The Littlest Hobo

[Dover]

Okay, I'm dating myself ... but did anyone here watch the show The Littlest Hobo when they were a kid?
The show premiered in the early 60's and was revived in the late 70's so it ran for quite a span of time.
As I remember it, it was about a dog who was basically on the road all the time and would serendipidously
wander into people's lives and change them for the better. He was kind of like a wandering holy man...lol.
Anyway, I just loved it. I see the series is available to watch online and is sold in DVD form too. I think the
series was based on a movie.

The funny thing is that I had a dog come into my life in much the same way and stay about a year. He was
not quite a stray. I learned over that year that he was with me that he actually had stayed with several
different people within about 10 miles of me. And they all adored him, but he was like the wind and couldn't
be tied down.
When he first arrived and adopted me I took him, with some difficulty (apparently he did not have experience traveling in cars) to the vet and discovered he had the early stages of heart worm. I was so relieved that it was treatable and he recovered nicely.
He was such a handsome dog and even looked somewhat like the dog in the series. Regal, independent, confident, funny and gregarious . He stole everyone's hearts. He could not, would not be fenced or kept on a leash and yet he never strayed from my unfenced yard and always walked close to me. A friend who was trimming my trees observed that wherever I was the dog had his eye
on me. He was so highly intelligent and communicative that I almost didn't need words. He was indeed very special.

Toward the end of our time together I could tell he was restless and just knew he would be leaving me soon. I was heartbroken.
I loved him so much but I really sensed a mission in him though I knew not what it was. He began to leave the property for longer and longer periods of time. I put a collar on him with my address though I knew it was useless. Sure enough I was contacted
a few times by concerned people and I would go retrieve him. It seemed like each time I was contacted he had gone
further away. I know this part might be upsetting to some of you here. You might feel that I should have done more to keep
him with me rather than leaving him to be exposed to the dangers 'out there'. But you didn't know him like I did. He was a force
of nature and there was no other way .... if you loved him the way I did. This tested a part of me that desperately wanted to
hold on despite what every part of me understood about this dog. And I do believe he'd have rather died free and on his 'mission'
than being kept against his will in a fenced enclosure.

And so, one day he left and never came back. I think I cried for a month.

Life gives and takes away...and not long after he was gone another stray dog showed up. He is my second love and very much a home body whose only mission seems to be to stick around me. This is his choice. There are no fences or leashes.


Here are a couple of links if you're curious about the Hobo series:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Littlest_Hobo

http://www.amazon.com/Littlest-Hobo-TV-Collection-Vol/dp/B00075146C



Maybe the theme song will spark your memory:

&feature=related

[Angry Dragon]

1. ...............

[iscooterliberally]

2. Thanks for the thread Dover!

I vaguely remember the name of this show. I was born in the early 60s though. I had my own little hobo at one time, but we were both hobo's together. Actually, he had a job and I didn't really. He rode in a delivery van that sold live stock to pet stores, like tropical fish and gold fish. He would ride in the van and not let anyone in. We had to leave the vans running with the AC on so the fish wouldn't die. Then I started playing in a band full time and he would go to all our gigs and guard the extra gear in the truck. We'd walk him on breaks and he would come into the bars after closing. He ended up retiring with me and pretty much adopted me and lived out his years. He made it to 100 in dog years. My heart broke too when he had to go. I have a whole crew now. My own department of homeland security. I didn't want a dog when my 'hobo' showed up, but now I can't live without them.

[Dover]

3. Sounds like you two were meant for each other.

Yep, dogs are just remarkable companions and teachers. I've learned so much through my animals.

[iscooterliberally]

4. I forgot to add that my wife married me so she could have the dog too, and then...

...the dog and I were adopted by a cat. Here they are...

[Dover]

5. Ooooooo....be still my heart.

He looks remarkably like my 'littlest hobo' his face and ears especially. He was also tri-colored but larger percentage was black.
And what a beautiful silver tabby! You must be pretty cute too for them all to adopt you. I'll bet they've taught you a few tricks too....hahaha!

[iscooterliberally]

6. The dog's name is Cisco and his side kick is 'Miss Taz The Puppycat'.

Cisco was about 75% Chow and 25% Pit Bull. I know this because I saw his 'paternal grandmother' (I don't know what the canine term for that is). I still have Taz, and she does love her puppies. I don't think I'm cute, just an old softie. The wife took me to the pet store after a few beers one afternoon. I went to get all the food we needed for the critters and she went to the kitten cage and picked up the last one. I was standing in line with no intention of getting another animal when Taz lept out of my wifes arms and shot up onto my shoulder. She stuck her little nose right in my ear and purred with all her might. I was a goner. I just plunked her down on the big bag of food and said, 'add her to my bill'. The pet store told us she was a boy, but when we went to the vet to get 'him' fixed, we found out otherwise. The rest as they say, is history.

[Guy Montag]

7. Thankies much for this, it was my favorite show while it was on.

OK, so I'm outted as a Boomer too. So sue me.