place ...
NUTZ! "On Vacation" sign on the door with a note to go to the Hi-Priced Place
if it couldn't wait till Wednesday.
Pulled into the Hi-Priced lot - Hmmmmmm ... NO cars in the Patient Lot.


We <trotted in> and said "Howdy" to the Three Girls in the Office.
"Lunch Tyme" till 1:30 (It being Noon-a-clock) = NUTZ again!

"Blackie" stood up on the counter and started Makin Friends ...
I asked if anyone "knew" him?
<SNIKKER> as she pointed to an entire WALL of Chart Files -
"They all start to look alike!"
But all three <looked> & <petted> and I asked if they had a Chip Scanner?
SURE - give him to me and I'll go back and "read" him.
"Blackie" <trotted off> to return a moment or two later.
He sure is FRIENDLY! - NICE Dog! ... Oh, and NO Chip.

We talked about doing a fecal check -
Can Do, but we send them out now -
won't know till tomorrow.
More <chatter> about WHAT he was ...
Labby plus "Pit" kept being mentioned.

I asked about his AGE?
Girl said "Lemmie ask Doc Tom -
he looked at him when he <scanned> him."
We followed her towards the pass-thru to the Hospital area...

A minute later Doc Tom <bounced out> with a (cute) Tech, shook hands
<plopped himself down on a waiting room chair, and
started reciting his observations >>>

NICE, very FRIENDLY pup!
Let me look in his mouth without any fuss...
NO baby teeth, but his adult teeth are VERY clean and still pretty "sharp" -
I'd guess he's 10 Months to a Year old - no more than a year.
FULLY "intact" (I said: Yeah, I'd "noticed"!)
Little "thin", but in GOOD shape - very muscular.

I asked about a fecal check and worms>
Doc Tom said he wouldn't bother with a "check" -
just GIVE him a new One-Step Wormer and then check him later.

OK... let's Do It!
Need his weight - hop on the scale, Pal.
66.5 pounds = 2 1/2 "Drontal Plus (large)"

So - What IS he, Doc?

<Super BIG GRINN>
Well, he's a Labby-57
For sure the Predominant Breed is LAB -
with probably some Pit Bull.



Yeah, I know - they get a Bad Rap ...
You could <leave out> the Pit part -
a Lab MIX or Mixed Lab would "fit" him if you prefer.

What COLOR is he?

Well ... he sort of <changes> color depending on how the light hits him ...
He's NOT a "black", and not a "Chocolate"...
and he's got some grey or white in there, too ...
What do YOU think? ( to the (cute) Tech) ...

"Brindle", Doc - he's a "Brindle" for sure!

So, by Committee Vote, "Blackie" is a

"Lab-57", "Dark Brindle" in color!

2 1/2 pills went in the bottle; after Doc supervised the chart typing -
only 2 appeared on the bill!
Rx: was $23.10; Doc's Time was a big ZEERO!
Doc Tom shook hands, "Wished us Luck!", and trotted off to start his lunch.
THANKS, Doc Tom!!

The puter printed his mini-chart as "Labrador Cross" -
I can live with that!

Off to the Dawg Warden / Pound Office ...
But <WAIT> - driving past the Pet Food Store - anudder Mouff ta feed ...
Mite as well pick up anudder Bag a Grub...

In WE go - "OH WHAT A CUTE PuP!!" says the (cute) Clerk!
We killed an hour in there and tried to "sell" Blackie to two other customers -
"I'd take him in a minute; but Hubby would KILL me!"
*nixed* the deals both times!

Off to the Dawg Warde / Pound for another "scan" ...

Blackie won over three hearts in there -
Office Manager Carol (a Rabies Clinic at the Fire Station Buddie of mine) and
two of the Ketcher Guys all came out in the lobby to say "Hi!"
After new batts were put in the Scanner - another "NO Chip" reading!

They pulled out the "Lost Dog" clipboard and we scanned it line-by-line ...
Found only three "possibles" and I was given names and numbers.

Off to Wally's-World - we NEED a Collar!
No 22" red ones - BLUE will have to do!

Out in the parkin lot -
I ran into one of our Junior FireFighter-esses ...
(Who had been CALLED by a neighbor when I stopped ladt night).
"J" asked about "Blackie" and came over to the Bus when I said he
was with me...

"Oh, that's MOM's dog!" sez "J" ...

HUH!?? sez I ...

That's "Hobo" (that's what Dad calls him) -
he "shows up" every weekend and Mom feeds him...
He "goes away" during the week.
Been "coming around" for two months."

She and BF "called" out "here pup" a few times - he <*WAGGED*>
and looked their way...
But NO ONE came around to my side of the car to "PET" him ...

"Call my Dad - Mom's in the Hospital ..." and off they went.

Jest Freakin GREAT!

Only thing I liked about THAT development was the Name!
Hobo kinda "fits" him!

We've <tried it out> ...
Blackie, Hobo, Hey YOU, Fritz, Doofus, George, Lucifer ...
doesn't much matter.

We "dropped by" "J"'s Mom's Howze - NUNbuddie answered repeated <knocks>
although there were three cars in the drive. (GOOD!)

I'll prolly try to call her ... dunno about <turning him over> to her!
Or I might <find> his "real owner" ... might have to <work> on that!

Where you two BEEN, Dad!
We Three iz a lil **pi$$ed** ya ran of inna Bus wiff Muttlee!

C-mone, Muttlee - lemmie shw ya da fine art of da Livin Room CHAZE -
You'z *IT* - start <runnin>!

Ten Minnitz later ...
He kan <RUN> purdy gud!
An we dint knock a single lampy offa tabul!

We need a bigger Wadder Buckit, Dad - he drinkz a LOT!

Smoke mite have hiz NOZE a tad bit "outta joint" ...
seemz a mite DE-pressed about allua FUSS ober da New Guy.
Dad keepz sayin "It's only TEMP-a-rarrie!"

Hey - purdy *sharp* lookin Blue Collar ya got there, Bub!!
An two *BELLZ** - now he *jinglez & *klinkz* like da rest of us!

Now Dad'z <frettin> about iffin to kall da FireKid's Mom or <wait> fur
HER ta take sum interest ... ???

Maybee we kan <paint> him YELLER!?
BLACK Lab - nope - no BLACK wun here!


..