MY PUBLIC CONFESSION

By DELL ARTHUR

            Being a proud father and uncle I have to tell you about my son David and my niece Diane. Both are extremely talented in many fields and like most people their lives have taken a series of twists and turns they never thought of.

            Dave holds a degree in environmental health from Boise State and loves his job. But there is also another side of him that tugs at his heart. He loves dogs. He loves them to the point that he is a certified United Kennel Judge and goes all around the eastern states and Canada judging dog shows. In addition he has developed a line of standard poodles that have achieved championship status.

In addition to this he is also a prolific writer and author of two published books and is working on a third. His one book, “How Much is that Doggie in the Window,” is a must read for anyone contemplating on becoming a “pet parent.” His books are available on Amazon and worth the reading.

            I recall when he was about nine years old coming home with a stray mutt that appeared to be Shepard and whatever. He told me at the time that the pup had followed him home and he didn’t know what to do about it. It seems the story was partly true; the dog followed him home alright attached to a rope and being reluctantly pulled along! So that is how “Lady” came into our household. I might add that she became one of the most loving and loyal canines that ever benefitted our home.

            But to get on with David; his interest in dogs really took hold when he acquired a Shetland sheepdog a few years ago. This interest in purebred dogs led him to the world of dog shows and this proved to be a completely new adventure for him. Later on he specialized in standard poodles and has now developed a line of breeding that has significantly improved the breed. Today much of his time is going from dog show to dog show, judging, showing his own pups and generally living the life of a happy dog owner.

            As for my niece Diane; like her mother, my sister Carmen, she is a gifted portrait artist in demand. Her paintings are so perfect and life-like that she once was accused of just painting over photographs. Not so. Her works demands high bucks and according to clients she is worth every penny. 

In addition to her art work she is also a master at training cats and as a “cat person” she now has accumulated nine! How this came about was when she was living in Boise, Idaho and her neighborhood was plagued with a bunch of feral cats running all around the place. They would rob and tip over trash cans, bawl all night, get into fights with every dog or cat in the area and were nothing but a nuisance to everyone.

            Finally it got to the point where something had to be done. Some folks suggested that they set out some poison meat; others thought a bullet in the head was the answer but Diane had another solution—set out some traps. So with purpose in mind she contacted the local animal control people and borrowed the necessary traps.

            Sure enough, after putting out the traps with enough food to lure the kitties she found six trapped the next morning. But now what to do with them? She knew that since they were as wild as March hairs they would most likely be put down as soon as they were turned over to the animal control people. So, with her usual emphatic concern she decided to keep them!

            For the next couple of months or so the cats were restricted to a single room. There they roamed about, got on cabinets, hissed and growled whenever someone came into the room, and finally learned how to use litter boxes. But with patience it got to the point where she could enter the room without their going bananas! From there on the task was to socialize them. With patience she coaxed them, gave them treats and sure enough they responded. A few months later you would not recognize these bundles of fur.

In addition to this group kitties Diane has also acquired three more tabbies making it a total of nine!

            These once wild cats now do tricks. They roll over on command, jump through hoops, meow on command and do other things as well. You would never have believed it.

            So you would think that this is a couple of success stories. I thought so also at first. But then after reading, and reading the above copy, it occurred to me that something terrible has happened that has brought great shame to the family! As a result I am compelled, as a truthful person, to make a public confession to the world. And it is this:

            It is apparent that my niece is running a cat house and my son’s life has gone to the dogs!

            What else can I say…?