RALPH

Anyone who visits our office regularly is familiar with Ralph….our resident guard dog.

The “big ol German Shepard behind the front desk” He had a variety of greetings for you; most of them intended to make you jump and quickly snatch your cat carrier off the counter.

You probably were too startled at the time to notice he was wagging his tail. And if he managed to get a hiss out of your cat…I believe he surely would have grinned if he could.

Ralph came to us rather suddenly one day. He was previously a client whose nature was a bit unruly. He was owned by an elderly couple who had to bring him in before hours began for his annual checkups. He was not as social as some of your pets. We could not get him into one of the exam rooms, he just refused to cooperate. Dr. Simpson would examine Ralph in the waiting room with a muzzle firmly in place. As this handsome dog would exit, a sigh of relief could be heard through the building.

A dramatic change came about for this couple and they found they had to move back to New York City. They tried and they tried, but could not find an apartment that would take Ralph. His “unruly” nature made him an unlikely candidate for adoption. In desperation, this couple approached Doc. A few veterinary clinics in the area had recently been broken into, so Doc thought perhaps we could use a guard dog. When he told us the news we were…horrified.

He came to us wary and unsure. Everything in his life had changed. His people were no where to be found. His environment went from quiet to constant chaos with people, dogs and the nemesis cats coming and going all day long. We tried to establish a comfortable spot for him that he could feel was home base. We quickly found out that Ralph can open any handle, any door knob and safety latch designed by man. Ralph was going to go where Ralph wanted to go. Each morning Doc would be fuming about yet another door knob with teeth marks in it.

We would look at Doc and say”but…you are the one who wanted him here”.

For the longest time he would only trust 2 of the staff members. One a technician, the other a receptionist. Which is how he came to reside behind the front desk. We could not have him wandering the hospital freely during office hours. We could not confine him successfully. Ralph decided to become a receptionist. We left all the doors open for him at night so he could roam freely and Doc could stop grumbling about doorknobs. His last doorknob attempt got him locked in the foyer after hours. Fortunately for him a staff member driving down the road noticed German Shepard ears showing through the door window. After that he was content to stay put. His presence did thwart an attempted break in. The door was damaged but no entry was made. Thank you Ralph.

Over a period of time he transitioned in a remarkable way. He became affectionate with us, enjoying his attention. He still had his rowdy moments but became a wonderful part of our daily lives. He gave us a feeling of safety during our late nights knowing he would protect us. He had come to love us as we did him.

One of Ralph’s favorite pastimes was strolling crossed the railroad tracks towards the park. He loved basketballs. (and popped more than a few) He had strong feelings about wheels and much to our chagrin would bark furiously at every bicycle and baby stroller we happened to pass. His favorite snack was carrots. We will miss those walks.

We lost our beloved Ralph today. His body was failing and his brown eyes were telling us he was tired. We took him for one more walk supporting his failing legs. We held him and stroked him as he closed his eyes for the last time. He left us feeling our love. He left an empty space behind the desk and sadness in our hearts. He was a fine dog. November 19, 2005