Meet Bob

Bob Clarkson, canine companion of Robert Clarkson Bob is a talented and interesting member of the canine species. He's as big and brown as a bear but as gentle as a lamb as long as you don't discuss politics. I can't say for sure, but I think Bob is a Republican because the merest mention of the current administration elicits a deep menacing growl from this normally affable fellow.

Bob has lived with his current pack since five weeks after his birth November 20, 2004. His immediate pack includes two humans and several other Canine Americans, but his expanded pack includes nearly the entire membership of the Mid Carolina Gun Club. Bob is virtually a fixture there and everybody knows and loves him.

There is plenty of work for this energetic Canine American at the club. He carries ammunition, helps with hunter education classes, provides pet therapy and generally keeps an eye on things. He dutifully serves as greeter, good will ambassador, and occasionally as food tester and organic garbage disposal. Now that you have met Bob, I'd like to tell you a couple of quick stories about him.

How Bob became Bob

Bob's favorite human and the leader of his pack is Robert Clarkson. Robert insists he named his canine buddy Bob in case he turned out to be dyslexic. Clarkson felt strongly that every dog should be able to spell his own name. I secretly think that Robert, who prefers to be called Robert, not Bob, or Rob or Bobby, was tired of people who persisted in calling him Bob. If that is the case, it works pretty well because Bob goes everywhere with his favorite human and now when someone calls out the name "Bob," the dog answers, and Robert goes on about his normal business.

Where does a 105 pound Lab sleep?

Much like a 500 pound gorilla, Bob sleeps wherever he likes but does exercise a measure of respectful caution when sneaking from his designated place on the floor at the foot of the bed into his human's bed. He goes to bed in his space and waits for lights out and regular breathing to begin before testing the water with one paw on the side of the bed. If no objections are raised, it is followed by a second paw and then shortly the entire dog. I don't know how Robert feels his legs in the morning after 105 pounds of dog have slept sprawled across him all night. A clever fellow

Bob knows about a dozen tricks like holding a biscuit on his nose and on command tossing it up and snapping it up in midair. He carries his own plate in the serving line, carefully places it where designated, and waits patiently for the blessing and the okay to eat. Bob responds to many verbal commands but Robert insists he responds mainly to tone of voice. I guess that might be true, but I suspect he has a pretty good working vocabulary.

Here's the neatest, cleverest trick of all. Being a retriever, Bob likes to retrieve, that is, he likes to watch the other dogs in his pack wade into water to retrieve toys. Then he mugs them once they are out of the water and takes the toy back to the human for high praise to have it thrown again. Bob likes to be sure his canine buddies get plenty of exercise.

Bob is better behaved than many children. He carries his own plate to the trash when he is done; he carries his own leash to comply with leash regulations and provides golf cart security, but he does have doggy hobbies like chasing cats and horses and retrieving. Bob steals treats from unsuspecting member's vehicles when trucks are unattended and windows left open. All in all Bob's a pretty cool fellow. I hope you enjoyed meeting him.