Sue Pearson

The neighborhood kids wait for their big yellow school bus, right outside my front door every morning during the week. Supervision of young beagles in the front yard during this time is a must. I discovered this a few days after I moved in, when from the front window, I watched as my young neighbor, Ruthie reached into her lunchbox, pulled out a thick, round slice of minced ham and hurled it across the yard like a Frisbee, right into the waiting mouth of my very happy beagle. A few days later, I was outside with the dogs at school bus time when Ruthie came skipping down the sidewalk, her mother not far behind. Ruthie ran into the yard, gave Jessie Beagle a hug and a pet and quickly introduced Jessie to her mother. During that introduction, I heard her say, “Jessie really likes me.

Your eyes said take me home that day, your tail wagged just for me
It was love at first sight, you know, and everyone could see
I loved your funny ears and face, and so right from the start
You nosed your way into my world and took hold of my heart.

Perfection on four paws you are, without you I’d be blue
But there’s one thing that I wonder, and I’d like to ask of you
And though I know you are my one complete and saving grace
I wonder what it was you licked just now, before you kissed my face.

I wonder what it was you licked before, the thought is killing me
Was it road kill on the street, or some dog’s urine on a tree?
Or before your tongue was on my face, had you just cleaned up your private place?
Please tell me what it was you licked just now, before you kissed my face.

I don’t know where I’d ever find a friend as true as you

A few weeks ago, while preparing for a shiny new group of graduate students, I did some research on the history of the Maternal Child Health Bureau and came across an article written about the infant mortality rate (IMR) in the United States at the start of the 20th century. The United States ranked 18th out of thirty countries with an IMR of 135 deaths per thousand live births. Public health leaders launched a national campaign to reduce this statistic and as part of this effort, founded the US Children’s Bureau in 1912. Other efforts included improved data collection on infant births and deaths. I can hear you asking now, “What on earth does this have to do with dogs?” Be patient – I’m getting there.

“It is a fearful thing to love what death can touch…” - Author Unknown He had a welcome home wag that pumped his tail straight up and down, before it circled around and launched into a perfect figure eight. Born in my kitchen during the spring of 1991, he was a handsome hunk of tri-colored magnificence. His sturdy legs and heavy duty paws earned him the name of Sherman Alexander, a reflection of his invincible, tank-like appearance. When he went to live with his new family later that summer, I found myself missing the chaos of three beagles, and the soft snoring noise he made while sleeping. His mother and sister gradually settled into a new and quieter routine and as unbelievable as it seemed, life went on without him. Seven years later, Alex was unexpectedly returned to me and though I was sad and disappointed for him, I knew that this change was necessary.