Having never been married or raised children, I find that I lack a certain common ground with many of my friends.

That gap was much larger, I’ll admit, before my dog “son,” Pudge, joined me back in 2003.

Before you start thinking I’m comparing the children of my closest friends to a pack of dogs, rest assured, that’s not the case.

My friends are the ones who have made that comparison.

Sorry, kids. The truth is out.

My friends tell me learning to clean up excrement that would have made you gag, had it not come from your child, is an important lesson learned by both parents and dog owners.

Those friends also tell me Pudge has taught me to be much more patient, much as their children have taught them the same valuable lesson.

Pudge, an English springer spaniel, is now 4 years old, and is the father of a litter of pups that were born in 2006.

Forgive me if I eventually start boasting on behalf of one of my “grand dogs,” but as I’ve learned over the last four years, many of you love dogs.

In fact, the most common question that many readers ask me is this: “How’s your dog doing?”

Not, “How are you doing?”

Not, “How’s the fishing?”

Or, “How’s the hunting?

How’s your dog doing?

I’m happy to report he’s doing fine, and with the exception of one unplanned duck-chasing jaunt on Beech Hill Pond, Pudge has been behaving quite well lately.

Here (because I know you were going to ask), are the answers to the questions everyone seems to ask about that episode.

Yes, he chased a duck.

No, I didn’t train him to chase ducks.

No, he didn’t stop when I told him to.

Yes, I trained him to stop when I told him to.

No, he didn’t catch the duck.

No, I didn’t swim after him.

Yes, he swims faster than me … and so does the duck.

And yes, thanks to a helpful kayaker who herded the intrepid duck-chaser back to shore, Pudge didn’t even puff or pant too much, or begin to take on water.

Enough about my “son.” Let’s talk about my “grandson.”

I’m also happy to report that one of Pudge’s sons, a black-and-white springer named Booker, has been showing up in the media a bit lately.

Booker looks just like his pop, and is featured in the current L.L. Bean Fall Home catalog.

Booker is the cute littler critter on page 53, wearing a nifty field coat for working dogs.

Booker is also apparently a pretty good little hunter, and was featured on NBC’s Today show during a segment on hunting that aired last fall.

I told Pudge about his son’s exploits, and he seems quite pleased.

Of course, the dinosaur-sized bone at his feet may have had something to do with Pudge’s contented demeanor.

Either that, or he was sitting back, daydreaming about slow ducks, ignored commands, and plenty of wide-open water.

Book releases intriguing

As we enjoy the final lazy, hazy days of summer, it’s not too late to enjoy a good book in front of a cozy campfire.

Three books on my radar screen are either available or will become available in the coming weeks.

I’ll likely write more about them after reading them, but each sounds intriguing, and outdoor enthusiasts may want to check one or all of them out.

First up is a re-issue of Annette Jackson’s “My Life in the Maine Woods, A Game Warden’s Wife in the Allagash Country.”

Originally published in 1954, the book recounts the adventures of Jackson during a six-year span of the 1930s, when she lived with her husband and three young children in a cabin on the shore of Umsaskis Lake.

A book that I recently began reading takes another look at the demands of being a Maine game warden.

That book, “Here if you Need Me,” was written by Kate Braestrup, the chaplain of the Maine Warden Service.

Having just read a chapter or two thus far, I’m already impressed with Braestrup’s writing skill, and the way she works her way around delicate confidentiality issues.

And finally, due for release later this month is a must-read book for those who cherish their time at one of Maine’s top rural fishing outposts.

That book, “Tagewahnahn, The Landlocked Salmon at Grand Lake Stream,” was written by Dennis LaBare, and will provide a historic account of the species and the role it plays in the village of Grand Lake Stream.

Happy reading to all … and I hope to let you know a bit more about each of the books when I complete my summer reading blitz.

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.