In October 1999 we received the letter below from Dennis Ruttan on Vancouver Island. We enjoyed his story so much that we asked him to send us more. He sent “How to Train Your Partner” and then he informed us his writing career was over but his partner Jake (his toy poodle) had some stories to tell about their life on the road.

Dennis has been writing stories through the eyes of Jake the Trucker since December 1999.

Dennis’s Letter to the Editor:

            Hi John, I thought I would send you a story that I think might give other drivers a little chuckle.

            My company is called POODLE TRANSPORT LTD and I have a toy poodle called Jake who has traveled with me for the last 7 years. He is a great partner and although we have had a few draws, I still haven’t lost an argument to him. He is smart, doesn’t shed, is great to travel with and most women say he is cute, which is a great icebreaker. Jake has introduced me to more people at rest stops and around town that I could ever have met on my own.

            Lately we have taken on a new partner, April, a white toy poodle. She is a year old and has some bad habits that Jake and I are trying to correct. Jake has been with me since he was 3 months old so he is truck and traffic wise. That isn’t to say he hasn’t had his troubles. Like the time he left the truck at 50mph via the driver side window.

            We had just left Blaine border crossing on Saturday morning hauling a load of lumber headed up Hwy 17. Jake was watching some cows out his window when he looked over and saw a dog on my side.  I had my window down so when he jumped into my lap and then against what he thought was the window, he flew right out.

            I pulled the maxi’s on and bailed out. The truck was coming to a stop as I hit the road. What a sight I must have been. I had my right cowboy boot on, (I always drive with my left boot off), a pair of sweat pants on and as I pulled my sweat shirt off to rap around Jake, my hair flew out of its pony tail. So here I am running down the road with 1 boot on, sweat pants, no shirt and hair flying all over the place. The cars passing by all looked at me like the sixties had done me in.

            I scooped Jake up in my shirt, ran back to the truck, set him on the passenger seat and started off headed for Arrons Animal Clinic on the corner of Highway Number 10 and 176 in Cloverdale.

            I had tears as big as horse turds rolling down my face, cursing at myself for not being more careful with the window. I turned the corner onto number 10, stopped right there in the slow lane and ran Jake over to the clinic.

            I told the girl what happened and she rushed me to an examination room, I set Jake on the table and when the vet took my shirt off him, he just laid there. I figured he was gone. The vet opened Jake’s eye and Jake gave a little shake and stood up.

            The vet checked him out and said that he had his bell rung big time but other than a small cut and a dislocated him he was fine. About this time the vet saw my truck blocking the slow lane across the street and he asked if it was mine. I said yes and in reference to the tears on my cheeks he said, “I thought truckers were supposed to be tough.”

            “Well”, I said, “There’s nothing like thinking your best friend has gone, to bring a few tears.”

            Jake never jumps at a window now with out checking to make sure it’s closed and April, she is coming along quite well with the help of Jake and his Flamboyant demonstrations of the hazards of trucking.

Dennis, Jake and April.