Sedona - and "The Call of the Wild"

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

For years, Jack London’s Call of the Wild was one of my district’s required novels at the seventh grade level. So for years, the story was an important part of the curriculum in my seventh grade language arts class (special education – we read an abridged/adapted version). I know the story well, but in case you don’t, here’s what I need you to know about the plot in order for my blog to make sense:

As the story opens, Buck, a powerful dog, half St. Bernard and half sheepdog, lives on Judge Miller’s estate in California’s Santa Clara Valley.

He leads a comfortable life there, but it comes to an end when men discover gold in the Klondike region of Canada and a great demand arises for strong dogs to pull sleds. Buck is kidnapped and sold to dog traders, who teach Buck to obey by beating him with a club and, subsequently, ship him north to the Klondike.

Buck quickly adjusts to life as a sled dog, but as the story unfolds, Buck’s experiences in the harsh frozen north arouse within him the instincts of his wild ancestors. He begins to feel “the call of the wild”, steadily losing more and more of his domesticity and civility. One of the early events that stirs this growing attraction to the wild is when Buck chases down and kills a rabbit.

It’s his first taste of blood and it leaves him yearning for more.

It is here that we turn our attention to 2013 and a sweet doodle named Sedona. As this new tale begins, Sedona leads a more-than-comfortable life on Doug and Deanna’s “estate” in California’s Santa Clara Valley. One morning, Doug takes Sedona out for her “morning constitutional”. Rather than her usual dash to the yard to take care of business, Sedona seems preoccupied with something in and around the bushes. Doug investigates and finds a young gopher darting into the center of the hedge. Sedona eventually appears to lose interest and runs off to go potty. Doug comes back inside, but Sedona (uncharacteristically) stays outside. Doug relates the story of the gopher to Deanna, who expresses concern (for both the gopher and Sedona). Doug ASSURES Deanna that the gopher is too far into the hedge; neither Sedona nor the cat could reach it. Less than 15 minutes later, a wet and muddy Sedona prances up to the kitchen’s sliding glass door, sporting a look of pride and a gopher tail dangling from her mouth.

Her first kill, her first taste of blood, and it apparently has left her yearning for more! No longer does she spend her evenings lazily curled up next to Doug. No! She sits at the French door overlooking the deck, watching for any strange movement. Every few minutes, she’s out the doggie door, on the hunt.

In Call of the Wild, Buck eventually fully answers the call and heads off into the wild, where he becomes the leader of a pack of wolves. He becomes a legendary figure, a Ghost Dog, fathering countless cubs and inspiring fear in the local Yeehat Indians.

Fortunately, I think for Sedona (AKA Killer) the “call of the squeaky ball” is more powerful than the “call of the wild” and she’ll be sticking around our “estate” for good!

[Pat and Traveler]

Cute blog, Deanna!  Glad Sedona is going to stick with the call of the squeaky ball!  She is a hunter now, though.  :)

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Loved this blog, Deanna! I have never read the book, but I am going to get a copy. Sedona sounds like she was proud of her hunting skills :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Great blog.  Sedona, gopher killer extraordinaire, and squeaky ball queen.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Funny, she looks so innocent, I'm sure she just happened to find that tail laying around. Not guilty by reason of too much doodle cuteness.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Love this blog Deanna! Gopher tail???OMD!!! I'm so glad the call of the squeaky ball is louder than the call of the wild because the Alaskan wilderness is no place for that cutie!!

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

This was my favorite book when I was a kid and still may be in my top 20.  I cried so much during this book and then the movie...OMD.  Great blog Deanna...I enjoyed this very much.  EW on Sedona's baby gopher!  

Glad Sedona will be staying in Santa Clara Valley :D

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

Sedona knows she has a good thing going with you and Doug and she's not going anywhere!  Why would a princess leave her castle??  Great blog, Deanna!