Trapper
(The Wonder Dog)
This site is dedicated to the best friend anyone could ever have.
I realize most people won't fully understand why I made this site. Those who know me and knew Trapper will. At this time there are few pictures, but I will add more when I get them scanned and some arrive from family and friends. Unfortunately there were not many pictures but whatever I find I will include. Whether you know me or not, please feel free to read on.
It was late spring in 1983 and I was working at a radio station in Middletown, Ohio. This station was in an old, old, huge house down a very long lane. The lane had several houses with their back yards lining about half of it. One bright sunny day one of my coworkers, Doug Johnson, rode his motorcycle to work. It turned out to be a sad day for Doug and one of the families that lived in one of those houses.
Doug had just finished his work for the day, it was about 3:30 in the afternoon and he mounted his bike for a pleasant, sunny ride home. We all had driven that lane many, many times never noticing much about the houses that lined it. It was pretty much the first day he had been able to ride his bike that year. Kind of excited and free at last from work and having great weather he accelerated his bike and oblivious to all around him. Suddenly from one of the houses back yard came a big beautiful collie chasing his bike and an accident could not be avoided.
It seems that the dog smashed into the side of his bike and was impaled on the brake pedal. The police and animal control had both arrived; this is about the time I got to work. Realizing there was nothing I could do and preferring not to witness the tortured faces of the dog's young masters, I opted to continue to work. Other than the accident, the day was uneventful. Little did I know that that particular event on that particularly beautiful spring day would be the start of a 16-year relationship.
When I returned the next day I discovered that Doug had felt so badly about the incident the day before that he and his wife had gone somewhere and found the cutest little collie mix breed puppy. It was their hope to present the animal to the family and relieve some of the pain of their loss, especially the children. After they presented the family with the dog, I learned that there was a possibility that the family might pass on keeping him permanently, but would allow him to stay the night while they decided. Knowing this, and really not expecting the family turn this adorable puppy away; I volunteered to take the animal if they didn't.
The next day I was a new puppy owner. I called home and let my roommate choose the name. I had named the other dog in our house and it was only fair that my roommate be allowed to name this one. The other dog, Radar, was named in honor of the character from the TV series M*A*S*H and I only offered 2 possibilities: Hawkeye or Trapper.
Being 12 weeks old and the same size as the full-grown Radar, I knew things would get interesting. Trapper was trusting and fun loving. He and Radar would play in the yard of our rental property and while Radar stayed close to the house Trapper would venture closer to the road by the fence. When we would call them in, Trapper would just come-a-running and Radar, being older and wiser and a little jealous and mischievous, would lie in wait. As Trapper would approach the house at a full run Radar would run at him from the side and bite his front paws and Trapper would just go flying head over heels. It was hysterical.
As time went on, Trapper began to realize that he was about twice the size of Radar and would no longer tolerate this abuse (it only took about 10-12 weeks). Finally, one day he was running to the house and Radar came running ready to do his nasty little deed and Trapper, now more assured, turned strait at Radar and bowled him over. With Radar soundly put in his place Trapper showed that he was a proud and confident being and pranced, with tail held high, in a circle around his conquest.
The following are just some of the stories that made Trapper one of the most loving, proud, charming and honorable souls I have ever known.
[If you knew trapper and want to add your "trapper story" (any story in which trapper added to or enhanced an event) or a photograph, please just email it to me at Moorzy1@aol.com. These stories appear in no particular order. It is my hope that you will enjoy or will be touched by this site]