Rin Tin Tin's Friends

A Story by David Fritsche

Our family lived in Bloomington, California, just North of Riverside. My Father was an animal lover and a Pastor. Our family and the church group frequented Fairmont Park in Riverside where we would rent electric boats, fish, B-B-Q and in general have fun.
Although I enjoyed the times together, I would most often absent myself from the family or group and walk to the east end on the park to Rin Tin Tin Kennels and watch the dogs.

My grandfather had a lovely German Shepherd that I dearly loved, and I was committed to have one of my own as soon as I could afford it. When I reached the ripe old age of 15 years, a friend of Dad's, who owned a music store, asked if I would be interested in working for him. I jumped at the chance and cleaned the building and repaired instruments for the gracious wage I earned.
I spent none of it, saving it all in my dresser.
Dad was sure I was saving for my sixteenth birthday when I would be able to get a drivers license and a car. But, when he asked me what kind of car I was looking to buy, I surprised him by saying that I was not saving for a car, but for a dog - a Rin Tin Tin progeny.

Finally the day came when I had enough money and was not yet 16, so Dad took me over the the Kennel after calling Mr. Duncan. My Duncan had seen me hanging around the kennel and had come to talk to me and invited me in to see the dogs and handle them.
He assured me that when I was ready he would see that I got a good one. I suppose I have never been as excited by anything as much as that event. I had watched all the episodes of Rin Tin Tin on TV and here I was, merging my hero worship of this dog with the reality of my childhood dream.

Mr. Duncan was so gracious, and I suspected that he set a price that was within my budget rather than what was the usual price, but I was not too proud to quibble. I accepted his graciousness with excitement and thanks.
After some time of looking and touching and playing, one little girl kept getting on my lap, and she never got off, until old age took her from me.
Heidi (what else can you name a German Shepherd female in those days?) came home with me and set the stage for over 50 years of breeding and showing German Shepherd Dogs, working as a K-9 officer for a neighboring Police Department and in general following a childhood dream that was begun with Rin Tin Tin.

David Fritsche

Rin's friend Zebre.

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