My (new) Name is Duke

It kind of started a little while ago.  I somehow got lost from my humans and for a while, I was running around trying to find my way home.  I was hungry, cold, and scared.  Then one day a nice person caught me and took me in a truck to a big, scary place where there were lots of other barking dogs.  They put me in this big kennel.  They told me they were waiting to see if my people would come find me.  

But they didn't.  Day after day passed.  The people there were nice to me.  They fed me and let me get outside the kennel for a little bit to go potty and things.  Then one day, they took me out of the kennel and I went into this room.  I was scared and they did something to me I didn't understand.  I felt this poke and fell asleep and when I woke up, those two things by my tail were gone and I hurt really, really bad.  They gave me treats that helped me feel better.  Then they put a new collar on me and put me in a different kennel.

They started calling me "Kanga", but that's not my name and I don't know how to tell them what my name is.  People would come by and look at me and some of the other dogs, but they'd keep going.  One day, a person came by and then the people took me out of the cage and took me outside to meet her.  She was nice.  Then they had me meet her other dog, but that dog was kind of mean to me, so they took me back to the kennel.  I was really sad.

The kennel is a scary place.  It's loud and the dogs bark.  I couldn't see the other dogs but I could hear them.  I just wanted to go home.

Then one day last week, this man came by.  He stopped and looked at me and talked to me for a minute, but I was scared.  He walked away and I went back and hid.  Then a little while later, something happened.  The man came back with another man.  I ran up to the cage and put my paw up to say hello to the second man.  They looked really nice and they were very friendly to me.  I heard them talking to each other about me, but then they left.

And then, the people at the shelter came and got me out of my cage.  They took me outside and there were the two men waiting for me!  They played with me and the older man gave me treats.  I liked him.  He was friendly.  He rubbed my ears and walked me around the yard.  The lady who brought me out gave him some treats to give me.  I like treats.  

And then, something really unusual happened!  The younger man brought his dog to play with me.  His name is Hades, and he has a pretty black and withe coat.  We sniffed each other and we played well together.  I liked him.  But then the two men left with Hades and I had to go back inside into the kennel.  I was really sad now because I really liked the men and the doggy.

But then, after just a little while, something else happened!  They came back! This time they had a smaller dog with them and his name was Mickey.  Mickey didn't play as hard with me as Hades did but I liked him too.  But then, I had to go back to the kennel and they left again.  By this time I was really, really sad because I could tell the two men really liked me.  

But then, guess what?!  The lady came and took me out of the kennel again!  I didn't understand what was happening, but she tied a leash to my collar and took me out a door I had not seen before.  There were a lot of people in that room and the older man was waiting for me!  They gave him the rope leash I was on and a bunch of stuff and took our picture, then we went outside!  The other man was there too!

He opened the door of this box he wanted me to go in and said "Load up".  I was scared.  I didn't know what that meant!  Everything was happening so fast!  But Mickey was in the box, and the older man lifted me up and gently put me in it.  Then they got in it and the box started moving.

I went to a new house.  Hades was there.  They had a kennel for me to sleep in and I got to play with Hades and Mickey.  They fed me and gave me water.  They gave me a better collar. There was a lady there and she was nice to me.  When Hades and I got too wild, she would ask us to go in the kennel.  They started calling me Spike, but that's not my name and I didn't like that name.  But I don't know how to tell them my real name.  They had a big yard for us to play in, too.

The older man came to see me.  His name is Cooper, I think.  That's what the lady called him.  The younger man called him dad, so I think I will call him dad too.  I was so happy to see him!  He took me out of the kennel and played with me for a while, and then he took a leash and hooked it up to my collar.  I know that means go outside.  The man took me to the big box again and opened the door and said "Load up".  I was still a little scared but he helped me in and told me I was a good boy.  We went again for a short trip and then the younger man came and got in the box and we went back to his house.  The older man had to leave again.  I was sad.  I like him and I can tell he really likes me.

I saw him again the next day.  He came in the day and this time he gathered up some of my stuff and we got in the box again.  This time he said "load up" and I knew what that meant!  I was still scared but I jumped in.  We went for another short trip and I met two ladies and another man.  They were nice to me, but we left after a short visit.  They had a little person with them, but in all the excitement I didn't get to sniff him very much.

Again, the man said "load up" and this time we went for a long ride. He stopped and got a snack.  It was white and cold and soft and had a cookie with it.  The man licked up some of it and then he shared his snack with me!  It was delicious!  Every now and then, we stopped to go potty.  The man would leave me in the box for a few minutes by myself.  Each time he did, he brought me back snacks and shared his snacks with me.  He made sure to give me a drink of water each time, too.  Each time I got in the box from a potty break, he said "load up", and now I know that is a good thing to do.  When I would go potty, he told me I was a good boy and gave me loves.

I was so scared.  And so tired.  It's been a long ride and we were in the box even after it got dark.  The man knew I was scared so he let me sit by him and he kept a hand on me.  Once I stretched out on the bigger bed in the back, but not for long.  Finally we got out of the box and were in a room with a bunch of stuff.  Then he opened the door and there was this house.  It has a bed for me!!!  He gave me food.  We went outside.  I saw some things he calls cats.  They don't want to be friends.  I don't know what to do with them yet.

I like it here.  The man let me sleep by him.  But I slept some in the bed.  It smells like dog and that made me feel safe.  I have had a chance to sniff everything and I have a nice place to play outside.  The man told me he knows I have been through a lot and he is just taking his time with me.  He is so kind.  I really really like him and feel safe here.

He calls me Duke.  He says that I look like a Duke.  But that's not my name and since I can't tell him what my real name is, I think I will get used to my new name.  

It's a nice name and I like it.