Muttley (5 page)

Muttley might seem lazy, but he is also alert and caring. Like all dogs, he has his own personality. Some of a dog’s personality comes from his breed: Most German shepherds like to take care of their people, most Labs are goofy and friendly, many terriers can be bossy.

But even within breeds, every dog is different — just like people are different! Some dogs have a great sense of humor, while others are very serious. Some like to play, some like to sleep. Some dogs are friendly, some are shy.

We also help to create our dogs’ personalities, by encouraging certain behaviors and discouraging others. If you reward your dog when he is acting friendly, he will want to act friendly more often.

Think about your own dog’s personality. What parts come from his breed, what parts come from the way you treat him, and what parts are just special to him?

Dear Reader,

The character of Muttley is based on one of my best dog friends, a sweet, funny mutt named Barley, who lives next door. Barley is part German shepherd and part Walker hound, just like Muttley. He loves to sleep and he can be cranky if you try to wake him up from his nap. But he also loves to play, especially with his dog sister Ursa, who is also a mutt (part Lab, part Samoyed). Barley loves to kiss me — but he does not like to be kissed! He loves treats and he takes them very gently from my hand. He loves to chase squirrels, take long walks in the woods, and ride in the car. Barley may not be a hero like Muttley, but he has a special, very lovable personality, and I am glad he is my friend.

Yours from the Puppy Place,

Ellen Miles

P.S. For another smart puppy, check out SHADOW!

Baxter
Bear
Buddy
Chewy and Chica
Cody
Flash
Goldie
Honey
Jack
Lucky
Maggie and Max
Muttley
Noodle
Patches
Princess
Pugsley
Rascal
Scout
Shadow
Snowball
Sweetie

Ellen Miles likes to write about the different personalities of dogs. She is the author of more than 30 books, including the Puppy Place and Taylor-Made Tales series as well as
The Pied Piper
and other Scholastic Classics. Ellen loves to be outdoors every day, walking, biking, skiing, or swimming, depending on the season. She also loves to read, cook, explore her beautiful state, and hang out with friends and family. She lives in Vermont.

If you love animals, be sure to read all the adorable stories in the Puppy Place series!

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.

Copyright © 2010 by Ellen Miles.
Cover art by Tim O’Brien
Cover design by Steve Scott

All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc. SCHOLASTIC, LITTLE APPLE, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. Lexile is a registered trademark of MetaMetrics, Inc.

First printing, September 2010

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e-ISBN: 978-0-545-32462-5