With COVID and the current outbreaks of leptospirosis and canine influenza, I’ve been very cautious about taking Henry out. Now that we’re vaccinated, I’m making up for lost time.
I’ve started taking him all over the neighborhood. It’s funny how some people will look at us strangely, as if something’s off.
ELBEE Could it be her 80’s hair?
Some don’t seem to recognize me without Gus and Stanley.
. Others will kind of hesitate before asking, “Where are they?”
Socializing with a large, sometimes goofy, puppy can be very interesting, especially if that puppy likes to stop and stare at people.
HENRY Is she talking about me?
ELBEE Yes. Get used to it.
Thanks to Henry, I met some very nice neighbors around the corner. In the past we’ve just smiled and waved but the other morning Henry stopped in his tracks to watch them unloading groceries from their car. When it became obvious that he wasn’t going to move until they paid attention to him, they started laughing and walked over.
As I introduced him, they immediately said, “That’s our grandson’s name.” That led to talk about families and then, of course, the conversation turned to dogs. They had lost theirs several months ago and were thinking it was almost time for a new one. Meeting Henry gave them a little more incentive.
And what’s the chance that the next day I’d meet someone else with a grandson 
named Henry? Up until now the only Henry in my life was one of my oldest and dearest friends (we go back to junior high) whose real name is Elliott but whom I call Henry. That’s a whole different story for another day
ELBEE I’m on the edge of my seat.
It was a woman I’ve known casually for years. I usually stop to chat when she’s outside gardening. As we walked by, she called out, “Who’s the new one?” I answered “This is Henry.” She smiled and said, “That’s my grandson’s name.”
She was curious as to what kind of dog he was. When I told her he was a mix of Poodle and Great Pyrenees, her smile grew even bigger. Coincidentally, her grandson Henry’s family had recently gotten two Great Pyrenees.
Her grandson was so happy with the dogs that he began his Bar Mitzvah speech talking about them. He felt that it was very special to have them together because they would always have companionship and love. When his speech turned to Noah’s ark, he said he believed that Noah led the animals two by two not just to reproduce, but to keep them from feeling alone.
As she was telling me the story, I thought how great it was that something as simple as the name Henry could lead to such meaningful conversations. His demeanor also helps. He’s a little calmer and more watchful like the Great Pyrenees who are often used to guard sheep.
HENRY What’s a sheep?
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