A Dog Gets His Day, and His Say

Publishing bark outs:

Happy to announce that my book will be out next spring. My publisher has listed it for pre-order so please share this information with your public and school libraries. An e-version will also be available at some point. http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-7120-1

Last Wednesday, I was thrilled to accept my “Best Author” award from Ocean Happening On-Line Magazine at a terrific event http://ocean.happeningmag.com/photos-2013-happening-list-bash#1.

It is always so rewarding to be recognized for your work, and I again thank all of those responsible for this honor. Now, one week later, Teddy and I prepare for our 15-minute segment with Tracie Hotchner for her Radio Pet Lady Network, a prize that was won by Teddy when he was voted Cutest Spokespet. Although one prepares for interviews with care, once the interview begins, you never know where it will go. Therefore, I asked Teddy, “What would you say if you could be interviewed?” and this is what he wrote. (The actual interview will air the evening of November 27th, while most are preparing for Thanksgiving feasts).

Hi everyone,

I would like to thank you all for electing me Cutest Spokespet in the fun contest sponsored by the Radio Pet Lady, Tracie Hotchner. The competition sure was fur-ocious, with so many adorable contestants!

Mom loves that photo of me that she entered on Tracie’s site (see above) because she says my expression shows everyone how sweet and soulful I am. She calls me her, “stray that came to stay.” I wasn’t a stray roaming the streets, but a pet that had strayed from the physical and emotion care of my humans; they just couldn’t provide the time and attention I needed.

I was Mom’s foster dog, rescued by a group called Oodles of Doodles Rescue Collective, when one of their dedicated volunteers learned I was losing my home. After just a few days of staying with my foster parents, however, it became clear we were all looking at a long-term commitment. I never left.

My mom, by-the-way, is dog-blogger and author, Lisa Begin-Kruysman. Many have enjoyed her short story collection, Something Lost and Must be Found, which is filled with thought-provoking tales filled with dogs. Her next book, Dog’s Best Friend (McFarland & Co.-2014), tells the true-story of Captain William Lewis Judy, the man who published Dog World Magazine for five decades.

Captain Will Judy, as he was called, greatly influenced America’s current fascination with man’s best friend. In the 1940s and 50s, he condemned all those involved with organized dog-fighting, warned that dogs should not be sold like grocery items in a store, and spoke out against what he called “puppy factories,” now known as Puppy Mills.

In 1928, Will Judy launched National Dog Week as a means to officially acknowledge all the ways dogs serve mankind, and to urge humans to be more responsible for our welfare. One of the early slogans for National Dog Week was ‘A Good Home for Every Dog,’ but over the years, Will Judy came to the conclusion that not every home was a good one for a dog. He began to write about the spiritual and emotional lives of dogs, and asked those who wished to share their homes with us, to understand and respect those needs.

My mom says that when people say to her, “How could anyone give up such a cute little dog?” she reminds them that sometimes life gets hard and bad things happen; people get sick, lose their jobs, get deployed to serve our nation; hurricanes and floods ruin homes and businesses. She knows it must have been very sad for my humans to surrender me, but she says that they were being truly responsible in allowing me to have a better life with another family.

Will Judy said the only thing that kept dogs from being equal to humans was their lack of thumbs, and an “alfabet” (he liked to spell silly). He thought most dogs had better characters than most humans! As a young man, was trained to be his town’s minister, and they were not too pleased when life took him in another direction around the world. But his training never really left him, and you can see this influence in his inspirational messages such as, “Try to be the god on earth, the all-powerful and all-mighty your dog thinks you are. Never let him learn his mistake.”

As you all prepare for Thanksgiving, and the holiday season, please take time to be thankful for what is good in your life, be the best human you can be, and, most importantly, remember to save some leftovers for us (and then take us for long walks). Thank you again for all your votes and love.

With much gratitude,

Teddy Kruysman

P.S. Mom says to check out her blog’s ‘About’ section, her Facebook page, dedicated to National Dog Week, and her author’s page, to find out about all her writing news, books, and good “dog stuff!” Please remember to LIKE those pages, too!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Dog-Week/218596591491974
https://www.facebook.com/LisaBeginKruysmanAuthorAndArtist

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