The Dog Days of Summer!

The following article was written by my good friend Cali Grimshaw in memory of my little furry friend BJ Dog. He brought such joy into my days, my creature that comforted me for 11 years. How I miss that little guy...may he rest in peace.

"In Southern Utah we enjoy the good life! It’s a small town “meat and potatoes and homegrown tomatoes” kind of lifestyle with some of the grandest scenery on earth thrown in as a bonus. For the most part, people are decent, hard working, and genuine and dogs are…well…dogs. They ride around in the back of pick-ups, herd sheep and eat dog food. It’s all to be expected.

One summer evening, as I was enjoying dinner at a nice restaurant in Park City, I came across the unexpected.

The couple sitting at a table next to ours had a small dog with them. The dog was on a leash and sat obediently at the foot of her owner. She had bows in her well groomed hair, (the dog, not the woman,) and what looked like a rhinestone collar around her neck. By her side was a water and food dish. Each time the waiter visited the table he poured fresh water into the couple’s glasses, then into the dog’s water dish. Same with the food, when the couple was served their entree, so was the dog. I swear that dog had better table manners than my own children!

I watched all this with fascination for about an hour. When our waiter came to the table to collect our bill, I couldn’t resist commenting on the superb entertainment this couple and their dog had provided during our dinner. The waiter said, “Oh, this is nothing…last weekend we had a birthday dinner for that dog and about six of his canine friends. It was dinner, dessert, and the works!

I was dumbfounded! I had no idea there were dogs in this world that had it so good! I was wrong.

Last month the Deseret News ran a full page article about luxury boarding facilities for dogs, such as the Pet Paradise Resort in North Carolina. Designed for dogs with discriminating taste that wouldn’t be caught dead at the local kennel, Pet Paradise Resort caters to the “upper crust” of dog society. It is only one of many high end “pet spas” that give dogs and cats a place to chill while their owners are off on their own vacations.

Instead of cages they offer air conditioned suites complete with wrought iron beds, orthopedic mattresses and flat screen TV’s. At some facilities your dog is even read a bedtime story before being tucked in. They provide groomers to administer oatmeal baths, manicures, and the ever popular blueberry facial, and outside the window is a lavish swimming pool in the shape of a dog biscuit. During the day residents can swim, enjoy pumpkin frozen yogurt, or ride around the property on golf carts. I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP!

It’s hard to imagine my border collie, Butch, fitting in with this crowd. He probably would have chewed up his orthopedic mattress, and then wandered down to the feline section of the resort to find some cat to torment. I feel sorry for anyone who might try to give him a blueberry facial!

Border collies are “work’ in dogs,” and proud of it! None of this lounging around the pool for them, they need something meaningful to do…herding, chasing, or at the very least retrieving a ball. Butch would have died of boredom at the Pet Paradise Resort….or; more likely, caused some REAL excitement!

Just because our “small town dogs” lead a different life than their “up town peers” doesn’t mean they aren’t an integral part of our families and communities.

Take B.J., the dog from Enoch. For years B.J. lived on Churchfield Lane… the lane between the church and the field. Lucky for him, the house he lived in faced the large park and pavilion that seems to be the gathering place for every event in town. Being the social dog that he was, and not wanting to miss out on the fun, if B.J. ever turned up missing at home it was a pretty sure bet he could be found at the park at whatever gathering was taking place at the time. Little League baseball, family reunions, church dinners, dances, and parties all held one commonality…B.J. the dog was there! If you reserved the pavilion, you got B.J. thrown in as part of the deal. B.J. simply liked people and wanted to be around them!

In fact, B.J. liked most everybody and everything EXCEPT grooming day! After the ordeal of being clipped, B.J. expressed his displeasure by running away from home for the rest of the day. Usually he went to Grandpa George’s house and sat behind his chair, where he sulked for a few hours. When evening came, Grandpa would open his back door and send B.J. home. Grandpa George became one of B.J.’s best friends. So it was only natural that B.J. would stick with him for life…and beyond.

Not only does the church on Churchfield Lane host a lot of parties, it also hosts its fair share of funerals, and the sad day came when Grandpa George could no longer be found sitting in his chair at home, for it was his funeral day. A large crowd had gathered at the church and a long line of mourners stood in line to pay their respects.

The time finally came for the family to gather in prayer and offer their final goodbyes. Reverently they closed the casket, and a solemn procession of family members followed it into the filled chapel. A hymn from the organ filled the room as the quiet audience stood respectfully, waiting for each family member to make his way to the front of the chapel and take their seat. It was a big family and just about the time everyone had filed in and was ready to be seated, one last “family member” entered the chapel and followed at the end of the line. It was B.J. the dog! He had obviously come to pay his respects, and was following the correct protocol as best he could.

As he trotted down the aisle of the chapel, some people smirked; others tried to bite the smile off their faces. A fast thinking member of the family quickly reached out and tried to pick up the dog before he made it to the front of the chapel. B.J. had never been so insulted in his life! Usually laid back and friendly, he stopped abruptly in his tracks, faced his would be captor, and let out the meanest snarl of a growl a dog can make. Then he simply continued his walk down the aisle. If only a few had noticed him at first, it was hard to miss him now.

B.J. was creating a tricky situation here. No one had expected to see a dog at the funeral! What was anyone to do?

Not wanting to disrupt the dignity of the service by making a scene, his owners at first tried to ignore it. Then, they discreetly picked him up and let him out the back door of the church…..only to have him somehow sneak in again and again to return to the service. It seems B.J. had no intention of missing out on this important event.

It was becoming ridiculous. Whoever heard of a dog at a funeral?

Finally it had to stop. B.J. got the boot. He was carried across the street and got locked in the house for the rest of the day. Poor B.J., of all the family gatherings he had been a part of, I’m sure he wondered why he was being excluded from this one.

Looking back, they probably should have let him stay. Being the best friend that he was, I don’t think Grandpa would have minded. After all, our dogs may not dine in fine restaurants; wear rhinestone collars, or frequent lavish pet spas. They do, however, join in our parties, dances, and family reunions. And, if we were REALLY loved, sometimes they even attend our funerals. (Written by Cali Grimshaw)