The Best Dog in the Whole World

DICKENS

Dickens, a much loved blue-eyed Jack Russell Terrier passed away Monday, June 29, 2009 less than two weeks after his 15th birthday.

He was born on a pork farm in Bryan, Ohio to Molly and Hooch on June 17, 1994. Adopted at 8 weeks old by Rose and Jim, he was immediately loved beyond measure. It was apparent, even at such an early age, that he was no ordinary dog. He was smart as the dickens, cute as the dickens and full of the dickens so they had no choice but to name him “Dickens.”

He was a fearless puppy who managed to swagger all of his 2 lb. 15 oz. among numerous children and grown dogs. He delighted in being chased by big dogs, turning on a dime and watching them all run into each other. He was able to terrorize stuffed animals twice his size and reduce giant

oatmeal boxes to rubble in a matter of minutes. Rocks were a particular favorite, the bigger the better, and as he grew older he would swim for hours after rocks that were tossed into the water. If the water wasn’t too deep he would completely submerge himself until he came up with the rock in his mouth, thus scaring the wits out of his parents.

Dickens also loved to swim after tennis balls. As a matter of fact he loved all kinds of balls and developed an unusual talent. No matter where his parents took him, if he ran off into the woods or under a bush or into a ditch he would come out with a ball. Tennis balls, baseballs, softballs, golf balls, lacrosse balls, rubber balls, footballs and once, even a deflated basketball! It was uncanny and brought him much attention. His toy box was full of balls. At one point he owned over 80 tennis balls, none of them purchased. Occasionally his mother would put all the balls in the washing machine which so excited him that he would sit in front of the washer and bark until the load was complete. He would also try to climb in after them which earned him the nickname, “Knucklehead.”

When he was a puppy he taught Rose and Jim to play “Maroon Ball.” He had them sit at opposite ends of their living room/dining room and spin tennis balls between them. He would tirelessly chase the balls back and forth, back and forth. Later, he expanded this game to larger arenas where he would easily catch balls in his mouth. He could do this over and over and over. Even more remarkable, he invented a game called “Dogfish” in which he would not relinquish a ball and instead, hold unto it so his dad could raise him high off the ground where he would dance the hula. This never failed to delight his friends.

When he was two years old his parents bought him a pick-up truck with vanity plates and it became known as the “Dickensmobile.” He loved to go for rides, especially if it meant an adventure was in store. Hiking, swimming, ball games, inspecting fire hydrants—these were among his favorite pursuits.

He briefly tried Agility Training but decided that the 50 minute classes were 10 minutes too long. Every single week he would firmly sit down after 40 minutes and refuse to budge. The instructor, recognizing his unique talents, suggested a movie career instead. Alas, it was not to be. However, he did have a small brush with fame when he was a puppy. At Silver Lake in Hollis, he met a four year old girl who taught him to sit using goldfish crackers and the sort of delightful bossiness possessed solely by 4 year olds. She grew up to become JoJo, the teen singer and actress, probably never knowing she had a devoted canine fan.


Dickens also enjoyed quieter pursuits such as playing "Motorcycle Dog" wherein he would sit on his dad’s lap while Jim pretended his ears were handlebars and made loud motorcycle noises. The women of the family never really understood this but it delighted the boys no end. The ladies did, however, understand Dickens’ love of food. He encouraged his mother’s interest in cooking and was happy to sample anything she made. She often tried to distract him with carrots, red peppers and green beans but he knew the difference between vegetables and homemade dog biscuits and let her know he wasn’t fooled for a minute. His youthful figure eventually gave way to a more distinguished look and led to a series of additional nicknames—among them “Meatball,” “Pork Chop” and “Rump Roast.” He always enjoyed the joke and was happy to answer to anything, especially if there was a treat involved.

His 15th Birthday, June 17, 2009

Dickens went full tilt until the last year of his life. His handsome fur turned nearly all white but remained soft as silk, his ears like velvet. His hearing diminished and his beautiful blue eyes became cloudy. He no longer had the energy for walks or chasing snow balls. He preferred to sleep and eat and be held. He celebrated his 15th birthday quietly with his friends, Susi and Selleck, and his family. A week later he became ill and despite the efforts of his wonderful vets he let everyone know he was ready to leave this world.

He leaves behind his heartbroken parents, his younger sister, Jane, his grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and numerous friends and admirers all of whom will miss his joyful and loving personality.

Dickens has been cremated and services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please give your dogs extra hugs and say a little blessing for all the puppies in the world.