National Mutt Day–Ode To Bernie And Surely Not

WARNING – I am on a toot!

National Mutt Day was created to raise awareness of the plight of mixed breed dogs in shelters around the nation and to educate the public about the sea of mixed breed dogs that desperately await new homes.  National Mutt Day is December 2nd.

My definition of a mutt differs from those but I am a strong advocate of what defines a mutt.  I am a mutt snob and I am darn proud of it.  Designer dogs are not Mutts.  They are bred for a purpose and that is to be sold.  If that is your cup of tea then that is fine but do not call your designer dog a mutt. 

A mutt is a question mark.  “Uhhh, I think it is a poodle, chow, basset mix.”  It is when you go to the pound and pick up a dog or a pup and you don’t know what it is but you love it anyway.  It is a wonderful blend of character and personality.  A mutt is his or hers own dog. 

My daughter and her beau bought a Golden Retriever liked her so much that they got another one.  They wanted a specific type of dog and they found it in Rose and Ella.  Mom and I wanted a dog and found Lou Lou and Fi Fi.   Lou Lou and Fi Fi are designer dogs.  When we discovered they couldn’t travel Fi went home with my granddaughter, Isabel and Lou Lou went to my son Scott.  Scott didn’t really want her, he took her reluctantly but now he wouldn’t part with her for any amount of money.  Her name is no longer Lou Lou but Louie.

Prior to Louie, Scott found a dog at the pound that he named Bernie.  Poor Bern Bern.  He was not only a mutt but he was a black mutt.  He suffered from Black Mutt Syndrome, the unadoptable…  He was also next in line for euthanasia  I don’t know what Scott saw in Bernie because I just didn’t see it.  I really didn’t want him to get Bernie because Bernie was mean.  Bernie was totally freaked out by Scott because Bernie didn’t like men and he also really hated Hispanic Males.  Scott took him out to the “lets get acquainted area” and all Bernie wanted to do was get away from him.  Scott took him anyway.  Bernie is a lab, chow, and something else mix.  It took a lot of love from Scott to get Bernie to accept him.  Then it took a lot of courage from Scott’s friends to get Bernie to accept Hispanic males.  Now Bernie is just an awesome dog.  There is nothing like Bernie kisses.  Then Louie moved in and took over.  Louie is a Chihuahua Yorkie mix and she is the alpha dog.  She taught Bernie that a kennel is a good thing especially if it is shared.  She showed him how to play.  How to share a food dish.  She also taught him that big dogs don’t fit under a coffee table as well as a small one.  She loves to chase Bernie through out the house and Bernie loves to chase her.  Mutts are awesome dogs especially black mutts.

My old friend Surely Not was a mutt puppy.  I found her at the pound and took her home.  What a wonderful and dear companion I had for almost 18 years.  I still grieve.  She is still with me because I have her cremains tucked inside of a coyote puppet along with her collar and a lock of her hair.  She is still traveling down the road with me.  When I am gone my cremains will be mixed with hers and my children will scatter our ashes together.

You don’t know love until you are loved by a dog.

If you are in the market for  a dog and all you want is a big old goofy dog or even a small goofy dog go to the pound.  There are so many that are crying for a home.  If I ever get another dog I will be going to the pound and get another black mutt puppy.

To you, it’s an animal. To me she is an adopted daughter who has short hair, walks on all fours and doesn’t speak clearly.