The future was not looking too good for the puppy. He just wasn’t getting it. He was three months old and had no idea how to behave, and apparently no interest in learning. The previous owners had dumped him in the parking lot of a vet clinic, and the staff quickly discovered why. It’s not that he isn’t friendly; he is very friendly, just in all of the wrong ways. He would bark constantly for attention, and when someone took him out of his run, he behaved poorly, jumping on people and tugging on pant legs. His biggest fault was that he had never learned that he couldn’t put his teeth on people. He didn’t bite, but he would put his mouth on your hand or wrist, and with those sharp puppy teeth, scratches were inevitable.

We had taken him home for the weekend three weeks back so that he wouldn’t be sent to animal control. He was getting better but he still needed a lot of work if he was ever going to get adopted. The house training was going well, although he still couldn’t make it through the night. He would wake me in the middle of the night and outside we would go. It had gotten to be routine, the 2:00AM stroll out to the yard. And as long as we were going the other dogs came along.

The area we live in is pretty rural, and we are bordered in back and on one side by acres of woods. On this particular night, we stepped out onto the deck and found what looked like the whole woods on fire, right up to the fence. There is a standard two-word response to situations like this, and after uttering it I went inside and called for the fire department. I put on some clothes and went back outside, where I found the dogs still on the deck, staring at the fire, and eager to get back inside.

There was a slight breeze blowing our way, and by now the fire was inside the fence, fifty feet from the house. Pine straw around trees was burning, as was the firewood stacked along the fence. This was getting interesting. It was nothing like those fires we see out west every summer, with a fifty foot wall of flame bearing down on you, but it could get your attention at two in the morning.

The garden hose put out the fire in the yard and pushed it back from the fence. The firemen arrived, took a look and called for backup. Before it was over there were three pumper trucks pouring water on the fire. It was the most excitement that neighborhood has seen since Sherman came through. By four o’clock it was over and everyone went home. There was still time to get some sleep, but not before cleaning up the puddle the puppy left on the floor.

So, was the puppy a hero or did he just have to pee. Here at Critter Chatter World Headquarters we have a simple rule – when the facts and the legend don’t agree, we go with the legend. So the hero puppy had to have a new name. Truth is he didn’t even have a name; we just called him ‘the puppy’ or Pupster. Now he needed a real name to go with his new hero status. After tossing around a number of possibilities, Sparky was the choice.

Now Sparky needs a home. He is five months old and is much improved, but he needs to be with someone who can work with him a lot. If you think that you are that someone and would like to know more about Sparky, call 404-250-4328 and leave a number. We’ll get back to you.

This took place in May 2004, and the puppy stayed with us for the rest of the year. The name Sparky never took, and he went back to being called The Pupster. During that time he grew up, lost most of his bad habits and became a really nice dog. Finally, in January 2005, he found a new home with Suzi Beaumont and her husband Walt (Suzi owns BeauCreations Web Design the manages the Critter Chatter website). After giving a lot of thought to a new name, they decided that The Pupster was a good name and kept it.

Updates on The Pupster:
     The Pupster Finds a Home
     PupVideo (on BeauCreations web site)