Saturday, February 3, 2007

Howie and I have taken to watching Littlest Hobo reruns Saturday mornings. Howie is a fan, and I haven’t the heart to tell him London, the beautiful salt and pepper German shepherd who plays Hobo, has been dead for years. It would break his heart.

This isn’t just empty TV watching. I get a quiet half-hour to drink my coffee, and Howie, hopefully, is learning how to be a good dog. Sort of a canine intervention through positive role model reinforcement. Every week through the late 70’s and early 80’s, Hobo saved another bad Canadian actor from another precarious situation. Like the down-on-his-luck Clown who was about to lose his home (and worse – his dreams!) Then he leaves, sometimes hitching a ride on a train, to find the next sap to rescue. *

Howie drinks out of the toilet, eats my daughter’s lip gloss, and chews holes in underwear he steals out of the laundry hamper .

I’ve tried talking to him. I’ve tried yelling. I’ve tried tying him to the back door until he learns his lesson. He tips his head intelligently and wags his tail as if to tell me this time he gets it. He really, really gets it.

Liar.

It’s not that I expect him to be the Hobo. Let’s face it – shepherds are brave, intellingent, smart dogs. Labs are cute dopes. I don’t expect him to save clowns from homelessness. It’s just that I’m running out of underwear.







This isn't the face of canine intelligence. I think one ear is heavier than the other.

*Don’t be fooled if you saw the Littlest Yarbo episode of Corner Gas – the one where the German shepherd comes to town, and Hank thinks it’s the Hobo. That dog pretended to be a hero, then locked Hank and Brent in the shed and stole a steak off the grill. Hobo would never do something like that. Never.

16 comments:

Deloney said...

If you check the credits you might see the name Martin Lager. That's my friend Rebecca's father. He wrote a lot of the episodes.

Sabine said...

I just googled him on IMDB - that's an impressive list by his name. Does Rebecca write, too?

Deloney said...

No, but she works behind the scenes in tv, doing this and that. Her mother, you might recall, had an affair with Leonard Cohen when he was still a young Montreal poet.

Indigo Bunting said...

Wow, did anyone NOT have an affair with Leonard Cohen? (Well, there have been rumors.)

I want to send a link to this post to all my lab- and shepherd-lovin' Vermont friends. This is WONderful.

Sabine said...

Well, Indigo, I haven't had an affair with Leonard Cohen. Yet.

Susan said...

I loved this. Why can't dogs live longer? Surely there are still many clowns out there in need of saving.

Douglas Hoffman said...

What a cutie. At first I thought you were talking about your son. See how out of the loop I've been?

Indigo Bunting said...

You know, it wouldn't surprise me if Susan had had an affair with Leonard Cohen. She knew, like, everyone.

Sabine said...

Hiya Doug. He's about four times that size now, but still cute. Thank goodness my son didn't grow at the same rate. He'd be Andre the Giant by now.

Indigo, I've long suspected Susan of shagging Lenny at some point in her scarlet past, but she's too polite to tell me. It would put a real strain on our friendship.

Susan said...

I'll have you know that in my scarlet...er... rosy past the only Lenny I lusted after was Leonard Bernstein, and he was...um... occupied.

Helen said...

You really should quit your day job and become a full-time agent for Howie. I feel sure he's got a future in modelling.

Indigo Bunting said...

Oh my goodness, I just noticed the Dread Pirate Roberts! Is that a recent addition? Or am I just not paying attention?

Sabine said...

Sigh.. just not paying attention, IB...

Indigo Bunting said...

How Like Me. I try to take it all in, but...

rdl said...

what a sweet face!! my dod does the head cock think too. He always looked like he's really trying to figure out what you're saying.

Pat J said...

The Littlest Hobo -- man, I haven't seen that show in years. And the Littlest Yarbo episode of Corner Gas had me laughing so hard it hurt, I tell you, hurt.

Also: I love your blog header ("I'll most likely delete you in the morning"). Brilliant.