When I was growing up, our house was situated on a corner lot, with the backyard consisting of a concrete driveway, a basketball goal and a garage. There was a deck on the side of the house and a nice front lawn, but no backyard. Consequently, my brother and I never had a dog.
After Laura and I were married, I was determined to eventually get a dog for our son, Dylan (pictured). A few years later, we bought our current home, with a large fenced-in backyard. My wife and I soon began to talk of getting a dog.
I had always known Labrador Retrievers made good pets. When I was growing up, several of my friends had Labs. Labradors are people-oriented and great with kids.
In June of 2005, Laura and I were driving through a subdivision in town. We spotted an SUV in a driveway with a magnetic sign on the door. It was an advertisement for a Labrador Retriever breeder and trainer. We decided to stop and talk to the two men who were standing outside.
The owner of the dog training business said he only trained Labs for hunting and dog shows. He did, however, have a six month-old black Lab whose temperament would not make a good hunting or show dog. He believed, though, the dog would make a great pet. Well, that's what we were looking for! We told him we would like to see the puppy.
Three days later, the trainer brought the puppy to our house. He told us his name was Clarence. If for any reason we we didn't want to keep him, he would take him back. Naturally, we fell in love with Clarence and have had him ever since!
We take Clarence for walks in our neighborhood. When we ride bikes at the nearby park, he likes to run with us. However, the number one thing Clarence loves to do is to go bye-bye with the family! His ears perk up when he hears the car keys jingle, and he'll trot to the front door as if to say, "I'm ready to go!" Because a trained dog is a free dog, we allow him to go just about anywhere.
I've always believed a boy should grow up with a dog. They can run off and explore the world together. A boy can tell his secrets to his dog and never fear he'll be betrayed. In regards to Dylan, getting Clarence was one of the best things we have ever done.
And that little boy, whose house didn't have a backyard, finally got his dog too.
