Smoke and his amazing owner, Alex, have been huge supporters of Scout's Honour almost from the very beginning - and as you can see, Smoke has definitely earned his fair share of merit badges!

Alex has even come up with a clever way of attaching the badges to his wardrobe. Instead of ironing them on permanently, she uses velcro, making it easy to switch up the look whenever she wants. The perfect solution for those of us who can’t quite commit to a final placement!

Tell us about Smoke!

Smoke is a 4-year-old Mini American Shepherd.

Fun facts: 
1) Smoke’s dad was an award-winning show dog!
2) Smoke’s traveled with us to 10 states!

What’s Smoke's personality like? Is he playful, mischievous, adventurous, or a total cuddle bug?

Smoke has endless energy! Which fuels his playful and adventurous side, he’ll never turn down a game of fetch or an opportunity to explore somewhere new.

He’s super sweet too. If you let him, he’ll never stop giving you puppy kisses. Curious by nature, Smoke’s always wondering what everyone’s up to.

And last but certainly not least, he’s definitely too smart for his own good.

 

Which are Smoke's top three badges from Scout’s Honour, and why do you love them?

1. Been there peed on that 
2. Wildlife Watch
3. Belly Rub Club

To be honest, it was really hard to choose just three badges! Smoke has earned quite a few. Which is exactly why I added Velcro tape to the back of each one. Now I can easily mix and match, and move them from Smoke’s Scout's Honour bandanas to his backpack, and then back again! I even decorated his Christmas stocking with them last year.

 

What quirks or personality traits inspired you to choose these badges for Smoke?

Been there peed on that was the first badge I picked out for Smoke. We’ve gone a lot of places together, and he’ll stop and pee on every tree, rock, post, you name it – Smoke’s been there and peed on that!

Wildlife watch is a very serious job. Why else would the squirrel be wearing a little bandit mask. They’re always up to no good – and Smoke knows it! Belly rub club is the place to be. Belly rubs might possibly be Smoke’s favourite thing in the world – except maybe whipped cream.

Is there a specific moment or story where Smoke really earned one of his badges?

He earned Sock Thief early on. Once he gets his paws on one, pure happiness takes over. With a spring in his step, he proudly parades around the house with his new prized possession until of course it’s exchanged for a treat.

Which badge do you think personifies Smoke the best?

National Treasure - Smoke never fails to make people smile. I think it’s because he’s always smiling back. So to pass that on, even just for a moment, is truly special. Plus, he’s just my lil guy, my lil treasure.

What does a typical day look like for Smoke?

Smoke wakes up when dog dad does, and immediately rolls on to his back for belly rubs. It’s super cute!

Breakfast is then served around 9am. At lunchtime, dog dad or I (sometimes both of us) take Smoke for a short walk. We’re lucky to have a few natural trails close by.

The rest of Smoke’s day is a mix of chasing squirrels in the backyard, looking out the window, barking to the neighbour’s dogs, taking a snooze, and of course following me from room to room.

In the warmer months, we’ll squeeze in some fetch or frisbee too.

Dinner is then served around 7:30-8pm. He always gets a burst of energy afterwards, and goes straight to his toy bin. He’ll beg you to toss it down the hall.

Once playtime’s over and it starts getting late, Smoke is always the first to head to bed.

If your dog could plan the perfect day, what would it include?

Smoke’s perfect day would definitely include a long walk near the creek so he could take a dip. Followed by a visit from family or friends. Bonus points if they have a pup with them.

And last but surely not least, a dinner topped with some people food. When dog mom and dog dad eat steak, Smoke eats steak. Sprinkle in treats, belly rubs, some fetch, and Smoke is in for the ultimate perfect day.

I think the only thing that could top this, is if somehow Smoke could wake up to a couple feet of fluffy snow, and then by lunch time go for a refreshing swim on a hot day.

Does Smoke have any funny routines, habits, or “must-haves” throughout the day?

Here are 3 funny routines/habits:

1. Like clock work, Smoke comes into my home office around noon and gives me puppy eyes until I take him on a walk. I can literally feel his little eyes on me like “is she gonna take me for a walk or what?!”
2. You can also always tell where Smoke’s been sleeping on the bed. He makes the perfect little spot by moving the comforters down from the pillows to form a little nest shape. We’re always like “We know where Smoke’s been sleeping.”
3. Lastly, when I go down to the basement, Smoke will stay at the top of the stairs, looking down, waiting for me to come back up. So much so I’ve came up with a jingle: “I am a puppy at the top of the stairs, Wondering what’s happening down there, Thinking about socks and underwear.” Our laundry is down there too so it makes sense. I have another jingle about Smoke but it’s yet to be released.

If you could create a custom badge just for Smoke, what would it say?

I think it would be “Total Ham” or “Ham Bone.” He’s a total ham when he meets someone new or when we have company over. I often call him my ham bone.