Sparky / Dexter’s Adventures

I  want to see Sparky but she died and I want to see you again 

Hi Nova!

So sorry you never got to meet Sparky.  She was such a nice doggie.  I’m sure she would have loved to meet you.  Have you ever met my new dog Dexter?  He’s a real nice doggie, too.  Actually, he’s the most gentle dog I’ve ever had.  And he loves to visit the schools and meet all the kids.  What school do you go to?  Maybe Dexter and I could visit this year!

Enjoy the weekend!

Rick (and Dexter, too!)

I just completed your puzzle I’m so happy

Hi Amil!

Great to hear from you!  I’m so happy that you like the puzzles.  I just did one of the puzzles, too!  It was the one of Dexter sitting near the water.  Which one did you do?

Rick

P.S.:  Don’t worry if I don’t answer your messages immediately.  But I usually answer them by the next day.

Hi I’m from icca you came to my school at Friday and LOVE your books so good  and LOVE THE BOOKS SO MUCH

Hi Beatrice!

I’m so happy that you like the Sparky and Dexter books!  That’s wonderful.  One of the main reasons I write the books about my dogs is to get students like you to enjoy reading.  When I was a kid, I loved reading (I still do!).  One of my favorite places was the school library, where I could check out books and bring them home to read!

Dexter and I really had fun visiting your school on Friday.  It was great meeting you and all of your classmates.

Have fun at school and stay warm!  Brrr! It sure has been cold walking Dexter around the neighborhood!

Rick and Dexter, too!  Woof!

Hiii can you please talk to me

BY AMIL

Hi my name is amil you came to my school I want to know what adoption Center did you get DEXTER AND SPARKY

Hi Amil!

We adopted Dexter and Sparky from Adopt-A-Dog, an animal rescue agency in Greenwich, CT.  Adopt-A-Dog rescues dogs from dog pounds and then tries to find homes for them.

Adopt-A-Dog rescued Sparky from a dog pound in East Harlem, New York City, and we adopted Sparky from Adopt-A-Dog on April 24, 1999.  When we first met Sparky, she ran to my son David, who was 8 years old then, knocked him to the ground, kept licking David all over his face and Sparky’s tail was wagging like crazy!

As for our boy Dexter, Adopt-A-Dog rescued him from a dog pound in Fayetteville, West Virginia, and we adopted Dexter from Adopt-A-Dog on May 7, 2017.  When we first saw Dexter at Adopt-A-Dog, he was the quietest dog there, all the other dogs were barking and barking.  He looked very unhappy, sitting in his cage all alone.  When he came out, I scratched his ears, and he really seemed to like that.  And I thought he could use a nice home, so we adopted him, and he’s been a wonderful dog ever since!

Thanks for the great question!

Rick and Dexy, too! Woof!

Hi I am very happy that visited also your dog Dexter was soooo cute

Hi Marcus!

Thanks for your kind words about Dexter!  He’s such a good doggie!  He loves visiting the schools and meeting kids like you and all your classmates.  He’s always making new friends!

Enjoy the rest of your school week!  Stay warm!

Rick and Dexter, too!  Woof!

Hello thank you for the visit. I am one of the students who saw you with that cute sparky outfit and hat. I am a third grader.your dog Dexter was a very cute dog and the photos were cute with Maggie and speedy.i bought books from you last year.

Hi Angeline!!

You’re welcome!  Dexter and I had a wonderful time meeting you again and all of your classmates.  And I think I remember signing your books last year!

I’m glad you liked all the pictures and my Sparky outfit!  That’s my winter outfit.  For the summer, I have Sparky shorts, too!

Thanks for writing!  Stay warm!

Rick and, of course, Dexter, too!  Woof!

What is your favorite book that you wrote.

Hi Peyton!

Although I like all 11 books I’ve written about Sparky and Dexter, my favorite story is “No Rest for Sparky.”  I think it really captured how Sparky interacted with all the pets we had when my kids Kristen and David were younger.  And, yes, Speedy the tortoise would actually push Sparky around sometimes, just like in the book!

I also like that I was able to put both Kristen and David in the story, the illustration of all the pets and Sparky on the last page is one of my favorites!

Thanks for the great question!

Rick (and Dexter, too!)

HOW DID YOU ESCAPE DEATH AT New York

Hi Norbert!

Sparky did escape a “death sentence” in New York City at a dog pound in East Harlem.  In the dog pounds in New York City, they have too many homeless dogs (and cats) that either people drop off at the pound because they don’t want them anymore or they are picked up off the street and brought to the pound because they are strays just roaming around the city. I’m not sure if Sparky was dropped off at the pound in East Harlem when she was young (just 1 year old) by somebody or she was picked up roaming the streets and brought to the pound.

Each dog that gets brought into the pound has an entry date, the date they arrive at the pound.  Unfortunately, when the dog pound has too many homeless dogs and runs out of room to house and care for them, the dogs that have been at the pound for the longest time are “put to sleep,” which means they are killed (they are given a shot of some drug that kills them).

And that was about to happen to Sparky at the pound in East Harlem.  She had been there a while and nobody wanted to adopt her, to bring her home with them.  Luckily, a worker at the pound took a liking to Sparky because of her friendly nature and wagging tail and secretly kept changing Sparky’s date of arrival so it wouldn’t seem that she had been at the pound too long.  (For example, say Sparky arrived at the pound on Sept. 1; well, the worker would change her date to Oct. 1, then Nov. 1, then Dec. 1, so she wouldn’t be there the longest and be put to sleep.  And it would give Sparky more time to be adopted.)

Luckily, a group called Adopt-A-Dog from Greenwich, CT, visited the East Harlem pound to take some dogs and try to find a home for them.  (Adopt-A-Dog never puts a dog “to sleep.” They keep them until they are adopted, no matter how long it takes.) Well, Adopt-A-Dog filled up their van with dogs and was about to leave, when that worker at the dog pound rushed out to them and pleaded with them to take Sparky with them because he knew that Sparky was going to be “put to sleep” if she didn’t get out of there.

Well, he begged and pleaded with Adopt-A-Dog until they finally agreed to take Sparky with them and away from the East Harlem pound and certain death.  Adopt-A-Dog didn’t have a cage for Sparky in the van (all their cages with filled with other dogs), so Sparky sat up front with the driver and licked the driver all the way back to Greenwich, CT!

Sparky was safe now, and I adopted Sparky from Adopt-A-Dog on April 24, 1999, and she lived a wonderful life in Stamford, CT, with me and my family for the next 12 years, safe and sound.  No more danger.  No more threat of being “put to sleep.”  And that’s how Sparky cheated death in New York City!!!!

Thanks for the great question!

Rick

Papi, this is Aubrey your friend. I just wanted to say hi to Dexter and speeding to Carmen and you bye love you Papa. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Hi Aubrey!

Sorry I took a couple of days to answer your message!  It was so much fun when you visited yesterday! I hope you like all your presents!!  I’ll give Dexter a big hug for you when I get home from work tonight.  And I’ll say Hi to Carmen for you.  Love you!  And you can send me a message anytime you’d like!

Papa Ricky