“Shay Ajeeb!” or, Bobby, our intelligent dog

by Lois Dickason 

Lois writes about the unusual experience of having a pet dog in a foreign country. Her parents were Reformed Church in America missionaries in Muscat, Oman:

Bobby was a birthday gift to our brother Norman in 1940 - one of a litter of thirteen pups born to a dog owned by Major A. O. C. Pettyfer (mentioned in Oman In the Twentieth Century, pgs. 93 and 107), the British Military Advisor to Sultan Sa’id bin Taymor in Muscat, Oman that year.  Another one of the same litter, subsequently named Susan, somehow made the long ship’s journey from one end of the Persian Gulf to the other as a gift for our little cousins, Marilyn and Lewis, toddler daughter and baby son of Dr. Lewis and Dorothy Scudder, Mom’s brother and his wife.  Bobby was a mix of Red Setter and Golden Retriever, a beautiful shiny gold, who came to our family in time to make a little boy very happy on his November 5^th birthday.  

Bobby was much loved by the family and partial to Norm and Dad.  He loved to accompany the family to the beach and would run ahead of the ’36 Ford touring car (named “Zem Zem”), which could not go very fast on the rutted bumpy roads.  Dad taught him the usual tricks, such as “roll over”, “sit”, “lie down” and “shake hands”.  Sometimes he would give the commands in English and sometimes in Arabic using the appropriate gestures for each command.

Bobby may have looked like this "Irish-Golden"
(photo via Retriverman.wordpress.com)

One day Sheikh Hamed Bin Haamed, a thin and relatively tall and dignified man from the inland area of Samayl came to visit Dad.  He would often stay in our home when he came to Muttrah and we in turn  would stay in his guest quarters when visiting Jenaa, whered he lived.  As he was being served coffee and dates in our parlor, our dog, Bobby came into the room.  The sheikh recoiled in horror since dogs are considered unclean.  (The worst insult to an Arab is to be called a “kelb”, meaning “dog”.)  He said to Dad, “You have a kelb!!?”  Dad said, “Don’t worry.  He is not a ‘kelb’.  He is a  ‘dog’ – a very intelligent animal.  In fact he understands commands in Arabic and English.”  Dad then put Bobby through all his tricks, both in Arabic and English and Bobby went through all the paces without a hitch.  The Sheikh was most impressed and said, “Shay ajeeb!” (“This is amazing!”)

Several weeks later, another man came to the hospital from Jenaa.  He came to the house and asked if he could see the dog that “T’kelam Arabiya wa Englaisie:” speaks Arabic and English. The story had gotten around and Bobby’s reputation became slightly exaggerated.

Unfortunately Bobby only lived a few years.  He developed a skin disease related to the extreme heat in Oman (there was no air conditioning in those days and his fairly long coat of hair added to the discomfort).  We children stayed in India during WW II from 1942 – 1945, and Bobby stayed in Mutrah, Oman, so we did not have a chance to enjoy our pet for long.  However, his fond memory lives on.

Thanks for this unique take on pet ownership, Lois! 

This story came to us from Lois in Michigan, to her Hope College roommate, Una in New Jersey, who is the mother of one of my writing buddies! Wow, talk about a traveling tale! Thanks to all of you for keeping in touch, and sending in your story. Keep those stories coming! There are still 5 days left in our contest!!

Heidi and Eileen