Not just a mutt

He was a mutt. Just a mix of two very mixed-up dogs. All one could say for sure was that he was a dog. And, for most dog shelter dogs, that would have been enough. But when our mutt got picked up after living on the streets for a few months, he got put in with a pen full of full bloods. They had no respect for him. Therefore, he struggled to find any respect for himself. He knew he was not worth much because he was "just a mutt." He did not even have a name other than mutt (small m). He didn't feel he needed one until he met Gracie.

Gracie was five years old. She was very lucky. Her parents loved and respected her. They saw her as a real person with feelings and ideas worth acknowledging and accepting. When she looked into their eyes, she saw that she was a unique human who deserved love and respect.

She and the mutt hit it off immediately. Her first question was, "What's his name?"  The worker replied, "He doesn't have one other than 'mutt.'"  Gracie asked, "What's a mutt?" The worker explained, "It is just a plain, old dog. Not a Collie or anything special. Just a mutt."    Gracie, with eyes wide open, said, "That will never do. He will never be 'just a mutt' to me."

Gracie cuddled up with him for a moment. She felt his soft fur and looked into his big brown eyes. And then it came to her.   "He is Pooky."  Her parents replied, "You mean like Garfield's Teddy bear."  Gracie was amazed that they knew Garfield's Teddy Bear's name. "Yes, because he is soft and cuddly!"  So, Pooky, it was!

It took a while for the mutt to learn that he had a real name. He had been called mutt all his life. He was not sure about this new name. He had never heard it before, but it must be a good one; it was given to him by someone who took care of him. He trusted her, and that trust grew out of her respect for him as Pooky. To her, he would never be "just a mutt."

They were inseparable for the next 10 years. They grew up together, but Pooky grew up much faster. He was Gracie's closest companion and defender. He saved her from innumerable squirrels and butterflies. She made sure he was clean and well-fed. Their daily romps around the neighborhood were the highlights of both their days. Even when Gracie started spending time with boys in the neighborhood, she made sure that Pooky was there to give them the once over. She respected his judgment.  

As Pooky got older, Gracie was there for him. When he could no longer jump up on the bed, Gracie would gently pick him up so he could curl up at her feet. She insisted that he got soft food when he started losing his teeth. And when his run had slowed to a trot, Gracie would leave the bicycle behind, and they would walk their old trails. When the dreaded day arrived, she let him go because of her love and respect for him since that first day at the kennel. She cried, but she was also filled with gratitude that Pooky had allowed her to share his life.

Pooky was a very lucky mutt. He never realized it, but he learned self-respect the same way Gracie did, from someone who loved him unconditionally and respected him just as he was. He could not have picked a better friend out of everyone who came through the kennel that day. Pooky not only met and fell in love with Gracie. He also met and fell in love with Pooky.  And that has made all the difference. You see, he was never "just a mutt." He was always something more. He just needed someone to introduce him to himself. "mutt, meet Pooky."