John Steinbeck Travels with Charley the Poodle

Norman Mailer wasn’t the only macho literary giant who had a great fondness for Poodles. Although John Steinbeck never got into a street brawl defending Poodles as Mailer did, his Poodle Charley was his constant companion for many years.

Travels with Charley: In Search of America details a cross-country trip the two of them took together.

Steinbeck on dogs:

Charley is a mind-reading dog. There have been many trips in his lifetime, and often he has to be left at home. He knows we are going long before the suitcase has come out, and he paces and worries and whines and goes into a state of mild hysteria.

It is my experience that in some areas Charley is more intelligent that I am, but in others he is abysmally ignorant. He can't read, can't drive a car, and has no grasp of mathematics. But in his own field of endeavor, which he is now practicing, the slow, imperial smelling over and anointing on an area, he has no peer. Of course his horizons are limited, but how wide are mine?

He was born in Bercy on the outskirts of Paris and trained in France, and while he knows a little Poodle-English, he responds quickly only to commands in French. Otherwise he has to translate, and that slows him down.

Sir, this is a unique dog. He does not live by tooth or fang. He respects the right of cats to be cats although he doesn't admire them. He turns his steps rather than disturb an earnest caterpillar. His greatest fear is that someone will point out a rabbit and suggest that he chase it. This is a dog of peace and tranquility.

I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that dogs think humans are nuts.

A dog is a bond between strangers.

Comments

[gus and Louie]

Great story...
Dogs are so amazing. We know just look at us.. he he

Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus and Louie

[jackie]

dogs are smart..cats are smarter..

im still in mourning over the loss of trixie by dean koontz...she was a winner...

[Laura]

I love pet stories!

[Serendipity]

Dogs are really smart, no doubt about it!

[Gypsy]

Dogs are amazing. They have/ find so many ways to enhance our lives.

[threecollie]

Travels with Charley is my very favorite Steinbeck. Bet I have read it a dozen times...thanks for reminding....I saw a great poodle today, long tail, clipped so short it looked almost like a saluki at first, but no hound could pull off that special elan.

[gordy and georgie]

Anyone who has ever been owned by a standard poodle knows what he says is true. We have two here, steadfast companions and guardians who want and get lots of love and attention. At times I feel like if I don't stay on my toes they will outsmart me.

[Lora]

How cool! I never knew that about Steinbeck.

[Cooper]

This book is one of my mom's favorite books. She keeps it high on a shelf so I can't read it though. Cooper

[schnoodlepooh]

that sounds like a great book.

[Tracey]

I think I'll have to add his book to my reading list...sounds wonderful, and I'm all for hearing more about how clever dogs are.

[Coll]

I so enjoyed this great writer's words and thoughts on his good friend, Charley. Both were lucky to have each other.