The Underdog

I am small.

I am new to this dog park. I don't have many friends, and my collar is a hand-me-down.

I am young, and know little of the ways of the big dogs.

I'm not a purebred, that's for sure.

I still have a lot of tricks to learn, and I'm not terribly good at the ones I do know.

I am an underdog.

But if you think you can bark me out of here, you are dead wrong.

I may be small, but I will not back down.

Where bigger, complacent dogs might give up, I will keep barking, keep running, and keep learning.

I will make mistakes, and I expect I will get a few nips and bites from others, but I will keep coming back for more until I learn the rules.

Or I will make my own rules, and walk this park with enough moxie to fake it until these old dogs accept my way.

Where others might tuck their tails and play Omega, I'm determined to work my way up to Alpha, and I know that has more to do with presence than size.

I also know it means I'll be trading growls with some dogs I wouldn't beat in a fight.

I'll play anyway.

Not only that, I'll play with my heart and my soul, with every fiber in my scruffy little mutt body.

What I lack in size, muscle, and experience I make up for with determination, sheer tenacity, and a willingness to work harder, bark louder, and own my patch of grass with more certainty than anyone else.

I am wiry and tough, and while a bigger dog might spook at a little bump, I know I can take life's bruises and keep moving.

I am a working dog, not a show dog, and certainly not a pet; that is, I'm not here just to stay in-bounds. I'm here to make a difference.

So, I may be new, but you are sorely mistaken if you think that means I'm not going to change this town.

After all, I have wolf in me, and even if I don't look it, that wild spirit is pure and strong in me.

I have nothing to lose, and I know what losing feels like, and I know I can handle it. I can lose as many times as it takes to win.

I am an underdog, so watch out.

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Photo credit: Rocketpack Photography