My Afternoon With One Very Famous Dog...
Who knew when I was doing some spring cleaning a few weeks ago, that I would get a four-legged visitor... who made himself at home in our garage.
Dear 'ol Wallace is Johnny Reid's beloved pooch. And boy, has he got some stories to tell!
I'll have to get Johnny to fill me in on more of the details first, but remind me to tell you about the day that Wallace saved Johnny from a burning building. I remember Johnny saying it was back before he was married, and something about the dog dragging him to safety. (Not sure how much of that might be embellished. More later...)
So while I was cleaning out the garage (and since I'm such a dog lover), I felt compelled to snap a few pictures of Wallace enjoying some shade and icy cool floors on one very hot day in Tennessee.
Enjoy!
Notice how I had to sweep around him?... Once he found his spot on the cool cement floor, Wallace wasn't budging!
Wallace is quite old, and he's starting to show his age a bit. A sweet old man... that's what he is. (Here, his top lip is positioned funny... I think I woke him up!)
I thought maybe he was thirsty... so I got him a bowl of water. Nope. He hardly drank any. I think he just wanted to hang out on the cool floor of our garage.
Ahhh... I found the secret. Dog treats! Wallace remained in my garage (I didn't close the door in case he wanted to go home) for hours on this day. I'd check on him every hour or so & toss him a few dog treats...
Now, why is this dog so famous, you ask? Because not only is he Johnny Reid's dog, he is also featured in the liner notes on Johnny's newest CD called "Kicking Stones"...
(Johnny Reid is looking a little like James Dean in this photo, but Wallace is just bein' Wallace!)
Anyone who has had a beloved old dog "pass" out of their lives will understand and appreciate the words in Johnny's "farewell to Wallace" song. As Johnny says in his intro , "No one told me that I would have to say Good-bye". Tears were flowing freely at his concert in McBride, B.C. when he sang this song.
Johnny expresses like no one else could, the special bond between man and his dog. It is one of those songs that no matter how many times you hear it, you will cry like it was the first time. Thanks for posting those great pictures.
Thanks Lynnette....I have too heard Johnny sing "My Old Friend" in tribute of Wallace...such a touching song of a man and his best friend. Thanks for posting the story and the pics.
I was surfing and found this 2007 article about Wallace. You knew a famous dog when you saw one. For those who have been to a Johnny Reid concert this fall (2008) you will hear Johnny sing a new song that he wrote about Wallace. "My Old Friend" is a tribute to this beloved dog who recently passed away.