It was Vern’s idea. He explained that, disastrous consequences aside, Sparky’s attempt to unleash his inner wolf had actually succeeded. When all was said and done—when the tow truck had left and the pizzas were paid for and the neighborhood’s electricity had been restored—there was no denying that our pal had displayed characteristics empirically consistent [...]

Something about Mr. Fratelli’s car accident, the power outage and Sparky eating one or two pizzas that weren’t technically his had inspired Mrs. Baxter to, suddenly, consider relocating my pal to a more rural environment. Newsflash puppies: things are hardly ever what they seem. At first, when I relayed the rumor, Sparky was thrilled. “The [...]

It was all a big misunderstanding. When Vern told Sparky and I about wolves””about how they’re the sole ancestors of modern dogs like us and that therefore every dog has an inner-wolf””he was, of course, speaking figuratively about the fragility of domestication and whatnot. Sparky, however, became convinced that if he got hungry enough, and [...]

Long before dogs started blogging, Vern was scribbling his memoirs on the back of half-eaten Frisbees. Don’t get me started. He was, God rest his soul, the smartest dog in the neighborhood. He was also the oldest. Back then, when it came to spending the weekend with Sparky and I, our neighbor was always welcome. [...]

I nodded, solemnly, to assure Mrs. Baxter that she had nothing to worry about. I continued nodding, solemnly, to let her know that Sparky and I would start preparing for the special occasion immediately. That’s how we did things back then. Footnote puppies: when your boss has something important to say, look her square in [...]

And that was a crisis that needed to be handled even more delicately than usual because, on that particular day, Mrs. Baxter had a headache. For reasons known only to Mrs. Baxter, whenever she had a headache, Sparky wasn’t allowed inside. It’s worth mentioning that the coincidence never bothered my pal in the least. Back [...]

Which never would have happened if Mr. Baxter hadn’t suggested Mrs. Baxter bring home two pounds of carne asada for another one of their romantic taco nights. I don’t expect generation-squeaky-toy to understand a word I’m saying, but what happened next remains an enduring example of ambition, teamwork and courage in the face of adversity. [...]

And that was the time my pal Sparky got away with nabbing Mrs. Baxter’s green bean casserole right off the stove. You should have seen him run. He didn’t even particularly like green beans, but that was Sparky. Don’t get me started. Doubt many pups could pull off a stunt like that these days. Took [...]