Featured Fur Monster: Becky is Officially the World's Greatest Dog

I had always wanted a dog but my life circumstances were never quite right to bring a one into my life and do it the way I wanted. I worked too many hours and didn't want a dog home by itself all day. Once I retired I knew it was time so I started researching breeds. I came to the same decision that so many people do; that a Labrador Retriever was right for me. I'd also decided that I wanted to rescue a dog rather than getting a puppy and also that I wanted a female…we guys just have too many bad habits. I found an eight month old black Lab on the website for the Animal Rescue Foundation. Her name in the shelter was Corkscrew. I guess I rescued her in more ways than one when I brought her home and called her Becky.

People don't drop dogs at ARF. They grab dogs that wind up on a 24 hour kill list in other shelters. It's beyond my imagining that Becky was in such a predicament. She was high energy to be sure but she was house-trained and crate trained when I got her. I can only imagine that some family had the best of intentions but were overwhelmed by her energy. Once I got her home we began a routine of three walks a day. That was enough to burn off the excess energy and she became a great dog around the house. She's always been up for a game of fetch or a trip to the beach but so long as she gets her walks she's content to hang out on her bed awaiting signs of another adventure.

When I first got her she used to play chase, not fetch. She'd chase a ball grab it and bring it back to within fifteen feet and then lie down and chew on it. The first time she hit water it was like a switch went off…"Oh, I'm a retriever. I'm supposed to bring the damned thing back to you." So now she brings it back every time. We may argue a bit about whose ball it is when she gets to me, but she brings it right back.

The first time I took her to the beach I didn't know what to expect. I intentionally didn't bring a ball as I wanted her to focus on the beach and the experience. When I turned her loose she immediately ran to where the nearest people were playing with a ball and tried to join in. I'd extract her from that group and she'd run to the next ones playing with a ball. Note to self: You were right to expect a ball was key to her behavior…but you were supposed to bring one, not NOT bring one.

Becky is friendly with everyone she meets but she's not a love junkie like most Labs. A friend of mine always felt bad because she didn't think she had a deep bond with Becky. I assured her that Becky liked her just fine. One day I was out front with Becky and had her off leash. That's normally no issue. I had her in a sit right beside me when my friend pulled up at the base of my driveway in her SUV. She rolled down the window and called HIYA BECKY!

! Becky broke her sit and took off like a shot and leaped through the open window of the SUV into the front seat. She said hi to my friend, and then jumped into the back seat to say hi to the grandkids. Then it was back into the front seat and back out the window to resume her sit next to me. My friend was thrilled because she felt that showed Becky really liked her. I was of two minds. On the one hand, it was terrible dog behavior. Another part of me was secretly thrilled at the athleticism of her jumping through the open window of an SUV.

Becky goes almost everywhere I do and people always walk away with a smile after interacting with her. She's great with other dogs we meet when we're out on walks and we're famous for impromptu puppy play-dates. There are lots of dogs in our neighborhood and many of them have joined Becky in the back yard for a little wrestling.

She's eight now and is pretty much in that sweet spot where all her training intersects with most of her puppy energy being worn off. After the first five minutes of a walk I can drape my end of her leash behind my neck and not touch it as she walks right next to me. She's still got game for any activity you could imagine but her perfect day would be a trip to the beach in the morning and a nap in the afternoon.

As far as I'm concerned y'all can fight over the title for second best dog in the world but I'm sure you feel you have your own best dog in the world at home…and that's probably true.

Thanks for the story beckysdad and go get a treat Becky, you've earned one (or ten)!



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