The Pineapple Pets || Reef

This is the tale of Reef; told by Reef.

(his voice kinda sounds like Mr. Narwhal from Elf)

Hello Hoomans. My name’s Reef and this is the story of how one day I was adopted by Mom and Dad and came to live in my happy home.

Well, my name wasn’t originally Reef- that was the awesome, badass name Mom and Dad gave me. My name at the shelter in Hawaii was Monte; I am really not a Monte so I am very happy that my parents gave me a different name. I don’t know much about my childhood before Mom and Dad came and brought me home. All I know was it was not good; I had bad owners who tied me up outside and didn’t feed me well. I was also very afraid of people touching me and was not allowed to make any noise. My hair was all tangled up into dreadlocks so bad that I could barely walk. One day, I was put into this box outside the shelter where I stayed for a very long time. The shelter people didn’t know I was in there because I had been told not to make a sound, ever. They found me, put me in my kennel, fed and cleaned me up and I was given the name Monte.

Then; Mom and Dad found me. Mom immediately started gushing over how “majestic and fluffy” I was. I mean, I am really handsome so I don’t blame her. Dad was a little hesitant because there were two other dogs at home and he wasn’t sure if all of us could get along. Mom begged and took me out to the fenced pasture where I GOT TO BE FREE. I chased the birds! I sniffed other dogs butts! It was freedom, and there were Mom and Dad playing alongside me the entire time. I was so HAPPY! It really hurt to run though because of my tangled hair, so after a bit I was put back into the kennel and Mom and Dad left. This made me so sad. An hour later, there they were! They didn’t forget about me! AND THEY BROUGHT FRIENDS! I met a dog named Hurley, who was a little standoffish and chubby and a tiny little pip-squeak named Lucy who informed me ” she was the alpha, end of story”. That was fine, as long as I got to stay with these humans who had shown me so much love and snuggles already.

Two days went by and the shelter people took me to the front room. I was scared because normally when other dogs go to the front room, they don’t come back. What happens there?! Do they get sent away? Do they get tied up outside? Do they go home with humans? DO THEY GET EATEN?! But there was Dad; waiting for me with open arms ready to take me home. I was so HAPPY!! Home was this little house on 2 acres of jungle with lots of toys, treats, dog’s butts to sniff and guess what- I had my own bed! I didn’t have to stay outside anymore! That night I got a bath and Mom wrapped me up in a bathrobe. Then there was this thing, it blew hot air at me and was so scary! I tried to run away but Mom held me, told me it was okay and that I was going to look like “Fabio” (whatever that is) when I was all dry. She said “I was so malnourished that you could see my ribs and my hips” (I wasn’t going to fight free treats and bowls of food) I was finally home and it felt so good. **Dana here: I would like to add that Reef now demands I use the hairdryer on him whenever he gets a bath and pulls the bathrobe off the wall if I don’t put him in it**

We went on long walks all the time around the neighborhood, through lava fields or the jungle. My favorite were the jungle walks where I got to chase the mongoose and when my hair was finally detangled and trimmed I got to RUN. I ran all around my house, my yard, the neighbors yard (that was bad of me), back to my yard- all day and night I. Just. Ran. When I got tired of running, I would burrow myself into the tall grass at the edge of the yard and take naps. Mom always got worried because she could never find me but then I would bound out of the bushes and run full tilt at her. Sometimes I would run too fast and knock her on her butt accidentally but I would make it up with my goofy smile and lots of fluffy tail wags.

I love the tiny dog and the chubby dog, sometimes we fight but it’s mostly over toys and bones but I win because I’m the biggest and fastest. It’s funny when tiny dog tries to chase me because I just run over the top of her which makes her even more mad; silly tiny dog. Dad takes us for car rides in his truck which is MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE. I get to have the wind in my furs and talk to other dogs about how much fun they’re having in their human’s cars. It’s the best.

My life is really great now that I have Mom and Dad. I think about all that time I was chained up outside before Mom and Dad came and brought me home, it makes me snuggle extra close to them on the couch and want to hold their hand with my paw. Sometimes, they don’t want to hold paws because they’re holding these stupid lighted boxes that they stare at so I knock them out of their hands and then they hold my paw. That makes me happy. This is my story, now I am going to go chase tiny dog and chubby dog around the yard while I steal their toys.