Dog-gone - and so is my Jeep.

This is a storey of a dog and a Jeep. I know it is true because a friend of mine said it happen to his cousin.

A fellow from Michigan "USA" buys himself a brand-new $30 000 Grand Cherokee Jeep for Christmas. He goes down to his favourite bar and celebrates by tossing down a few too many brews with his mates.

In one of those male-bonding rituals, five of them decide to take the new vehicle for a test drive on a duck hunting expedition. They load up the Jeep with the dog, the guns decoys and more beer before heading out to a nearby lake.

Now, it's the dead of winter, and, of course, the lake is frozen, so they need to make a hole in the ice to create a natural landing area for the ducks and decoys. It is common practice in Michigan to drive your vehicle out onto the frozen lake and its also common (if slightly illegal) to make a hole in the ice using dynamite. Our fellows have nothing to worry about on that score, because one of the members works for a construction team, and happens to have brought some dynamite along. The stick has a short 20-second fuse.

The group is ready for some action. They're all set-up, shotguns loaded with duck pellets, and they have beer, beer warm cloths and a hunting dog. Still chugging down a seemingly bottomless supply of six-packs, the group considers how to safely dynamite a hole through the ice.

One of these rocket scientists points out that the dynamite should explode at a location far from where they are standing. Another notes the risk of slipping on the ice when running away from a burning fuse. So they eventually settle on a plan to light the fuse and throw the dynamite onto the ice. There is a bit of contention over who has the best throwing arm, and eventually the owner of the Jeep wins that honour.

Once that question is settled, he walks about 20 feet further out onto the ice and holds the stick of dynamite at the ready. While one of his companions lights the fuse with a Zippo lighter, as soon as he hears the fuse sizzle, he hurls it across the ice at a great velocity and runs in the other direction.

Unfortunately, a member of another species spots his master's arm motion and comes to an instinctive decision. "Remember a couple of paragraphs back when I mentioned the vehicle, beer, guns and the dog?" Yes the dog: a trained black labrador, born and bred for retrieving, especially things thrown by his master.

As soon as the "stick" leaves his hand, the dog sprints across the ice, hell-bent on wrapping his jaws around the enticing stick-shaped object.

Five frantic fellows immediately begin hollering at the dog, trying to get him to stop chasing the dynamite. Their cries fall on deaf ears. Before you know it, the dog is headed back to his owner, proudly carrying the stick of dynamite with the burning 20-second fuse. The group continues to yell and wave their arms while the happy dog trots towards them. In a desperate act, its master grabs his shotgun and fires at his own dog. The gun is loaded with duck shot, and confuses the dog more than it hurts him. Bewildered, he continues towards his master, who shots at mans best friend again.

Finally, comprehending that his owner has become insane, the dog runs for cover with his tail between his legs. And the nearest cover is right under the brand-new Grand Cherokee Jeep.

Booom!! The dog and the Jeep are blown to bits, and sink to the bottom of the lake, leaving a large ice hole in the their wake.

The stranded men stand staring at the water with stupid looks on their faces, and the owner of the Jeep is left to explain the misadventure to his insurance company. Needless to say, they determined that the sinking a vehicle in a lake by the illegal use of explosives is not covered under the policy, and the owner is making $400 monthly payments on his brand-new Jeep at the bottom of the lake.

Disclaimer: Storey by Geof Hill, News Letter, Belfast, NI. Dated 1st April 2000