Rufus thinks his new shiny bell makes him the king of the sidewalk. But this sweet story about dog lessons shows that being famous for being loud isn’t nearly as good as being famous for being kind.
Rufus, the bulldog, was a grumpy grump! His growls were LOUD, his teeth were BIG, and he loved to chase things! The mailman ran away, the kitty hid up high, and even Rufus’s family walked on tiptoes. Rufus didn’t know one thing about how to be nicer.
One day, his master tied a shiny, jingling bell on Rufus. At first, he didn’t like it. But then…people got scared! They moved out of his way! Rufus felt like the boss of the sidewalk!
But an old, wise dog shook his head. “That bell’s not a prize, Rufus,” he said, “It means people think you’re not a friendly pup.”
Rufus didn’t believe him. “They know I’m the best!” he barked, jingling louder. But then, he saw a puppy wearing a bell because he was still learning!
Maybe that old dog was right. The bell felt heavy now, and he wiggled and wobbled until it popped off! He wanted to be a dog people loved!
But even without the bell, people were still a little scared. Rufus tried wagging his tail…no luck. He brought the mailman a slobbery stick…the mailman screamed! Rufus sighed.
So Rufus tried being extra nice. He barked loudly when a kitty was stuck in a tree, and people came to help! He brought back a dropped ball for some kids! Now everyone loved him!
The old dog saw all this and nodded. “See?” he said, “Smiles are way better than scares. Good job, Rufus.”
Rufus wagged his tail. It was a long road, but now he liked the sound his steps made – happy steps, friend steps, the best kind of steps for a perfect bulldog.
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