Wednesday, September 15, 1993 - North Shore News - 54

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WE HAVE just taken delivery. of a four-legged baby. No, the supermarket tabloids won’t be interested. Our baby is Sprog (the Dog), an eight-week-old Jack Russell terrier.

While my wife Mandy had dogs when she grew up in Australia, -P’ve never had a pet. ~. You really should havea dog,” said son Matt, 22, as he moved out even more of his _. possessions during his iatest brief

‘visit home. “‘She’ll be good company, I'll - donate some of my old stuffed animals as toys for the dag so you won’t have to buy any.’’

That argument did have a cer- tain appeal, and 1 admit the house has been very quiet with Matt gone.

We called in dog beiavior ex- pert Ann Jackson, of West Van- couver, for a pre-puppy consulta- tion,

An hour and pages of notes later (‘‘Never let her see you clean’ “up her ‘accidents’ in the house;’?:

“Put coat hangers on the sofa if the dog sneaks up there when

” you’re away;’” “Anything you allow becomes a duty to the dog;’’

“Don’t repeat commands, the dog. -

will edit you out’’), I began to re- alize what Mandy meant when she had said, ‘‘It wil} be a lot of work.”’

f hasten to assure you even in this (ad)venture I’m. practising what 1 preach:

. 3 Econamy. Sprog drinks tap ‘water and eats only a cup of dried dog food a day.

**And usually not too much goes wrong with this type of ter- rier,” said West Vancouver veterinarian Dr. George Foukal.

Low maintenance, few repairs — what else do you need?

@ Yield. I forget about low financial returns —- and all other

concerns — when Sprog, tail wag- ging furiously, wriggles and licks out her love arid excitement. at seeing me.

She's great company any time. Happiness is indeed a warm puppy

w 23 Yrs. Experience NO

on your lap or stomach.

And al] these are guaranteed, tax-free benefits. Portability. Her ‘‘puppy palace’ should just fit under the seat when we tly, so she can travel as personal baggage at no extra cost. @ Diversification. Watk a puppy and meet the world. Almost everybody turns to look and inuny Strangers stop to talk.

One 15-year-old girl sat down in the middle of a crosswalk to cuddle Sprog. @ Recyclability. She’s energy-effi- cient. Much of what goes in one end comes out the other.

That should help cut fertilizer costs in the garden. 8 Tax deductibility. }’m still working on this one. |

“Tf you use a dog in your business — like a guard dog — you may deduct all operating ex-

EIGHT-WEEK-OLD Sprog is the newest addition to the Grenby household.

penses and you also get a 100% writeoif on the cost of buying the animal; you aren’t restricted to only depreciation as with most

’ other business assets,"' said Maria

Bender, public affairs officer with Revenue Canada, Taxation.

Trouble is, ‘‘guard dog’’ Sprog will never weigh more than about five kilograms and will stand only 30 centimetres tall.

But perhaps a tax auditor would be satisfied if 1 got a bass ampli- fier and echo chamber te boost her barking; and spotlights on the ground to throw a large shadow.

Sprog has quickly taken us back to Matt’s baby days.

We get up between five and six every rnorning, hoping to empty her outside before she does the job inside.

We exercise and run her hard so she’ll take a sleep break and give us a rest, too.

She complains bitterly if te‘c alone -- unless diverted by some- thing she shouldn’t be chewing. After one particularly harrowing day of puppy stress, Mandy ask- ed: *‘Do you think we could get a nanny?”

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But then | re-read an article | wrote when Matt was nine — “Invest the time and effort to enjoy your children while you can.’’

In it, | reminded myself and others, ‘“They’ll be grown up and gone all too soon.”

Matt has indeed gone; now we're grateful to have another chance “for a romp, a run ora quiet moment,"’ and to be loved and needed by a small bundle of life — even if this one docs have very sharp teeth and a cold, wet nose.

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Mike Grenby is a North Shore-based columnist and in- dependent financial adviser who works with individuals; he will answer your questions as space allows -— write to him c/o The North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver ¥V7M 2H4,

NOTICE TO MOTORISTS | PORTEAU BLUFFS ROCK SCALING PROJECT SEA-TO-SKY HIGHWAY 99

The Ministry of Transportation and Highways advises that there will be 20 minute delays and two and a half hour closures on the Sea-to-Sky Highway 99 at Porteau

Bluffs, 25 km north of Horseshoe Bay, until Friday, October 8, 1993, The delays _and closures are needed for rock scaling work and will be in effect as follows:

DELAYS AND CLOSURES Monday to Thursday 12:30 AM - 3:00 AM (2 & 1/2 Hour Closure) 3:36 AM - 5:30 AM (2 Hour Ciosure) 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM (20 Minute Defays) 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM (2 & 1/2 Hour Closure) 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM (20 Minute Delays) 9:30 PM - 12:00 AM (2 & 1/2 Hour Closures) Friday 12:30 AM - 3:00 AM (2 & 1/2 Hour Closure) 2:30 Al - 5:36 AM (2 Hour Closure} 9:00 Am - 12:30 PH (20 Minute Delays)

Note: There will be no scheduled closures or delays for rock scaling’ work on Friday afternoons, statutory holidays or weekends.

Delays and closures for work between Tuesday; October 12 and Friday, November 26 will be advertised in advance

For further information, please contact the 24-hour road report at 525-4997 (Greater Vancouver); 938-4997 (Whistler); 858-4997 (Abbotsford); 371-4997 (Kamloops); 860-4997 (Kelowna); 490-4997 (Penticton); 558-4997 (Vernon); 380- 4997 (Victoria); *4997 (BC Cellular & Cantel). In all other communities, please call 1-800-663-4997,

Province of British Columbia

Ministry of Transportation and Highways

Res

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