40 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {punchline} calling all dogs If you’ve got quirky habits or a funny tale (or tail) to tell, email hello@punchmonthly.com for a chance to share a page from your Diary of a Dog in PUNCH. Aki DIARY OF A DOG photography by ROBB MOST I’m so pleased to meet you! I’m Aki, a friendly mutt sporting white freckled “socks” and a white-tipped tail. Let me tell you about my family. Mike and Mia’s three girls had been begging for a dog, so they decided to check out some local shelters. Their first stop was Pets In Need in Palo Alto. I was only five months old, but I knew right away that these were my people. After spending a little time together, I made my intentions clear by resting my head on each of their laps. They understood that I had chosen them, so they took me home to San Mateo. Mike and Mia quickly realized that I didn’t like my shelter name of Autumn. (Go ahead, try calling me Autumn. I’ll act like I don’t even hear you.) They renamed me Aki, which means autumn in Japanese, and now I happily come when they call. Another thing about me is that I look out for my friends. At the park, I protect my little buddy, a Jack Russell terrier, from any aggressive advances. I play hide and seek with the girls and cover them in affectionate, slobbery kisses. My family describes me as fiercely intelligent, playful and a tiny bit mischievous. They have to make sure I don’t see where they hide my treats, because I will remember that location forever and do my best to get at them when nobody’s looking.
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