Showing results by author "John R. Erickson" in All Categories

On a blustery day in late fall, Hank sneaks into the back of Slim's pickup and finds himself at a neighboring rancher's fall branding...the very neighbor, in fact, who owns the gorgeous Miss Scamper the Beagle! Unfortunately, Miss Scamper has always been a little hard to figure out, and he can't decide if she's crazy about him...or just plain crazy. And, as the day unfolds, it even begins to look like she's angling to land him in a heap of trouble with her pit bull boyfriend, Steel!

In this exciting case, Hank falls victim to a series of sneaky schemes: first, a Turkey Debacle endangers his relationship with Sally May, then, a case of poisoning puts him at death's doornail, and finally, a disastrous ride to town almost finishes him off. As each terrible event takes its toll on his reputation - not to mention his dignity - Hank begins to notice a pattern. Could it be that an evil mastermind is behind these plots?

Hank couldn't be more thrilled when Beulah the Collie comes to the ranch looking for help. It turns out her beau, Plato the Bird Dog, has wandered off in search of the elusive Great White Quail. With Plato out of the picture, Hank is convinced that he'll finally be able to win Beulah's affections. So he takes up the mission, hoping to score some points with his beloved.

No sooner has Sally May finished planting her vegetable garden when some kind of unearthly being decides to burrow in the neatly planted rows of tomatoes and peppers. It looks like a job for the Head of Ranch Security, so Hank sets straight to work trying to dig the space monster robot out of its hole.

It's summertime, and the weather on Hank's West Texas ranch is hot and dry. So dry, in fact, that everyone is on the lookout for prairie fires. So Hank bravely adds the title of Head of Fire Safety to his already impressive list of responsibilities and gets to work. But patrolling for fires is dull, and it's hard to do on an empty stomach. Despite the distractions - desperate hunger, a cruel trick at the hands of Pete the Barncat - Hank somehow manages to stay focused on the job at hand.

Cattle call. A gang of marauding dogs is threatening the calf population on the ranch, and Hank knows that it's up to the Head of Ranch Security to do something about it. But instead of being outside where he can fight off the fiends, Hank is trapped inside - at the mercy of Slim and his dreaded vampire sweeper!

When Sally May and Loper head off to visit the relatives, leaving Slim in charge of Little Alfred, Hank knows that trouble is sure to come knocking. But not even the Head of Ranch Security could have predicted what would happen.

Hank the Cowdog is in hot water with Sally May--again! But, before Hank has a chance to convince her how sorry he is, he learns the ranch is being targeted for a major invasion from his arch-enemies the coyotes. Does Hank have what it takes to save his reputation, protect the ranch, and make things right with Sally May? Hank sings about his dog food in "Eating Doesn't Have to Be Fun", and Hank stops in his tracks when he hears "The Coyote Chicken Chant".

Get ready for laughs when you listen to these excerpts from ten of Hank's stories. Performed in the style of an old-time radio show, complete with sound effects and a unique voice for each character! You will hear Hank as he bargains for a priceless corncob, learns about manners from Wallace the Buzzard, runs into Rip and Snort the coyote brothers, taunts a raging rottweiler, gets into trouble with Sally May the rancher's wife, and more!

It's roundup time, and Hank the Cowdog is ready to strut his stuff. So what's Benny - a world-class cattle dog with the papers to prove it - doing at the ranch? As Head of Ranch Security, Hank knows it's his job to find out. But what Hank learns isn't easy to swallow. Benny has been brought in to take his place in the roundup!

It's Valentine's Day on the ranch but bachelor-cowboy Slim Chance doesn't know it. Sally May tells him to forget about the cows and "Go to town and buy a nice gift for Miss Viola!" Slim hates to shop, but he goes to town (with the dogs, of course) and buys a nice box of candy for Miss Viola. But on the way to Viola's house, Hank and Drover take an interest in the candy and...will there be a Happy Valentine's Day on the ranch? Slim sings a bachelor's opinion in his "Valentine's Song."

On a tip from Pete the Barncat, Hank the Cowdog and his faithful second-in-command, Drover, go in search of the fabled pot of chicken at the end of the rainbow. But before they can find it, Rip and Snort find them. There's only one way out - Hank challenges the coyote brothers to the Deadly Ha-Ha Game.

Love doesn't come easy. Duped by Drover, mocked by Pete the Barncat, and busted yet again by Sally May, the Head of Ranch Security decides it's time for a break from the grueling daily grind. Heading into the wild outback, Hank goes in search of his true love, the charming Miss Beulah.

It's scrap day on the ranch, and Hank is looking forward to a delicious feast of juicy, fatty bacon scraps. But just as Little Alfred is doling out the goods, two very unusual-looking creatures fly overhead, and what was promising to be a glorious day takes a dramatic turn for the worse. Suddenly the scraps have vanished, and the Head of Ranch Security finds himself dealing with an invasion by a couple of ancient dinosaur birds! Can Hank get to the bottom of this latest mystery...before it's too late?

Someone has been stealing calves from Uncle Johnny's pasture, and it's up to Hank and Slim to put a stop to it. In the hopes of catching the "crinimals" in the act, they set up camp in the field just north of the canyon. But the stakeout isn't all fun and games.

Cat ranch or cattle ranch? Hank the Cowdog doesn't like cats. Not one bit. So when a mother cat and her kittens take up residence in the haystack, he does all he can to get them to leave. But they've got nowhere to go. Unfortunately, neither does the gigantic bull who has knocked down the fence - and is headed right for the haystack! Hank knows that it's up to him to run that bull off and keep the ranch safe for everyone...even if that includes a bunch of cats.

Hank and Drover have just hitched an accidental ride into town in the back of Slim's pickup, and boy, are they excited! But the excitement turns to drama when Drover mysteriously disappears! Can Hank track down his faithful sidekick before it's time for Slim to head back to the ranch? Or is he off on a wild goose chase?

Hank learns about a tool thief on the loose who uses a monkey to help him do his dirty work. And before long, Hank finds himself face-to-face with the pilfering primate! Can Hank help to stop the criminals in their tracks, or will the crooks make a monkey out of the Head of Ranch Security?

When Hank makes the mistake of asking Drover what he's doing, Drover reveals his observation that the moon looks like a cookie! After some highly scientific discussion and calculations, Hank and Drover agree that the moon is a cookie, not swiss chesse. And, when Loper sets down Sally May's picnic basket, which contains some oatmeal raisin cookies, the plot thickens, and Hank realizes the cookie moon was a sign that he should...you'll never guess what!

Hank the Cowdog and his trusty partner, Drover, are just beginning their latest investigation when a pirate suddenly appears on the front porch! Has the ranch really been set upon by one-legged men of the sea? Hank and Drover soon realize that the pirate is just Little Alfred in disguise.