You longtime loyalists (and you know who you are) will remember the exploits of Sheila the Family Wonderdog in this space. You will also recall that Shelia went to Doggie Heaven a few years back where she now enjoys swapping yarns with her pals Lassie, Rin Tin Tin and Old Yeller and chasing squirrels into eternity.
Sheila was, in fact, my grand dog which meant I petted her and provided her with dog biscuits but left trips to the vet and poop-scooping to her rightful owners, my son’s family.
I still miss Sheila but I am happy to announce that there is a new grand dog in my life these days. His name is Murphy. Actually, his full name is Murphy Gooddog. Like Sheila the Family Wonderdog before him, Murphy Gooddog is of uncertain parentage which means he is not likely to get a shot at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. I don’t think they have a category called “Plain Ol’ Dogs.”
You may be wondering how Murphy Gooddog got his name. As I watched my daughter training him on the do’s and don’t’s of acceptable canine etiquette, she would say “Murphy Gooddog” whenever he succeeded, which was quite often. A strange name, I will admit but it beats Scooby-Doo or Toto.
When the pandemic hit, Murphy Gooddog was in the process of becoming a certified therapy dog. That is quite an accomplishment for a plain ol’ dog. Therapy dogs live at home with their owner but after rigorous, in-depth training they then are able to go into places like retirement or nursing homes, schools, hospitals, mental institutions and hospices and do what dogs do best — give comfort and love to people who need it.
I have been around Murphy Gooddog enough to know firsthand that he will be an excellent therapy dog if and when training resumes. He has been practicing his skills on me. No matter how blue my funk when he arrives, seeing his happy face improves my attitude instantly.
The late Jasper Dorsey, who was vice president of Southern Bell’s operations in Georgia, was both my boss and my mentor. He taught me a lot about the business world but he taught me even more about life. One of his observations was that to get along with people effectively, it was not necessary to read books like Dale Carnegie’s self-help book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” as good as it may be. Just act like a dog.