Posts by Hank

You Want Ricky Pictures? I’ll Show You Ricky Pictures . . .

On June 12, right after I wrote a blog post about two beagles I run into frequently down at Southport Harbor (“Is It Maggie and Dutch?”), I got called on the carpet via an e-mail from Robby: Not a good post at all. Not helped by the fact that there’s no Ricky picture — that’s the best freaking pa…

St. Luz

Anyone who enters our playroom via the garage between 1 and 2:30 PM will all but trip over an eager, expectant, tail-wagging, door-blocking beagle who has been waiting steadfastly on that very spot for hours. If that anyone is me, or Carol, or Matt, or Greg, the tail will gradually slow down, dis…

Tongo and Buddy Forever

I stepped out the front door of our house in Vermont on Saturday to go for a run — and was almost bowled over by a high-spirited, hyper-friendly young Kerry Blue terrier who came bounding at me like an over-wound-up Disney pet from Toy Story. I didn’t recognize the pup. “Don’t you have another d…

I Never Thought I’d See the Day . . .

I’m not sure how, or why, it happened. That two weeks ago was my birthday? That it was Thanksgiving weekend — and this was part of the family spirit? Was there a full moon? On Saturday, I said to everyone, as I often do, “I’m taking Ricky on a hike to Snout Hook* tomorrow. Anyone want to go?”…

Map Man

Yes, I did become something of a Garmin junkie during LA/XC — but deep down, I’m all about maps. About getting directions in advance. About being prepared. About knowing where I’m going. I was actually going to say we’re a map family, because I have this picture in my head of Matt, my oldest s…

Top Dogs

A couple of weeks ago Beagle Man received a very interesting request: I was invited to be on the panel of judges for Westport Animal Shelter Advocates’ (WASA) Top Dog photo/essay contest. My name had been submitted by a dog-walking friend who volunteers at WASA, a group that was formed sever…

The day Ricky refused to eat

Remember last spring when Harold Camping and his merry band of evangelicals insisted that the Bible had revealed Judgment Day — and that the world was going to end on May 21? It didn’t. Now what I always thought is that the world was going to end if you put some food in front of my dog and he didn…

One scoop, please

LINEUP: Which of these hardened canines do you think is the perp in the Fairfax County pooper scooper scandal? So here’s what happened: An argument between neighbors in Fairfax County, Virginia, over unscooped dog poop got out of hand, and actually wound up in front of a jury in County court. T…

#34, for the Miami Dolphins . . . Ricky Williams Herman!

Lots of people stuff their dogs into cutesy coats and costumes — especially this time of year. Not me. I suppose the fact that Ricky has adamantly refused any kind of outfit, time and again, has made my decision a little easier. At one point a friend of mine gave me a harness that would keep Ri…

Smelling the roses

Carol and I were in Vermont for the weekend, and brought Ricky along. We were hoping, of course, to see some prime foliage, but in truth, the colors were kind of dull, and lots of the trees were naked. “You just missed it. Peaked middle of the week,” the locals kept telling us. Thirty-thre…