How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?

Dogs in my memories keep dogging me

Songs in my memory bank popped into my head as I folded wash this morning. I was 6 years old. Shortly after that song in 1952, we got a dog. I can still remember the words, the tune, and the melody of smiles brought to my face as I visualized the dog wanting me.

How much is that doggie in the window?
The one with the waggly tail
How much is that doggie in the window?
I do hope that doggie’s for sale

I must take a trip to California
And leave my poor sweetheart alone
If he has a dog, he won’t be lonesome
And the doggie will have a good home

How much is that doggie in the window?
The one with the waggly tail
How much is that doggie in the window?
I do hope that doggie’s for sale

I read in the papers there are robbers
With flashlights that shine in the dark
My love needs a doggie to protect him
And scare them away with one bark

I don’t want a bunny or a kitty
I don’t want a parrot that talks
I don’t want a bowl of little fishies
He can’t take a goldfish for a walk

How much is that doggie in the window?
The one with the waggly tail
How much is that doggie in the window?
I do hope that doggie’s for sale.

The lyrics were written by Bob Merrill in 1952 rooted back in the folk tune, Carnival of Venice and based on the song “Oh, Where, Oh, Where Has My Little Dog Gone?” As cited on Country Thang Daily, now I realize why I heard it so much. Between those two songs, I was primed to love dogs the rest of my life.

“Selling over two million copies, the song was a nationwide hit. It stormed the charts when it peaked at no. 1 on both the Billboard and Cash Box charts in 1953. On April 4, 1953, Page’s rendition of the song placed no. 1 in the US Billboard Magazine chart. It stayed on the charts for 8 weeks.”

Now in 2022, nearly 70 years later, songs of childhood in the 50s continue to permeate my thoughts. Singing along with happy memories of dogs then and now, I can write them down. Penny was first, then Skokie. Smokey followed. Then Angus. We called him Angie. That was then.

Penny

At the farmhouse with his picture, my brother held the little rat terrier. He loves dogs, too. I don’t remember how long Penny lived, but that was grade school days of hazy memories. Maybe 2?

Skokie

Skokie followed for a short time then. I don’t know who named him that. Maybe it was Mom who had memories of Skokie, Wisconsin. A few months later, distemper set in. I did not know it then, but one day went to the basement to see our dying dog. Memories I’d like to forget when reality set it. Dogs live. Dogs die. No vets. No distemper shots then.

Smokey

When Skokie died, we buried him. I can’t remember what year, where, or when, but then came Smokey. I liked him. All black with little brown above his eyes. That Thanksgiving we went away. Snow. Not enjoying the trip or the time as a child, I wanted to get back home. And then, no Smokey came round. All our dogs were kept outside. Smokey liked to chase the cars, the trucks. We usually called out to him. But this day we were not home. He chased the garbage truck that ran over him.

I remember the tears, the crying, the loss of him.

Angus

Another rat terrier we got then. By then I was a teen. All black and not much brown. Because of that we named him Angus, like the cows. Oops, we forgot that we had a distant cousin from Ireland with that name. Angie lived quite a while. Sometimes he was even let inside the house. Surviving through my high school years, I saw him once and then, he got older, gray around the mouth. That was the last dog in my house.

More about dogs

Memories come and sometimes show where our hearts were once transfixed. I read with interest When a Cover Song Triggers Beautiful Memories by Connie Song and now with mixed feelings write more about it. Triggered by dog memories, I see more breeds of dogs I’ve known. Next time Golden Retrievers will shine on doggie pages of my memories.