Basil the Special Dog (Updated, Part III)
Author’s Note: Here’s the latest draft of my childrens’ book. Any comments or constructive feedback more than welcome.
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This is my dog Basil.
He’s a big old friendly dog.
But sometimes he behaves kind of funny.
He’s…well…a “special” kind of dog.
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When some dogs bark, they go “Yap! Yap!”, “Woof Woof” or “Bow Wow”.
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Basil is so special, he goes “Nee! Nee!”
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Some dogs are afraid of the vacuum cleaner
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Basil is so special, he’s afraid of the barbecue.
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Some dogs like to dig in the garden
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Basil is so special, he’ll destroy the flowers, even before they’re planted.
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Some dogs get excited when they ride in a car…
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Basil gets so excited, he once smashed the car windshield WITH HIS HEAD!
Of course, Basil’s head is so hard, that he was okay
But my Dad was not too happy.
Dad says Basil is sometimes a few bricks short of a full load
I don’t know what that means.
Maybe that Basil might not be too smart.
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Some dogs like to chase squirrels
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Basil is so special, he likes to catch mice instead.
Then he holds them in his mouth…
and brings them back to us, unharmed.
(Mummy isn’t too happy when he does this, though.)
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Some dogs like to play tug-of-war
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Basil likes tug-of-war too.
But he really, REALLY likes it.
Especially when Uncle Mike comes by and gives him an airplane spin.
….TO BE CONTINUED.
Explore posts in the same categories: Uncle Friar's Bedtime StoriesTags: Basil the Special Dog, bedtime story, children's book, dogs, dogs and kids, humor, yellow lab
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The Deep Friar 
September 11, 2008 at 9:06 am
I had a dog like that. Her name was Shadow, she was a chocolate lab….full of energy, but lacking a bit in the grey matter up top!
September 11, 2008 at 9:46 am
I think I’m becoming addicted to Basil. I had a beagle who would become so absorbed in tracking that she would come home with her nose rubbed raw!
September 11, 2008 at 9:59 am
hahaha, Uncle Mike….That looks like my son Michael and my dog Maggie. He can spin her so hard I worry that her teeth are going to fall out!
September 11, 2008 at 10:01 am
Oh man, this totally made my morning 🙂
My special dog is afraid of everything from frying food to fireworks.
September 11, 2008 at 11:03 am
I swear the sequel to this could be “My Friend Brett’s Cat Bill”
Last night, the cat got stuck in the litter box. So he started thrashing around. A 15-pound cat.
Until he broke the top off the box (covered box).
But when he tried to run away, the top of the litter box was still on him… so he ran around banging into walls, like some kind of insane turtle…
Yep. That’s Bill.
September 11, 2008 at 11:24 am
Friar: The new parts are excellent! I really see this being successful.
I can totally relate to some of these. I used to be able to spin Lucy outside when she was younger (she’s too smart now. She lets go and gets cranky if I don’t play right)! She also loved it when I swung her by the rope around the kitchen, her feet sliding on the slippery floor. If Colin had the rope and he was sitting in a chair, she’d grab onto it and pull him around (he’s 6’3″, 230 lbs) still in the armchair! her absolute favourite game is chasing the laser light. I love how happy she gets!! Every time she sees us with a pen, she starts cocking her head, pointedly looking at the floor, repeatedly. It’s hilarious.
She’s afraid of those hair clips that look like jaws and also loves to bite and bark at the lawnmower and vacuum cleaner.
@ Brett: AHAHAHAHA! Oh yeah, there has to be a follow-up book on Bill. Too hilarious!
September 11, 2008 at 12:01 pm
@Sal
I love labs…..especially the chocolate ones (For some reason, they seem to be more mental than the yellow and black ones!).
@Panther
Yep, Beagles are a quasi-mental breed, just like Labs.
And yes, I’m HOPING people become addicted to Basil. 🙂
@Wendi
Some experts say that you shouldn’t teach a dog to play tug-of-war, it teaches them to be aggressive.
Hogwash. There’s NOTHING like a good tug-o-war game with a hyper dog…how can anything so much FUN be bad? The dogs just LOVE it.
PS. The real-life Basil weighed over 100 lbs, so it took quite a bit of strength to swing him so that all four paws left the ground.
@Narcissus
Being afraid of fireworks, I can understand. But frying food?
Now THAT’S special !! 😀
@Brett
Your cat cracks me up…! A few fries short of a Happy Meal, he is! (But very friendly, so he’s alright).
Except when he shits on your couch, that is.
@Steph
Lucy sounds a bit too intelligent for mindless tug of war (i.e. gets cranky if you don’t play “right”).
I love it when dogs chase lasers. It’s like generations of cross-breeding have hard-wired them to do this (Even though portable lasers came out 15 years ago).
September 11, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Like Brett, I only have cat stories (good one Brett!!). One of my cats (and she was the smart one) used to chew on wires, clothes, dish towels.
One night she chewed a little too hard on a wire and got *zapped*. She was fine but not a happy camper. (I think she was embarrassed). 🙂
I had to put garden hose around every wire in my apartment after that.
(nice installment Friar)
September 11, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I like the mouse. And the squirrel. 🙂
Story is coming along nicely.
September 11, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Adorable, in a good way.
September 11, 2008 at 1:44 pm
@Karen JL
Hahahah! That reminds of of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, when the cat got fried and they found a corpse of burnt fur under the sofa!!!
Oh, I STILL need to set up a consulting/appointment time. I’ll email you tonight.
@Amy
Heh heh heh. As squirrels make my top ten list of asshole critters, I like annoying them (even on paper). 🙂
@Writer Dad
That’s GOOD to hear….I want this to be kid-friendly.
September 11, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I like it.
The only part that’s a little weak in my opinion is “he’s afraid of the barbecue.” I’m not sure why I think it’s weak. But it feels like you could say he’s afraid of something that would be even more ridiculous and would make a stronger statement. Maybe a completely quiet home appliance such as the fridge? I don’t know. I wish I could be more helpful!
Also, “Dad says Basil is a sometimes a few bricks short of a full load” – should be “Dad says Basil is sometimes a few bricks short of a full load”, right?
September 11, 2008 at 4:19 pm
@veredd
Thanks for the feedback! Always better to hear it first here (than from an editor later on).
My sister’s dog is TERRIFIED when someone irons clothes. (Because the Iron beeps when it’s heated up, and the dog freaks out). Maybe I coudl use that! 🙂
September 12, 2008 at 1:03 am
phew, I was nervous about giving real feedback. Glad you’re not mad at me. 🙂
September 12, 2008 at 1:10 am
@veredd..
Well, it wouldn’t be right if I asked for feedback at the beginning of my blog, then got ticked off afterwards, would it? 🙂
No, I appreciate your comments (I know this draft is far from perfect, and suggestions are always welcome).
September 12, 2008 at 8:23 am
Great additions, Friar!
My dog LOVES to chase chipmunks (I think she’s learned that she has no chance against squirrels; those bastards can climb trees!). I’m petrified of what she’d do it she ever caught one (she gets very close)!
I have a very small suggestion (take it or leave it):
Instead of “Basil is so special, he’ll destroy the flowers, even before they’re planted.”
How about “Basil is so special, he’ll destroy the flowers—even before they’re planted.”
The emdash may add a bit more emphasis than the comma. Just an idea –
Keep up the great work! And put me down for 10 copies once it’s in book form. I have a lot of nephews, nieces, and friends who would love to read this (me included)!
September 12, 2008 at 8:28 am
@Rebecca
Thanks for the comments. (I’ve been focussing on the plot and the sketches mostly, I admit the editing is a bit loose).
I like the em-dash. That’s a keeper.
I love it when dogs chase those rodents. It’s all good fun, and nobody gets hurt (Except with my buddy’s dog….who is so QUICK, he actually catches squirrles once in a while…(and it ain’t pretty!).
September 12, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Friar,
Thank you for more Basil. I think that Vered has a great point – Basil could be afraid of a toaster, or the iron, as you said – or the can opener – something that most animals LOVE the sound of because it means “food.”
But I swear, each time I read Basil, he keeps reminding me of my “pea brain,” who also learned to bring in live mice from his “sister” Cream, who, of course, is a cat. He brings them in gently, drops them at our feet, and then runs for his life, knowing that both Peaches (the nasty one) and Cream (the nice one) will take care of his “gift.”
I’d like to pre-order 10 copies. I won’t have to worry about presents for a few friends who would LOVE THIS, for at least 2 years!
Keep refining and expanding Basil. He’s a work of art!
Rita
September 12, 2008 at 1:55 pm
@Rita
Thanks for the support!!!
I’ve put together a schedule and game plan on how I’m going to put this book together, and submit it for publishing. I”m going to stick to it….
Heh heh . Pea Brain sounds like he’d get along with Brett’s retard cat! 🙂
September 12, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Eww. I’ll stick with the plush squirrels with the squeaky toy inside for Riley.
September 12, 2008 at 6:52 pm
@Rebecca
My sisters’ dog is like that….she likes to beat the crap out of stuffed animals…she thinks she’s SO TOUGH.
But if some fireworks go off 10 miles away, she trembles and sulks in the basement for an hour. 🙂