Independence Day
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Celebrating the Spirit of America
By Susan Lendroth

Fun fact: 17th century Swiss monks in the Hospice of Saint Bernard bred St. Bernard dogs to search for lost travelers crossing mountain passes between Switzerland and Italy.

My first dog was a St. Bernard named Sir Lancelot. From a fluffy puppy we carried in our arms, he grew to be a powerhouse weighing nearly 200 pounds. Lancelot was not only large, he lived large, trotting across the lawn with an old tire clamped in his jaws or turning a discarded mahogany tabletop into a teething ring.

Our dog was not a star pupil in obedience class. Lancelot pulled on the leash so hard he yanked my mom and sister off their feet. Only my father and I walked him. Sometimes, I wrapped his leash around my arm, the chain digging into my flesh with bruising force, to hold him back when Lancelot growled at strangers who shared my sidewalk.

Lancelot may have frightened strangers, but he was still a little puppy at heart. We made the mistake of leaving him home alone in the yard his first Fourth of July while we went to see the fireworks show at the high school. We came home to an empty yard. (Keep reading)