The One and Only Bob. Katherine Applegate

down and rear up, signaling an invitation to have fun

      rhymes-with-pet-threat: vet, an otherwise kind human armed with thermometers and needles

      tailspin: (1) chase involving the flexible appendage attached to the rear of most canines; (2) (informal) an embarrassing or quixotic effort

      toe-twitcher: dream (often squirrel-focused) resulting in foot movement

      tug-of-war string: a long (though never long enough) piece of fabric or leather used to lead humans during walks

      UFO: (1) unidentified food object, often found under kitchen tables or couch cushions; (2) unidentified floor object, hopefully edible; (3) unidentified flying object, ideally a stick, flying disk, or slobber-covered tennis ball

      water bowl of power: (1) jumbo-sized ceramic dish; (2) uncomfortable human chair, generally found in bathrooms

      zoomies: sudden bursts of energy, usually involving chaotic dashes through the house (informal; see also: FRAP)

One

confession

      Look, nobody’s ever accused me of being a good dog.

      I bark at empty air. I eat cat litter. I roll in garbage to enhance my aroma.

      I harass innocent squirrels. I hog the couch. I lick myself in the presence of company.

      I’m no saint, okay?

and while i’m at it . . .

      I may or may not have eaten a pepperoni pizza with anchovies when nobody was looking.

      Also, I may or may not have eaten a coconut vanilla birthday cake when nobody was looking.

      Also, I may or may not have eaten a Thanksgiving turkey (except for the stuffing—way too much rosemary) when nobody was looking.

      Nobody looking. That seems to be the common thread.

      As they say on the crime shows: motive and opportunity.

robert

      Name’s Bob.

      I’m a mutt of uncertain heritage. Definitely some Chihuahua, with a smidgen of papillon on my father’s side.

      You’re probably thinking I’m some wimpy lap dog. The kind you see poking out of an old lady’s purse like a hairy key chain. But size ain’t everything.

      It’s swagger. Attitude. You gotta have the moves.

      Probably I shoulda been named Bruiser or Bamm-Bamm or Bandit, but Bob’s what I got and Bob’ll do me just fine.

      Julia named me. Long time ago. She’s my girl. She calls me “Robert” when I get on her nerves.

      Happens pretty often, to be honest.

numero uno

      There’s an old saying about us dogs, goes like this: It’s no coincidence that man’s best friend can’t talk.

      Lemme tell you something. If we could talk to people, they’d get an earful.

      You ever hear anyone mention man being dog’s best friend?

      Nope?

      Didn’t think so.

      Way I’ve always figured it, end of the day, you gotta be your own best friend. Look out for numero uno.

      Learned that one the hard way.

      That’s not to say I don’t have a best pal. I do.

      Gorilla, name of Ivan. Big guy and I go way, way back.

      Gorilla and dog. Yep, I know. You don’t see that every day. Long story.

      I love that big ol’ ape. Ditto our little elephant friend, Ruby.

      They’re the best.

how we met

      The first time I met Ivan, I was a homeless puppy. Desperate, starving, all alone.

      It was the middle of the night, and I’d slipped into the mall where Ivan lived in a cage. I wandered a bit, grateful for the warmth, confused by the weird assortment of sleeping animals I found there, checking every trash can for anything edible.

      There was a small hole in a corner of Ivan’s enclosure. He was fast asleep, cuddled up with a worn stuffed animal that looked like a weary gorilla.

      He was snoring, and man, that guy snored like a pro.

      In his open palm was a chunk of banana, and—I still get shivers when I think about this—I ate it right out of his hand.

      Guy coulda squeezed his fingers shut and I woulda popped like a puppy balloon. But he just kept on sleeping.

      And then—more shivers—I am either a maniac or the bravest dog on the planet, probably a little of both—I hopped up onto that big, round, furry tummy of his.

      That’s right. I climbed Mount Ivan.

      Crazy, I know. I have no idea what I was thinking. Maybe I was so exhausted I went a little bonkers. Maybe he just looked so warm and cozy that I figured it was worth taking a chance.

      I did my bed boogie. Dogs don’t feel right till we do a quick dance before settling.

      Once I had things just so, I lay down in a little puppy lump and rode the waves on that tummy like a puny boat on a great brown sea.

      When Ivan opened his eyes the next morning, he didn’t seem surprised in the least to find a puppy snoozing on his belly. He refused to move until I woke up.

      I think he was as glad as I was to have found a new friend.

the amazing history of man’s best friend

      Before long, me and Ivan were best buddies.

      We’re an unlikely pair, sure. Ivan’s calm and serene, a philosopher, an artist. I wish I could be more like that. No one’s ever accused me of being levelheaded.

      Hotheaded, sure.

      And I can’t talk pretty like Ivan can. I’m a street dog, after all. And proud of it.

      Still, we clicked, in a way I never had with humans. “Man’s best friend”? No way. “Gorilla’s best friend”? You bet.

      Seems to me the first time I ever heard that phrase—“man’s best friend”—was while I was watching TV with Ivan.

      Back in the