Jacob+Snapshot

** By Jacob Trathen ** I remember the collar, the old one with the shiny stars. Yesterday while I was cleaning up I ran across it. Man, that collar that he wore till it was black and almost fallen apart. My fat black lab and Newfoundland mix, Howard, who is eleven years old, lies around all the time. He is lazy, old, tired, has to pee a lot, and is always hungry and begging for food. It’s not like I don’t give him the right amount of food I do what it says on the bag sometimes I give him more than regular but he won’t stop begging. We got Howard at a pound in Seattle. Though I don’t remember the day, but we have had some memories that I will never forget. Let me tell you the best one of all! A couple of years ago, I was probably two or three, I tied Howard to a small coffee table in the living room. The family was going to go out with some friends and they told me not to long ago that their dog ran away when they opened the door. From then on I was afraid that Howard was going to run away, so that is when I tied Howard to the table and left. When we arrived back home the house was basically destroyed. We thought someone broke in. The place looked as if a train had run through the place. On the table was a lamp that was now smashed into miniature pieces. Hanging on the wall were some picture frames that were now nowhere in sight. One more thing was missing, Howard! Franticly searching all over the house, looking up stairs and in the garage. Now we didn’t care that the house was a wreck we only cared about Howard. Dad even went to the dog pound. No luck there though which made me very upset. Lunch time was coming so we took a break and ate sandwiches. Right after the break we heard a noise like someone was at the door. Nock nock rattle rattle! Turns out Howard had tried to run through the doggie door and he got stuck because the table would not fit. When we pulled the rope off his leg he gave me the why-in-the-world-would-you-do-this-to-me look and the boy-o-boy-did –I –miss- you look. Tail wagging and vocals working Howard went to lie down in his special spot behind the chair in the den. Our wonderful Howard still lives a fun-filled life with us to this day.
 * Snapshot of Howard **