Gunner is a good dog. Gunner is a very good dog. He hunts. He retrieves. Even when the bird to be retrieved is way out there in the river, he gamely goes after it. Gunner always gets his man – er – bird.

Gunner had a close encounter with a hostile life form recently. It may have been a snake.  It is not known for sure. Whatever it was left Gunner with a cut on one eye and a major league shiner.  While it was on the mend last Saturday night, it was not so good that he could be left home alone.

So, when the master got in the black SUV to attend a dinner in far western Kentucky, Gunner hopped in the back.  It’s a long way from home to the banks of the Mississippi River, but at the risk of repeating ourselves, Gunner is a good dog.

The master made sure he had water and used the necessary before he went into the Park Activity Center to give a speech. For the next couple of hours, he would be meeting and greeting his friends gathered at Columbus Belmont Park.

Gunner settled down to wait patiently as good dogs do.

The pay off for Gunner was a lot of praise and petting from his master, Lieutenant Governor Dan Mongiardo and a chance to spend several more hours in the back of the SUV as they drove home late into the fall evening.