Benny...the ugly dog

Have you ever seen an ugly dog? I have. Actually, I've lived with an ugly dog. No, I'm not talking about a guy (you people should know that I'm not married and so wouldn't live with a guy) and I'm not talking about a roomate, though I've had those of every shape and size (females) in numerous quantities. I'm absolutely serious when I say that I've lived with an ugly dog. In fact, come December I will be again living with an ugly dog (also not my family members because they're all beautiful or handsome).

My mom has a dog. His name is Benny. It is the general conclusion of all who have come to lay eyes on Benny that he is an ugly dog. However, this ugly dog is adorable because he's hysterical. He does things that can at times seem nearly humans. He's what my mother calls a melancholy dog. He always has to do certaing things certain ways. Every day he has to greet our mailman. If he isn't able to personally see and sniff the mailman he literally sits inside our house and cries. Of course, this could have a lot to do with the fact that our mailman gives Benny a bone every day that they greet one another. He even knows the dogs name, which is funny because the mailman doesn't know any of our peoples' names. Benny always has to eat rawhide bones outside. He refuses to eat them inside. If he receives one he will hold it in his mouth and sit if front of the back door until he is let out. This dog is also typically male in that he thinks that we are mind readers (yeah, fellas, you have every right to be offended). When Benny needs to go outside he sits at either mom's feet or my feet until we ask him if he want's to "go out". He doesn't bark or whine, he just stares!!! I hate being stared at, so it doesn't take long before I ask, "do you want to go out?" At that point in time he darts off and jumps up and down in front of the back door (you follow that ok?). Yes, we have a funny, ugly dog.

Benny is half Pug and half Lasa Apsa. I don't think that the breeders of those two particular dogs realized what a creature they would get out of it. If they had known beforehand what he was going to look like they would have thought twice about breeding their dogs. Or perhaps it was an accident that the match happened. However, I will say that despite his apparant ugliness he also proves the proverb that "looks aren't everything." I would never ask for another dog for as long as I live. I've never "met" or seen a more agreeable or happy dog. He always smiles (he doesn't have a huge choice because his teeth stick out of his mouth in various directions, causing him to appear ugly, cute, funny, and stupid all at the same time). He's always friendly and he's only afraid of little kids and men with deep voices (not a huge help for our family...definitely not a protective factor in our lives). I will always take an ugly, agreeable dog over a beautiful and difficult one. Mom, you made a great choice. When I first saw Benny I was furious that we owned him, and now he's my playmate while I'm home. We play tag, running back and forth throughout the house. God never created a better (or uglier) creature as far as dogs go.