Happy ending doggy stories are great.
Posted on 07/10/2011 9:52:01 PM PDT by girlangler
NORRIS LAKE NAMESAKE
Lap Dog Swims Laps Into Family’s Heart
By Etta Pettijohn
Norris Lake is known for a lot of things – good fishing, beautiful scenery -- but now the reservoir has a new namesake.
Norris, a full-blooded Boston Terrier, may not walk on water, but he literally swam his way into the hearts of the Hodge family of Powell.
Bob Hodge, an outdoor columnist for the “Knoxville News Sentinel,” described in his May 8 column how Norris came into his life.
“A week ago, a half-dozen or so soon-to-be-graduates from Powell High School were capping off their prom weekend by fishing on Norris Lake. The day-after (prom) fishing wasn't bad - a cooler full of big shellcrackers attested to that,” wrote Hodge. But besides the shellcrackers and a few smallish spotted bass, the big news of the day was a dog that was found swimming in the middle of the lake. “ The 20-pound BT had no tag, but someone had fashioned a belt to use as a collar, and it had a piece of rope attached. Hodge said the dog was at least 200 yards from any shoreline, in the Andersonville area with no boat in sight, and the young men retrieved it out of the water to keep it from drowning. Hodge’s son Hunter was one of the rescuers, and ended up bringing the dog home. Hodge said the boys stayed in the area at least a half hour to see if someone would come looking for the dog, but nobody did so. They also went to the nearest dock inquiring if anyone had reported a lost dog. No one did. Hodge wrote the column, thinking someone might recognize the approximately three year-old dog. Hodge, knowing it was a “long shot,” even called a woman in Fountain City who had advertised a missing BT. He said she was obviously grieving the loss of her dog, which she apparently loved very much, but when the dog they now call “Norris” wouldn’t respond to the woman’s calling him “Bubba, it was obvious this wasn’t her dog. Hodge didn’t want another dog, as he had four at the time he wrote his column. Regardless, Norris is now a permanent fixture in the Hodge household, having used his gentlemanly charms” to steal the hearts of the family members, including the other dogs. Norris likes his name just fine, in fact responds eagerly to calls using it, perhaps remembering how close he came to crossing the “Rainbow Bridge” on that body of water. “He’s appreciative all right,” said Hodge. He now has his own doggie bed, which is kept under Hodge and his wife’s bed. Every morning at 1 a.m. he awakens them by whimpering, and they have to lift him up into bed with them. “He was obviously somebody’s lap (no pun intended) dog,” said Hodge. “He is used to sleeping with someone, riding in a car, and being inside the house.” Hodge said Norris “Likes it here, and acts like he’s spent his entire life in the Hodge household.” “It’s amazing,” he said. And he gets along great with Hodges’s other four rescued dogs, two dachshunds (one Hodge says is seriously insane), one chow and something mix (about 11-12 years old), and a nine year-old hound dog that was rescued from a Melton Hill boat launch being kicked and run off by other boaters because it was nasty and bloated with worms. Norris is particularly fond of the insane dachshund, said Hodge. He adds, “I guess you can say I run a house for wayward dogs.” ARE TERRIERS GOOD SWIMMERS It’s assumed by many all dogs can swim, but the truth is some breeds are built for swimming, while others’ builds and/or health conditions makes it very difficult. A search of the internet turns up differing opinions on how well BTs swim. There are dozens of “YouTube” postings of these dogs swimming. A BT breeders association website says, “Not all dogs love the water, and there are some dogs that should not swim. Dogs with respiratory difficulty, especially laryngeal paralysis, should not swim. There are also some breeds of dogs that aren’t strong swimmers like Basset hounds and dogs with low body fat. Other breeds that can’t swim at all or swim only with great difficulty are bulldogs, dachshunds, pugs, corgis, Scottish and Boston terriers and greyhounds.” Norris apparently didn’t read that report. THE AMERICAN GENTLEMAN
It’s not unusual for BTs to win over hearts, according to the Boston Terrier Club of America. At one time or another renowned people such as Helen Keller, Former President Warren G Harding, Martha Stewart, LeAnn Rimes, and Joan Rivers have owned these dogs that were originally bred as fighting dogs. The BT is also the official state dog of Massachusetts.
The Boston Terrier resulted from selective breeding of the Bulldog and the White English Terrier (now extinct), by a few men in the Boston area during the 1870s. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1893 as the first genuinely American bred dog.
The dogs have a clean cut square head, large, soft, dark eyes and move with grace and power. They are intelligent, alert and have a loving disposition, making them ideal companions. The dogs’ loving dispositions have earned them the nickname, "The American Gentleman,” according to the Westminster Kennel Club.
According to the BTCA “ They are, and have been, bred to be companions. They will languish without human contact. They are not outside dogs!”
But they are adaptive, as the story of the most famous BT shows. Tenacity is a trait these terriers are known for. An example is a mixed BT named “Sgt. Stubby,” the first dog to be given rank, and highest decorated canine to ever serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Sgt. Stubby served as the mascot of the 102nd Infantry Yankee Division in WWI. A display in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History tells the detailed story of his heroics, which can be found on the internet at americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=15.
Sgt. Stubby learned the bugle calls, the drills, and even a modified dog salute with his right paw on his right eyebrow.
Smuggled into France aboard the SS Minnesota by Private J. Robert Conroy, Sgt. Stubby raised the morale of the troops and won over Conroy’s commanding officer when he saluted him.
Stubby, the official mascot of the Division, fought alongside his division members in the front lines in France.
He was exposed to nerve gas, which left him sensitive to the tiniest trace of the chemical. When the Division was attacked in an early morning gas attack, most of the troops were asleep. Stubby recognized the gas and ran through the trench barking and biting at the soldiers, rousing them to sound the gas alarm.
He’d listen for English speaking men in the trenches, then would lead paramedics to the location of wounded men, saving many lives. When he heard Germans speaking, he’d lead U.S. forces to them.
“He caught a German soldier mapping out the layout of the Allied trenches. The soldier called to Stubby, but he put his ears back and began to bark. As the German ran, Stubby bit him on the legs, causing the soldier to trip and fall. He continued to attack the man until the American soldiers arrived,” according to the Smithsonian.
Sgt. Stubby was later injured during a grenade attack, and by the end of the war had served in 17 battles. The highly decorated dog later visited with presidents Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge. Gen. John Pershing presented him with a gold medal for his service to his country.
He was awarded many medals for his heroism, and eventually became the mascot of the Georgetown Hoyas. He would be given the football at halftime and would nudge the ball around the field. He died in 1926, and his mounted body, complete with coat and medals are part of the exhibit “The Price of Freedom: Americans at War” exhibit at the Smithsonian.
Norris may not have served in a war theatre, but he displayed the same tenacity when he swam to safety in Norris Lake. Nobody but Norris knows how he got there, whether he fell off a dock and became disoriented and swam out to open water, or if he fell off of a boat.
But one thing is definite to the Hodges.
“Whatever it was (causing him to be in peril), he is a Hodge now,” said Hodge, adding that this time he means it, “This will be the last dog for awhile.”
Nice story. Thanks for posting.
Wow, what a happy grin on that doggie - looks like his face split wide open!
Thanks for the ping! What a great story...
I had to put my faithful 14 yo lab down about 2 weeks ago. I am not ready for another dog but I sure hate being downstairs where he always was.....I find myself upstairs or outside but avoid being in his hangout spots......
Strays will wander through our neighborhood, I figure God will send me a dog someday......
Ike was a fine old gent.......
LOL, good one.
One used to be able to buy through catalogues heavy metal doorstops in the image of these Boston Terriers, complete with the red band around the neck.
I grew up with one of these doggies guarding our family door back in the day. They were very popular in homes in the thirties and forties. Now they are like looking for a needle in a haystack.
I've seen a few of the doorstops on bid and auction sites, but not the specific one I want. I've spent two years looking in every catalogue I get, but no luck.
I'd give an arm and a leg for one of these memory items by my door.
Leni
What happened to their mother?
The mother hog swam away. Seeing as how she was a feral hog weighing 400 to 500 pounds and we were in a 13 foot boat, there was no way we could help her in any way. The piglets were maybe 15 to 20 pounds and very near to drowning. They may have ended up as bacon on down the road but we couldn’t take them home with us for pets. We saved them from becoming fish food that day.
Well done and a great story, Girl. Thanks for the ping.
I’m sorry for your loss. I’ve been through it myself and it is tough.
No two dogs are alike but they each bring their own joy. And rescuing is the best.
Happy ending doggy stories are great.
I lost my dog Sunday also. I thought he was just under the weather and took him to the vet. I was informed he had advanced cancer and would not live more than a few hours or days. Confirmed this with another vet and had to put him to sleep.
I’m sure your dog was thoroughly loved and that he had a wonderful, full and happy life. God bless you for your care for him. My mom says “dogs are a little bit of heaven.” It’s so true.
I wanted to send the same message as I sent to Kimmers in the post above. Bless you and so sorry about your dog.
LOL. What a smile on that dog’s face.
Thank you. This dog definitely is loved by two families.
Thank you. This dog definitely is loved by two families.
Sorry to hear this Kimmer.
I have a 13 year-old English Setter and I fear the day I have to face it. She is my closest companion.
My sympathies to you. And thank you everyone for your words. This is why I like FR.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.