Scraggly Dog gets a name

SCRAGGLY No More!

Scraggly Dog Get a Name

By Susan Chodakiewitz Illustrated by Veronica Walsh

The scraggly dog of El Camino Street finally had a home, a family to cuddle with, kids to play with, and his very own spot on the couch to curl into.

Yet ONE thing was terribly missing. He STILL didn’t have a name.

“I want a name that’s truly me. I want a name that let’s me be me!” barked Scraggly Dog.

But nobody seemed to listen.

Nanny wanted to name him Strudel. “ But scraggly dog also loved pop corn and ice cream and Grandpa’s noodle kugel.

“Let’s call him BUBBLES,” said Uncle Breezy. But scraggly was not at all fond of baths.

“Let’s call him Pavoroti,” said Grandma. But when scraggly tried singing along to Grandma’s favorite aria everyone plugged their ears!

“I want a name that’s truly me. I want a name that let’s me be me!” barked Scraggly Dog.

Now Ben and his pet fish wanted to name him Jacque Cousteau. But scraggly dog preferred digging in Mr. Snoozle’s yard to going on ocean expeditions.

“Let’s name him Versace,” said cousin Rose. “He loves clothes, just like me.” But Cousin Rose’s trendy line of dog fashions really cramped Scraggly Dog’s style.

“How about nice name like Shakespeare,” said Mr. Snoozle.

“A nice clean name like Ajax!” said Mrs. Featherplume.

“His name should be Rukus,” Dad said.

“Let’s call him Hendrix” said Jim.

“How about Fluffy?” said Hannah.

Ms. Daisycup thought Seymour was the perfect name. That was the name of her high school sweetheart.

“I‘m not a Shakespeare or a Sparkles or a Hendrix. I’m not a Fluffy, or a Rukus or a Strudel. I’m not a Ajax, Pavorotti or Versace. And CERTAINLY not a Seymour!”

“I want a name that let’s me be me! I want a name that’s truly me!” barked Scraggly Dog.

Just then little Sam’s arrived from baseball practice.

SNIFF, SNIFF…. WAG, WAG, went Scraggly Dog.

“You have the cutest little wag,” said little Sam.

WAG, WAG…. LICK, LICK went Scraggly Dog.

“I love you WAGS!” said little Sam. ”Want to play fetch ?”

“Sure!” wagged Wags

“I think he likes his new name!”

“FINALLY! ” barked Wags. “I’m was scraggly no more!”