Trapper
(The Wonder Dog)
Trapper was about 1 year old when circumstances forced me to move back home with my parents for a time. Trapper and my roommate had become very close but I was the one who could provide for him, so he went with me. The first night he was in my parent's home we had come in late and the folks were asleep. We quietly made our way to bed. All was well. Early the next morning my mother decided that she wanted to see the new arrival to the household. Quietly, not to disturb me, she opened the door and started to enter the room. Trapper immediately became defensive … hackles went up, teeth became visible and his growl woke me. I scolded him and introduced him to everyone in the house. Even though we had lived together for some time he was never really my dog but now a commitment had been made (he was ready to protect me). Any serious consideration to give him away was gone.
Remember Trapper had lived with Radar and that little dog hated the cold and or to be put outside and was constantly having accidents in the house. Trapper, subsequently, was not really housebroken. When asked by my parents I simply said that he was housebroken, yes I lied. Working weekend nights I was forced to leave him at home and risk him having accidents on my parents oriental rugs. I opted to chain him in the back yard only to find that he barked the entire first night I had left him. Now I had a dilemma; anger the neighbors with barking all night or honk off my parents with Trapper spots on their rugs. I took a chance and allowed him to stay in the house at night when I went to work. I warned him - "NO accidents or we are gonna be in it DEEP". He never had an accident in my parent's house (unless he was sick and that couldn't be helped).
There used to be a weekly poker game at my house in Lebanon every Monday night (so we could watch football too). My brother Ray would host it and would provide food and refreshments for all. One of the players, Dusty, owned a small grocery and would provide the lunchmeat. One Monday night Dusty arrived a little late and was making his way to the poker table and Trapper was lying in his way do what dogs do best; preening him self (licking his privates). Well Dusty couldn't resist commenting on this site: "well trapper, are you enjoying yourself?"
I couldn't resist the opportunity to utilize a joke I had heard recently and said "boy Dusty I'll bet you wish you could do that"? Dusty walked right into it … "sure I would" … "well Dusty you'd better pet him first!" The entire house roared and Dusty being the great guy he is just laughed right along.
One snowy Sunday in Fort Wayne, Indiana Trapper and I went to the radio station where I work. When we walked out the door to leave Trappy got excited about all the snow and began bounding threw the chest (his) high powder, like a dear navigates tall grass. Suddenly he came upon a drift he hadn't noticed and bounded right into it, disappearing completely. A split second later his head popped out of the snow was the white stuff covering his ears and nose and with a "what was that?" look on his face. I laughed until I cried and my side was literally bursting.
Here is story from Toni Kayumi-Cook (a co-worker and the morning partner of a good friend Chris Tyler)
It was my first week at WMEE. I'd just moved here from Detroit for the job, and didn't really know anyone in Fort Wayne. My new morning show partner Tyler rented a room at Jeff's place. One morning, as soon as we got off the air and finished up our production, Tyler asked me if I'd help look for Jeff's dog, which had run away.
I really didn't know Jeff well yet, and I'd never seen his dog, but we were out scouring the neighborhood yelling "Trapper!" Tyler and I drove around for hours, as did quite a few other jocks from the station. Eventually, Trappy turned up at a neighbor's, and Jeff brought him home.
I remember being impressed by the strong network of friends, who all worked at Fed Med Southat the time. The fact that all the jocks cared enough to stop what they were doing to go search for Trappy made me think highly about the guys I had just started to work with…
Moorzy remembers:
Yes, several people went searching for Trapper, and many of them never even told me that they had been out searching. Trapper was just that easy to care about.
When Trapper was found, my neighbor called the station to let me know. I was in a meeting with the Tony Richards (station GM), John Dille (owner of Federated Media) and my mother downtown at the Holiday Inn (at that time John, my mother and I were partners in the radio station). Knowing my concern (Trappy had never been lost overnight before), the station called and interrupted the meeting to let me know Trapper had been found. I turned relayed the good news and sat down to resume the meeting and John suggested that I leave and go get him, we could continue the meeting later. I declined the suggestion but, will never forget the kindness.
Here is a story my nephew Bill e-mailed to me:
Uncle Jeff,
The one story that really sticks in my head is as follows: One time out on Franklin Rd. It was before all of those houses were built, when there was still a big field. Pepper and Bruno (a black and yellow Labrador) were out in the field, and the 2 German Shepherds, who lived behind the field, came and started fighting with them. Uncle Jeff came along, saw what was happening and sent Trapper to put a stop to it. He charged out there like the champ that he was, full speed and chased them off. He actually scared the sh$t out of those big dogs. That was one amazing moment from Trapper the Wonder Dog, and one I'll never forget.
-BILL
Moorzy remembers:
After Trapper sent the other dogs running, tails between their legs, he strutted back and forth in front of the fence and then squatted down to relieve himself! Take That!