Mikey

Petite paws importuning and eyelashes batting, Mikey's "Pick me up!" dance shows that he is trying to make up for lost time from a past life as a tied-out lawn decoration. It is impossible to comprehend why such a sociable, clean, and darling little guy was not spending time every waking minute sitting on someone's lap. But there you go--so many of the shining stars we get from rural shelters were obviously never appreciated by their past owners, else they would not have ended up dumped like an old shoe.

Mikey lives for spending time with people, whether it be following his foster Mom around the farm (off-leash) or sitting on her lap as she drives around to do errands. At 15 lbs, Mikey is eminently portable and unobtrusive. He delights everyone he meets with his calm but pleasant demeanor. No yappy dog is he: Mikey depends on a steady gaze and playful body language to get his point across. And the point is always "Love me!"

Confident with other dogs both large and small, Mikey is a natural for the Doggy Happy Hour scene. He meets and greets his canine brethren with a smile and a sniff, and looks up to the owners with a tilt of his little head as if to ask for a formal introduction. Once in a while, the specter of his past raises its ugly head, and Mikey will cower a little as you bend over to pet him. But he never lets that little bit of fear break the mantle of his good manners, and he accepts any and all petting with graciousness and heartfelt gratitude. However, since Mikey does have some timidity in certain situations, we will only place him in an adult only-household.

Mikey has it going on in the IQ department, too. He readily adapts to a routine and will gently prompt his foster when she leaves out a step. Because of his natural affinity for humans and their requirements, Mikey will pick up obedience commands very easily. Furthermore, he likes cats and behaves appropriately with them: That is, when he meets a cat who likes dogs, he administers gently licks on that cat's head. But if he meets a cat who does not like dogs, he simply observes from a polite distance to assure them that he is no threat.

Mikey is crate-trained (though he wants you to know that he really doesn't LIKE his crate -- in fact, he politely loathes it), neutered, vetted, and ready to graduate to his permanent place as someone's cherished companion.

• Mikey's favorite opera is Madam Butterfly.
• He likes cucumber sandwiches without the crust.
• When he visits friends in Manhattan, he uses his full name: Michael Papillion-Bichon III.