Gray Dawn Quotes

“This is the magic secret of dog training -- lose control over yourself and you at once lose control of the dog. Your strongest and most irresistible weapon is iron patience.”
― Albert Payson Terhune, Gray Dawn

“Gray Dawn is one of the most lovable collies of all long Sunnybank line. He is not merely the professionally faithful dog of fiction, but rather—as the Mistress expresses it—an “own-your-own-soul dog.”

Within a pitifully small handful of years, at very most he will be gone. That is the way of dogs. All of them die too soon; though so many of us humans live too long. While still he is here, I want his stories to be read. Perhaps you may not like the stories. But I know you will like Dawn, himself. Everyone does.”
― Albert Payson Terhune, Gray Dawn

“But his adventures were not ended. Indeed, they had scarcely begun. From birth, a perverse imp of ill fortune had trailed the big dog. And this imp was right zealously on duty in Dawn’s day of lonely effort to get back to the home and the people he loved.”
― Albert Payson Terhune, Gray Dawn

“Dawnie,” she told him, her sweet voice not quite level, “it all depends on you now. God never would have given you that steadfast look in the back of your eyes if you weren’t to be relied on to the death, Dawn. And perhaps it is ‘to the death,’ dear old friend. But it’s the only hope there is.”
― Albert Payson Terhune, Gray Dawn

“It was magnificent!” bellowed the father to all and sundry. “I saw the whole thing. Cleppy lost his footing when that scow hit us. Over he went into the river. Before he could reach the water this hero collie was overboard and after him. But for the dog, Cleppy would have been sucked under and drowned before the motor boat could get to him. It was glorious, I tell you!”
― Albert Payson Terhune, Gray Dawn

“At first I was for taking him back to you, myself. But my wife doesn't want me to. So, as usual, we've compromised by doing what she wants. She wants him to stay right here. Next time, his crazy luck might land him in dog heaven instead of here at Sunnybank. She says she'd rather have a live chum than a dead champion. Maybe she's right. I find she's apt to be.”
― Albert Payson Terhune, Gray Dawn