The Night Before Christmas (an ode to a Christmas Dog)

Here's my Creation this year... I've done one on different topics for the last two... Maybe I will make it a tradition...

The Night Before Christmas (an ode to a Christmas Dog)

T'was the night before Christmas, 2001
Everyone's shopping was already done
All the presents were wrapped without fail
except for one wiggly puppy with a waggily tail.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds
and the parents, who had gotten it into their heads
the perfect gift fo their offspring would be a pup,
imagined joy on their faces when the kids would wake up...

True enough, the next morning, when the children had woken
and flew down the stairs like horses unbroken
and ripped through the gifts with cheerful cries...
They saw mom and dad brought in another surprise.

He had pointy black ears on his pear-shaped noggin
and white 'socks' on his feet, which never stopped joggin'.
His shape Boston Terrier, his coat Aussie merle,
and one of his brown eyes had a fleck of blue pearl...

The kids were ecstatic, at least at that time
But, soon after, enthusiasm turned on a dime
When mom and dad explained that each child had a duty,
To take turns to feed him, to train him, to clean doody.

Of course, Mom and Dad ended up looking after him,
As their children's interest eventually grew dim,
especially when the canine grew up to adult size
and lost his playful infant cuteness and puppy eyes.

Mom and Dad just didn't have time to do all that stuff.
They had full time jobs and their kids: it was tough,
what with soccer and hockey and ballet and swimming...
It seemed everyone's schedules were filled to brimming.

So they settled on building a fence for a dog run.
He was out of the way and sometimes completely forgotten.
They didn't neuter him or pet him or walk him or play,
And he grew more miserable with each passing day.

The dog was bored and frustrated and sad
But for some reason the family thought he must be bad.
He was jumping and barking in his cage and looked meaner,
so they blamed him for his 'aggressive' demeanor.

Mom and Dad shrugged, and took him out to the pound,
and couldn't understand why all the employees frowned.
Despite pointing out this dog's problems and failures
the staff members didn't seem enthused to take the position of jailors.

But took him they did and put him up for adoption,
And on their website of him posted pictures and description...
"I like people and dogs and even cats," it read,
"I need exercise and love and I'm not neutered," it said.

Well my husband and I had long wanted a canine companion
and frequently searched dog blogs and websites with abandon.
October '09 we found this orphan canis familiaris,
and we let out a cheer saying, "I think he's the one for us!"

We went to the see this dog, so respectful and sweet,
could already shake-a-paw and sit down on his seat.
True, he was shy and unsure and had a bit of a cough,
but he seemed perfect to us, a diamond in the rough.

We still can't fathom the first owners' misguided intents
But if they'd kept him we wouldn't be fortunate recipients
of a wonderful dog who knows tricks and is mannerly,
and is now a wonderful part of our happy family!