Laura, is a friend. She is a librarian and we met her at the Weber Road branch.

She knows our dog, Hobo, and thinks he is worth a column. I am not sure, but here goes.

We have had him for 18 months and we got him from the dog pound on Gasconade Street.

He weighed 10 pounds when we got him and on a recent visit to his vet he weighed nine and a half pounds.

He is all white with black eyes and a black nose.

Friend Wife named him Hobo because the first day we had him, he got out of the yard and took a stroll in the neighborhood.

He got out one other time, but she rescued him both times.

We hope his wandering days are up.

One day she was drinking a health drink and looked over to see Hobo lapping up her drink.

One day I was eating cheese and crackers and Hobo finished them.

But he is a good guy and loves to ride in the car.

He knows quite a few words like bed and outside.

When daughter-in-law Cynthia comes over he gets quite excited because she takes him for a walk.

We have had many dogs, mostly dachshunds.

Hobo is the only dog we have taken to a groomer, so he is more costly than our other dogs.

We thought he was a poodle, but the groomer said he is a bichon frise, a small, white, curly haired dog.

When he is naughty, Friend Wife threatens to send him back. But we know this will never happen because he curls up on her lap every night.

She has even threatened to send me back, but both of us are safe.

Why do people like dogs so much?

I think they are part of God's plan.

Some people like cats, others like horses and birds, but we will take a dog.

His bark is as fierce as a Great Dane's, but he scares no one. He has a big yard, but will stay out only if one of us is with him. He prefers the indoors.

So, here is the column, Laura, I hope you are satisfied.

I hear the city is trying to get a new shelter, but there will never be another Hobo.

Jim Fox, a retired newspaperman who lives in Affton, writes a weekly column for the Journals.