Our dog, an introduction

This is Ralph. Sounds like "Rafe" because that's they way the British say it and, after all, Ralph is an English Setter.

He hears a lot of "Ralphy" with a long A sound. Or when I am playful, I say "Ralphy-doodle" or "Ralphie-boy," the latter in my best Jackie Gleason imitation. I don't know where these nicknames came from, but they sound natural. He responds to all of it.

I think that Ralph appears pensive and uncertain in this photo. But that could just be the Setter face.

The pup turned six in September. He's six already?! He was born the week after 9/11 and we felt like we could use a new family member. He's had a pretty good life since that time with the exception of the occasional stay at a kennel while we vacation. Even then, he gets to play with other dogs, go swimming in the summer, and play fetch with the kennel workers.

He loves to play fetch. His preference is a round ball over a stick or a disc. We have to be careful about saying "ball" around him. It's sets off dancing and a plaintive begging sound. It's like having a perpetual toddler in the house at times. When we play with him, we have to control the time or he will play until he collapses. We have a large yard, including a fenced area and he gets plenty of exercise.

The scent of peanut butter has a similar effect on him. Though instead of begging, he brings his "Kong" to you and drops it at your feet. The Kong is a rubber toy that looks like three rubber balls smashed together in descending order of diameter, giving it a snowman sort of appearance. The Kong is hollow though and you can put treats inside. Pup gets to chew and lick the fight to get the treats. Ralph prefers his stuffed with peanut butter.

Ralph knows when I am due home from work. He knows when the school buses will drop the kids and he keeps an eyeout for Jocelyn whenever she leaves. He hates car rides and pretends to be asleep whenever someone grabs the keys. In fact, Ralph will not get out of bed when I rise. He waits for another family member to come downstairs. He knows that I'll be going to work and he doesn't want to risk being taken in for a bath and a nail clipping.

We'll be posting more Ralph related posts over time. Just thought you'd like to meet him.

Let us know about your pet and it's charming behavior in the comments (we really do want to hear.) Or send me a photo and a story and I'll post it.

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Ralph is lying in his bed a few feet away from where I sit writing this in the pre-dawn darkness. He is asleep, but he is making those noises like he's having a dream. I'm hoping that he is dreaming that I opened a jar of peanut butter for him and smeared it on his ball, and that I promised to play fetch with him for hours and hours.