Every day is a dog day
Before technology kept us all connected, the BMO Staff Magazine was created to keep employees up to date with the work and life events of their colleagues and friends across the bank’s vast network of offices. These updates included promotions, retirements, marriages, births and obituaries. Published regularly throughout the year, the magazine featured articles contributed by current and retired employees about their branches, communities, and hobbies from sailing to puppetry. As resident Barkivist, it is my duty to report that the dogs of the bank also contributed to the Staff Magazine!
One particularly tail-wagging exchange started with an article from the February 1968 issue entitled “Every Day is a Dog Day.” In the article, John Jarvis, who had recently retired from service at Fredericton main branch, outlines the characteristics of three different types of setters English Setters, Irish Setters, and Gordon Setters. The author’s own English Setter, Shiner, is featured prominently in photographs throughout the article. Not long after the publication of the issue, Duke Lindsay, a Gordon Setter owned by a branch employee in Vancouver, wrote to the editor to correct an inaccuracy in Jarvis’ article. The letter was published in the June 1968 issue, alongside a response from Shiner himself. If you ask me, they should have included some Boston Terrier representation (I’ll be writing to the Editor)!
The exchange has been transcribed for your pawrusal…
“Dear Madam,
My name is Duke Lindsay of Toketie Point and I am a Gordon Setter [….]
I take exception to a statement of John Jarvis in your February issue. He states “The Gordon Setter has the disadvantage of dark colour and small size…” According to my best authority, The American Kennel Club, I should be up to 2” taller and 5 lbs. heavier than an English Setter and I am and I can prove it. The lady who pays my grocery bills works for your bank at Vancouver and she will vouch for this.
Other than that, I enjoyed the story very much except that Mr. Jarvis didn’t say that I belong to the oldest breed of Setter of them all and although I am not as well-known, I am nevertheless – and I say this in all modesty – the most handsome.
Yours sincerely,
Lindsay”
“HRH The Duke Lindsay of Toketie Point
Your Highness:
[John Jarvis] must be forgiven for not having met a Gordon Setter larger than I, and I am not a large English Setter. Please forgive his ignorance of AKC standards which he claims are not required by an active dog. That is lucky for me because I don’t even look like the same breed paraded in show rings.
[…]
You know it really does not matter whether we say “Hoot Mon,” “Begorrah,” or “Blimey,” all we Setters are a lovely lot and with my traditional British reticence I modestly remark that no dogs of greater beauty exist, certainly none with better personality.
Assuming the customary greetings with a wagging tail.
Yours on point,
Shiner Jarvis.”