Bo, the Canine Opera Singer

Bo Schembarkler (b. 18 June 1994) hails from Templeton, Mass., a suburb of Gardner. Now a proud citizen of the Boston suburb of Newton (and resident with my non-canine parents), Bo spends most of his time asleep on the floor or on the blue couch. The white couch is reserved as a very large roof for Bo's tennis balls, which defy all laws of inertia and physics to find their way underneath. Bo will scratch the floor until you recover the ball he wants - which is always the last one to be retrieved.

Bo has invented a new twist on the game of fetch. Instead of bringing his toy back and delivering it to you so you can throw it again, he brings it back and teases you, letting you make a grab for it and then jerking it away just before you get your hands on it.

But Bo's most bizarre talent - one I believe is not entirely within his control - is his ability to sing opera duets. He prefers to sing with sopranos who have thick vibrato: Put on Anna Moffo singing "Quando" from La Boheme, and, as if entranced, Bo will spring from a deep sleep, wander over to the sound source, and begin howling restlessly. He won't cease until the sound is turned off. References and resume available on request.

Oh, and unless you're a University of Michigan football fan, you might not realize that Bo is named after Michigan's former head coach, Bo Schembechler.

This is Bo.