Prologue

HE LIED. The breeder man lied to my first family. Lies smell bad, and the breeder man really stunk. Even as a puppy, I could tell. I didn't know what the lie was, but I was happy to get away from him.

I liked my first family. They were nice and gave me good food to eat, and I used to stretch to climb up on the couch. Mom Violet would lift me up and hold me. I used to lick her face, and I was really happy.

Then I grew and got bigger and bigger, and I could get up on the couch all by myself. I used to like to sit on Mom Violet's lap, but then I got too big and heavy, and it was all kind of "no, don't do that," or "bad dog." I hated the last one most of all because it made Dad Charles smell like the stinky breeder man, and his voice got really mean and I wanted to hide.

But still I grew and explored the house we lived in with the small yard full of flowers and places to dig. There were so many flowers and great smells, and I wanted to find them all and keep the house safe, but all I got was more "bad dog" and Mom Violet upset as she put the flowers back.

Then one day I heard them talking, though they were so quiet. Mom Violet was upset, and I did my best to comfort her. I sat next to her chair and rested my chin on her lap. She petted me, and I closed my eyes, wanting her to feel better. I didn't move, not even when there was someone coming up the walk. I knew I had to be good and not bark or anything. After a while, Mom Violet didn't feel better, but she put the leash on me like we were going for a walk. I loved walks and all the smells. It was my favorite time of the day. She opened the door and then took me to the car. I was excited. I loved the car—getting to see things and go places and smell all the new smells, especially the country kinds of smells.

When we stopped and got out, there were lots of other dogs. Some of them barked and yipped to play, and I really wanted to. Mom Violet took me inside a building, and she talked to a man for a while. I did my best to be good, but there were so many other dogs to say hello to, and I was so happy to get to play. Then the man she was talking to took my leash, and he led me back to the other dogs. I was so excited and thought it was going to be fun puppy time.

I was wrong. He put me in a big cage all alone, away from everyone else. I had food and water but no other dogs to sniff and smell, and worst of all, Mom Violet was gone. I lay awake all night, watching the door, waiting for Mom Violet to come and get me. But she never came back.