There lived a little puppy named Patch. Patch was unlike other puppies because he had two colors on his soft, fluffy fur—his body was white like fresh snow, but his head was completely black, as if it had been dipped in ink. While some might think he looked unique and adorable, Patch felt very different. And to him, different didn’t feel good.
Every day, Patch would watch people come to the pet shelter where he lived. He saw many puppies getting adopted—golden puppies, brown ones, even some with spots. Whenever a family walked by Patch’s kennel, they would tilt their heads, looking at him with confusion.
“Why does he have two colors like that?” some would whisper.
“He’s a bit strange-looking,” others would mutter.
Hearing these words made Patch’s little heart sink deeper and deeper. He couldn’t understand why he wasn’t loved. Every time someone passed him by, Patch’s sad little eyes drooped lower, and his fluffy tail curled closer to his body.
“Why am I different?” he would think to himself. “Why don’t they love me like they love the other puppies? I just want someone to care for me.”
Days turned into weeks, and the loneliness began to take a toll on Patch. He would sit quietly in his corner, staring at the empty bowl beside him, wondering if anyone would ever pick him. Sometimes, he would catch his reflection in the shiny bowl. He would look at his own face—black fur around his eyes and white fur covering the rest—and he felt confused.
“Maybe if I had just one color, they would love me,” he thought sadly.
One rainy evening, as Patch lay curled on his little blanket, the door of the shelter opened, and a young girl named Lily stepped in. Lily had been looking for a puppy to keep her company, but she wanted someone special—someone who needed love as much as she did.
When Lily spotted Patch sitting quietly in the corner, with his big, sad eyes looking up at her, something inside her heart melted. She slowly knelt by his kennel and gave him the softest smile.
“Hi there, little one,” Lily whispered. “You look like you’ve been waiting a long time.”
Patch’s ears perked up slightly, though he was still cautious. People had looked at him before and then walked away. But there was something different about Lily—her eyes were kind, and her voice sounded warm, not judgmental.
Without hesitation, Lily opened the door to the kennel and gently picked Patch up in her arms. For the first time, Patch felt the warmth of someone’s embrace. He rested his little head against her shoulder, and his tiny heart began to hope.
“You’re perfect just the way you are,” Lily whispered. “I think your colors make you beautiful.”
Hearing those words felt like magic to Patch. No one had ever told him that before. His little tail started to wag for the first time in days. Lily gave him a kiss on his head—right where the black fur met the white—and carried him home.
From that day on, Patch knew he was loved. He didn’t need to change who he was. In fact, his black-and-white fur became something Lily adored the most about him. Whenever people asked why her puppy had two colors, Lily would proudly say, “Because he’s one-of-a-kind!”
And Patch? He never felt strange or unwanted again. He knew now that love doesn’t care about colors or differences. All it takes is one person who sees your heart—and to Lily, Patch was the most perfect puppy in the world.
And so, Patch’s little world, once filled with sadness, was now bursting with joy, warmth, and endless belly rubs.
And the best part? Patch never had to sit by that empty bowl, waiting, ever again.
