Barbara O'Barr

Max: A Hearing Ear Dog Barbara O'Barr

"You can talk!" exclaimed Clayton, looking at the new puppy he had picked for his birthday. "Of course I can," Max stated, with a hint of wonder in his voice. "Why wouldn't I?" Then the pup informed Clayton, "My name is Max. That's short for Maximum." "Why am I the only one that can hear you?" "I guess it's because you have problems with your ears. They don't work right." "How would you know that?" Clayton asked skeptically. "I saw it on Animal Planet, 'When Animals Help,' episode twenty-nine, channel two eighteen." Max looked smug, but then admitted sheepishly, "Also, I kinda overheard Mama and Dad talking about it." "Well, I think it's way cool. I have a pet dog that can talk." "Well, I think it's way cool I have a Pet Boy, and I'm going to be your 'hearing ear dog,' just like the ones I saw on TV that help their humans." "You watch a lot of TV, don't you," Clayton said. "Yes I do, Pet Boy. You can learn lots of things." As his friendship with his puppy grew, Clayton would learn that Max not only watched a lot of TV, but also believed everything he saw. And at times, he would get both of them into trouble because of it ...