Mr
September 2004 - Tucker
If you’re in Oriental late in the day and look west across
the creeks, you can catch some pretty glorious sunsets. But
you may also catch a glimpse of what has become a familiar Oriental
silhouette.
A man, a large dog and a dinghy. Just about every evening you
will find them tooling along in the aquamarine inflatable dinghy.
| 
Greg
and Tucker pull up to the Town Dock
|
The
man is Greg Piner. The yellow lab striking that dignified pose
is Tucker - September’s Pet of the Month.
Greg says that he’s been taking Tucker out for daily boat
rides for about seven years. “I try to get out after work,”
says Greg, who works across the Neuse at Cherry Point. Taking
Tucker for a boat ride, he says, is “good therapy”.
| 
Tucker
carefully views the harbor during his nightly tour
|
Tucker
seems to like it too. Greg says the dog is waiting for him when
he gets home, ready to make the trek that Greg figures is a
couple of miles.
|
 The
daily route taken by Tucker and his driver, Greg
|
The trip
starts in the waters near the Piners’ home on Morris Creek.
Then Greg and Tucker head out on to Smith Creek, go under the
bridge and make their way in to the harbor where you may have
seen them as they slow down to check out the town dock.
If it’s
a really fair weather day, Greg says, they’ll make a swing
past the breakwater and out on to the river before looping back
toward home.
For the record, Tucker and Greg’s wife Nancy do take walks
around their neighborhood. But as Greg puts it, “the dinghy
ride is his real love in life – along with rides in the
back of my pickup truck.”
Tucker doesn’t love all boats, however. He’s not
very keen on sailboats. One reason may be that, as Greg puts
it, “the head sail keeps Tucker from his favorite spot
at the very bow of the boat.”
| 
View
from the bridge...Tucker proudly stands at the bow
|
Also, when
the sailboat heels, Tucker does not have very good traction.
Greg says he’s still trying to find “two pairs of
very small Topsiders.”
Until then he’s just come to accept that Tucker is happier
“the more the boat’s on the horizontal than the
vertical.” Which makes the aquamarine dinghy such a good
match.
| 
Tucker
at home
|
Tucker the puppy |
Congratulations
Tucker - Mr. September.
Tucker 's Bio
Favorite Movie: Old Yeller, (but he hates the
ending)
What
she likes best about Oriental: Ms. Mary Duffie's gourmet
dog biscuits
What she least likes about Oriental: Boats that make
big wakes, and seeing trash in the harbor
Celebrity Pet Most Resembles: Robert Redford
Favorite Meal: Those gourmet dog biscuits
Know a
pet that is a standout? Send in some details & photo to
pet@towndock.net.
Tell us why that pet deserves the coveted Pet of the Month Prize
Package --- accolades, a pat on the head (snakes excluded) and
a bag of Ms. Mary Duffie's Gourmet Dog Bones ( or snack suitable
for the species).
Animals
caught near the HarborCam attempting to suck up to the judges
will be disqualified.
