DOPEY

Dad only mentioned one dog from his youth, Dopey.

According to Dad, Dopey was smarter than most people and tough as a peach orchid boar.

On the "tough" part, Dad said Dopey waged many a battle with other dogs in his life and never failed to win the upper hand.

Dad also talked about Grandaddy instructing the dog to "guard" the smaller children when they were outside or in the field with the family. According to the story, the Dopey would faithfully guard the child from all hazard of any kind.

Dad also swore that they dog had a capacious vocabulary. He said that he or Grandaddy could tell the dog to bring a tool or other object to them, and the dog would find the sought item and bring it shortly.

Dad's favorite such story had to do with him making repairs to the roof of Grandaddy's barn. Dad had climbed a ladder to get on top of the barn, but forgot to bring a hammer. He whistled for Dopey and told him to bring the hammer. Dad got busy on the roof, but in a bit he turned around and there was Dopey on the barn roof with the hammer in his mouth. To Dad's amazement, the dog had negotiated the ladder with no difficulty. Dad didn't say how Dopey got back down on the ground?