a very lucky dog, indeed!

In 1996 I was given Tobey. Actually I think I rescued Tobey. The woman who didn't want him, had gotten another big dog, and advertised around school she was wanting to dispose of this 2 year old Pekinese male, "who just doesn't have any personality!"

"Okay, I'll take him for a weekend and see if he gets along with George The Cat." I told her. This woman had a reputation of getting rid of just about every animal she'd ever gotten after giving it a trial of 6 months to a year.

Tobey and George The Cat staked out their areas in the house, and agreed to coexist. It was true, Tobey didn't have a bubbly attitude about life. He actually slept more than the cat, who slept 25 hours a day. He barked a bit at some of the piano students, but actually seemed fascinated by a couple of them and came over to the piano bench and wagged his tail. Being little always means "You're cute" and Tobey was and still is cute. Long rusty blonde hair, a tail that curls over his back, floppy ears, hair covering his eyes, and his piece de resistance--the cutest pug nose you ever saw.

Now Tobey really came into his own as a local personality about 2 years after he came to live with me. I was directing the high school musical "Wizard of Oz" and brought him in to play Toto. I had cut his hair, so he looked more like a dog than a mop, and brought him to school starting the 3^rd week of rehearsals. The Wicked Witch and Dorothy both were in charge of managing Tobey, but the rest of the students fought over who got to hold him during rehearsals. Now I do believe I read somewhere that Pekinese were bred as lap dogs, and Tobey probably had all of the lap genes to be had! He never struggled to get away, and was happy to be on a lap at all times.

Well, Tobey stole the show every single performance. He pressed his little nose up against the Witch's bike basket, and pitifully whined as she rode across the stage, and got applause when, in the poppy field, he yawned and lay his head down on Dorothy, as if on cue. I even got an offer to buy him from a "man with connections" who came to see a friend's daughter. His connections were with Hollywood showbiz, and he thought Tob could have a real future if he had some training. NOT FOR SALE!

Strangely, Tobey's brushes with death have been too frequent. Two years ago, I had surgery on both my knees. I had a farm friend take care of the dogs. (I also now have a BIG dog, Bingo, who is bossed around by Tobey). After my surgery, I was laid up for several weeks. They brought poor little Tobey home to me after having taken him to the vet. It seems he had been either kicked by the cow or chomped on by their big German Shepherd. Tobey had a broken jaw and had been sedated by the vet. His instructions were to let Tobey lay in the box for a couple of days. And he did just lay there for two days, and finally the third night, I heard the little dog get up and go down the stairs.
"He's gone downstairs to die, and I can't move!" I thought. The person who was staying with me got up the next morning and checked on him down there. He was wagging his tail as she came down the stairs and came over to her slowly. Tobey healed and, except for a jutting jaw that made him permanently pouting, he seemed normal.

Last winter he took ill again, laying around the house with no other symptoms. I called the vet and got instructions to just watch him for the night. I let Tobey out into the snowy night, along with Bingo for their nightly duty. After about 5 minutes, I called them back in, and Bingo rushed in. Not Tobey. Bundling up, we went out with flash lights and searched everywhere he would have gone. No barking from him or tracks as the wind had covered them. "Well, he's gone out to be alone and die."

The next morning, Jack went out early, and "Yip, yip!". Running over toward the sound, there was Tobey, feeling fit and wagging his tail, having spent the night protected under the big pine boughs.

Tobey has gotten cataracts now and is nearly blind, but loves going outside in the snow. He follows the sound of our voices to get back to the deck, bumping into the railings and the door before getting into the kitchen. Snow seems to be an attractive medium to do dances in. He scurries out into the fluff, turns round and round, plows through more snow and finds yet another place to circle round. As he comes back to our calls, Bingo gets in his way on the ramp. Tobey tries to snarl at the giant to let him know who's boss, but Bingo just blithefully goes on trying to get in the way.

But the best thing that has happened to Tobey, and to Rodney too,is one of those one-in-a-lifetime friendships. The very first time they met, Tobey no longer had to walk. His dream of being
The Royal Lapdog became a reality. Rodney had found his very own special friend. They are inseparable. Tobey sleeps with his head on Rod's pillow, is carried to the car, to his water bowl, and to the trike, where he gets a ride every day all summer. In the winter, he's carried out to the snow so he can make his snow circles. He gets to be in the Fourth of July parade as a super patriot. Rodney is never alone, and Tobey has his heart's desire. He's lapping it up!