I named the golden cocker spaniel puppy Beauregard Augustus Dog — B.A.D. Southerners nickname people and pets, so Beauregard became “Bo” and Augustus “Gus.” B.A.D. became Bogus.
Though I bought him for the kids, Bogus chose me as alpha leader of the evolutionary hunting pack embedded in his canine cranial cavity.
Wherever my pickup went, Bogus went — even to church. Although he never became a bona fide Baptist, he attended every Sunday (except when his master chose to fish instead of worship), snoozing outdoors while we sinners sought forgiveness indoors.