My adoption story

A long time ago, a very nice family adopted me. They took me home with them from the kennel where I was born when I was just a wee little pup, hardly the compact yet powerful dog I am now.

When I got to their house, I found out I had a brother! A beautiful Golden Retriever. They loved me very much, but both my moms worked very long hours, and all the kids went to school all day. I was very lonely at home by myself with the Golden.

Some days, they would leave us outside in the yard. When it got cold, I grew lots and lots of fur. I quickly got bored in the yard. I found different ways to get over the fence, and under the fence, and around the fence.

Soon, I was friends with everyone in the neighborhood! All the dogs know me, I liked to go with them on their walks. All the people who were owned by dogs in our whole neighborhood knew my name.

Sometimes they would take me home to my family, but I would always come back to play again! Soon, all the neighbors gave up on returning me to my people.

Then my new human moved in. Clearly, he was not given the memo: I was to be allowed to roam free in the neighborhood, to accompany anyone I chose on their walks, whenever I wanted.

A few times, the human caught me and called my people to come get me.

One time, the moms and all the little kids went on vacation, and I stayed home with the big kid and my Golden Retriever brother. I wanted to have one of my adventures, but he was kind of a spoilsport. I showed him a hole in the fence and he said "I don't know, Mo Mo, I think we'd better just wait here until Moms get home."

I went for a walk, and when I came home for dinner, he was gone. Meanwhile, I noted a cute little note on the door from The Dog Catcher - someone had complained about me walking myself! The nerve!

A couple of days later, I was getting really hungry, and it was really cold outside. I tried everything, but there was nobody home at my house. Finally, I went to see if Monty's Human would feed me - he would always give me cookies and a drink before when I showed up.

I made Monty bark lots and lots - it was still dark out. I could hear him "Monty, there's no one there, go back to sleep!" Finally, he came outside to see what Monty was barking at. I fell into the house "Oh, thank you! It's so cold out there! I'm so HUNGRY!" I said. He gave me some food and some water, and tried to call my people. But he couldn't find the phone number, it was completely washed off my tag.

Since it was the middle of the night, he said "Well, you can sleep here, we'll find them tomorrow." and he put a blanket on the floor for me.

Instead, I decided to chase the cats. I was nice and warm, full of food and water, and I love to chase cats. Next thing I knew, he kicked me back out and told me to go home. I'm sure he was half asleep, or he would have figured something else out.

I went home, but nobody was there. I didn't care, my belly was full. The next morning, I was just walking along in front of Monty's house, when this big van came out of nowhere. Suddenly, there was a big screeching sound, and the van stopped. Then Monty's human appeared and said "Are you still out? Come on in." He gave me more food, and this time, he didn't even mind that I chased the cats. He seemed very worried about me.

He found my people's phone number, and called them.

We had lots of adventures, but when I said "Take this leash off, I'm going for my walk now," he said "No way, little buddy. You are not going anywhere."

The next day, he called the dog catcher. I stayed with him for a whole week! It was great - we went EVERYWHERE together. I went to school, I went for CAR RIDE!!! I found this wonderful place called DOG PARK!!!!

And then one day my people called the dog catcher. They said they were on vacation when I ran away and that they would like me back. Monty's Human took me to the dog catcher. I knew her well, she had caught me before.

He seemed very sad, but the dog catcher explained that my family loved me very much and wanted me back.

I was happy to hear that! I loved them too! I was just lonely, so lonely all day when they went to work without me, so I would go find other people.

The dog catcher said they were coming. We waited. We waited. We waited some more.

Finally, I was placed in a small crate and made to stay there overnight. I heard the phone ring - it was Monty's Human calling to check in on me! "I'm here! Come get me!" I said, but the dog catcher said "They said they're coming tomorrow."

Tomorrow, my family came to get me. I was so happy! I licked their faces, and loved them so much!

When we got home, they had lunch with me, and then they put me in my crate and went back to work. I was so sad. I was so lonely in the crate. Didn't they know I loved them? I was so happy to be home.

I was so bored, I found a bunch of their shoes to play with. I love their shoes so much because they smell like them! And they're so tasty!!!

That night, the moms came home and they had a very serious conversation. The next night, the little boy and the moms brought me back to Monty's house.

They had decided that I could live with him. He took me shopping, and got me a new collar, and a new brush, and lots and lots of toys to chew on. I liked that a lot, but I was worried he was spending too much money on me.

For a free dog, I am pretty expensive.

So, in order to save some money, I tried to show him that I didn't really need an expensive chew toy, I could just chew this perfectly good chair here in the kitchen, see? I'm low maintenance! I don't need fancy toys, I am perfectly happy to chew the furniture you already have!

He seems to like buying me toys, though, and I have to admit that the Kong tastes better than the chair, so I'll chew it instead. Also, something happened to the chair, and now it tastes REALLY nasty.

My old family promised to come visit. One time, we were having our morning walk and the big kid drove by with the little kids. They stopped to say hi, and I loved them! I gave them so many kisses, but when they let go of me, I ran back to my Human. I didn't want to leave with them.

They haven't come back to visit since then, and that's Ok with me. It's kind of confusing to me. I don't understand why they didn't love me enough to quit their jobs and stay home all day with me.

The New Human is much better - he doesn't seem to have much of a job. Some days, we go to the university, and he gathers large groups of students together, and they all sit and look at me while I sit at the front of the room and they talk about sociology. Meanwhile, I walk around in circles and let them all pet me.

Other days, he spends the whole day on his computer, and I sleep on the couch with Monty. He calls this "working" and we sometimes go outside to do "working" in the yard. In the middle of "working" we often have lunch or a walk or something interesting. I like this much better than being in my crate or out in the yard while my family is at work.

The only problem with the new human is that when I figure out something clever and manage to get out of the house or off my leash, he comes looking for me. He chases me all over the neighborhood and all the other people come out of their houses to help him. Twice I have made my escape, and have been quietly going about my business in the neighborhood, when he has shown up with Monty and my leash. It's Ok, I don't mind if he joins me on my walks I guess.

So that's my adoption story.

I am Mo Mo - I am adopted. (That's why Monty and I look so different.)