Hobs was a black lab I picked up from a farm near Madelia, Minnesota, in January 1994. He was named after a small town in rural Montana, called Hobson. I had visited the quaint town a week before I got the puppy, when I went on a story for People Magazine. The story was about a mayor who was elected, even though he was not on the ballot, nor did he want to be mayor again. I liked the town, the job, the name, and the allusions to the comic character and political philosopher.
He was simply the greatest dog ever.
Hobs passed away in the summer of 2006. It's hard to be without such a great dog, even with such a great one now in our company, but I am better for having shared my time with him. He wil be missed, but not fogotten, especially when the leaves need raking or the snow needs shoveling.