![]() They might rouse themselves to bark at a passing dog. (15) If the weather was fine, the dogs would spend much of the morning dozing in the yard. Julius and Stanley carried the concoctions to the backyard and settled in for a deliberate gnaw, after which they were spent, and needed to refresh themselves with a long rest. I prepared a sandwich for each, taking two big rawhide chews and slathering a layer of peanut butter in between. (13) Despite their historic roles as hunting dogs, however, they disdained rain and snow, and in inclement weather mastered a convenient hundred-yard dash to the nearest tree, then turned and hustled back inside. Our walks were tranquil, interrupted only by a stream of friends and admirers, from dog buddies to school-bus drivers. (12) For a half hour or so, the dogs proceeded at such stately paces and behaved so dependably that I was free to think about the coming day, what I wanted to write, how I wanted to write it. A rabbit could hop right by-and sometimes did-without interrupting them. Nothing could rush them they’d go over every millimeter of a sapling’s bark, undistractedly, until satisfied. Certain shrubs and rocks were always carefully inspected, each at a quite deliberate pace, the only area in which they would not compromise. (11) After breakfast, the early walk through our pleasant suburban neighborhood was leisurely, Julius and Stanley forensically sniffing along behind. ![]() After I was up and dressed, they sat quietly and attentively beneath the kitchen table, staring hypnotically at their food bowls, as if the power of their gazes would conjure up something tasty. (10) In the morning, neither dog moved a muscle until I did then both slithered into bed for a family cuddle. Their chosen work was to reflect on the state of the world, lick neighborhood kids, and accompany me through midlife. Both disdained traditional canine tasks such as pursuing squirrels or rabbits, digging, or destroying property. (9) Their great genius was doing nothing in particular with great style and dedication. Neither dog had much interest in running around. (8) Our lifestyles, as they say, meshed perfectly. Both dogs were housebroken within days, settling happily into hours of rawhide-chewing. (7) It was a happy relationship from the first, and it only grew better, more comfortable. Julius was initially dubious about this new pest he had to contend with, but within a couple of days the two Labs loved each other as much as I loved them both, and they loved me and my family and, well, everybody who passed by. (6) My daughter and I returned with tiny, heart-melting Stanley. I was just looking, I assured my muttering and incredulous wife, Paula, who’d dragged Julius’s old plastic dog crate out of the basement, ready to house its new resident, before I’d left the driveway. ![]() (5) A year later, the breeder called and invited me to take a ride with my daughter to see the new litter. (4) Julius became mine, of course, the two of us bonding as if by Krazy Glue. (3) Although I bought the dog with my daughter in mind, she was soon playing computer games and collecting garish-looking dolls, and I was out in the chill winter mornings cheering and exulting when a puzzled but earnest puppy took a dump outside. ![]() I carry the look on her face in my memory, and while there are times when I can’t remember what day of the week it is, I can always recall the wonder and joy in her eyes as if it had just happened. My daughter was young, and while there are different viewpoints about this, I personally don’t believe there’s a more rewarding moment for a parent than handing a happy, squirming, doe-eyed Lab puppy over to a small kid. They were handsome, loyal, utterly dependable, and affectionate. (2) Julius and Stanley embodied the noblest characteristics of their proud breed. (1) We hardly had a bad moment, the three of us, so neatly did we fit together, interlocking pieces of the puzzle that is the varied partnership between humans and dogs. ![]() Read the excerpt and answer the questions that follow. In A Dog Year, Jon Katz writes about the strong bond that develops between him and his two yellow Labrador retrievers, Julius and Stanley. ![]()
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