Alpha, one of the four Alphabet puppies, in the arms of Dr. Amanda Micheletti getting her first checkup / Photo: Katerina Lorenzatos Makris

by Katerina Lorenzatos Makris

Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta… what else to name four Greek puppies abandoned in the parking lot of an Alpha Beta supermarket?

First we’ll have some introductions of these babies, then in a later post you’ll hear their whole story. Pooch rescue is never terribly easy, and rescuing/fostering four puppies no more than eight weeks old?  Well, imagine how that multiplies the hassles. So bear with me while I catch my breath before writing more about these latest rescues.

The most important thing is that now they’re safe in our “emergency” dog pen at our place here on the Greek island of Kefalonia. And although they are a lot of work, and I’m awfully tired again, just when I thought I might find a little time to recuperate and get back on track with my life after the last batch of rescues, I’ve got to admit, well, these babies sure are cute and cuddly. It’s not exactly torture to spend time with them.

Alpha, leader of the pack, always first / Photo: Katerina Lorenzatos Makris

ALPHA

Yo! Alpha here. That’s the first letter of the Greek alphabet, you know. It’s a pawfect name for me because I’m always first in line for everything.

For example I was the first one who trotted out of the little puppy nest we had made for ourselves in the weeds behind the supermarket to say hello to the tall lady who ended up taking us home with her. I must’ve made a pretty good first impression on her, huh?

Also I was the one who started exploring the supermarket parking lot and leading my brother and sisters out there, where we could play chase, dodge, and hide-and-seek with the cars driving around.  It was loads of fun until the tall lady stopped us and brought us to her yard where there are no cars.

I was the first to go sniffing around our new pen here. And I’m always the first to run out of our kennel when she comes to feed and play with us, the first to go to her when she calls to us from across our pen, the first to try to dart out of the pen when she opens the gate, and the first to find cool new stuff to do, like untie her shoelaces.

And I was the first one to look up into the tall lady’s eyes when she held me.  I like being in her lap, and reaching up to touch her chin with my paw.

My brother and sisters aren’t scared or anything like that—we’re all of us super cool and brave—but I just happen to be the super cool and brave girl who leads the way.

Talkative, pretty girl Beta / Photo: Katerina Lorenzatos Makris

BETA

Hi, I’m Beta.  Aren’t I a pretty girl?  I want to make sure everyone notices that fact, and when they don’t, I talk to them so that they will.

The tall lady who takes care of us says, “Please don’t whine, Beta sweetie,” but I don’t see why I shouldn’t express myself.  If I’m bored or confused or sad or happy or lonely or having fun or looking for just the right spot to pee, shouldn’t everyone know about it?

It’s not like I talk all the time. Mostly I like to play with my brother and sisters and chew on sticks. When the tall lady holds me I don’t say anything, but just snuggle up to her and nestle my nose into her shirt or kiss her neck.

I wag my tail a lot too. I think I’m the most wiggly wagger in our whole family.

Have you looked at my picture yet?  Did I already ask you if I’m a pretty girl?  Never mind. I already know.

Poor Gamma, the only boy, has to put up with three sisters / Photo: Katerina Lorenzatos Makris

GAMMA

Hey, Gamma here.  I want to ask you something. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be the only boy with three sisters?  Lemme tell ya, ain’t easy.

I’m the biggest, but does that matter to them?  Hmph! Not a bit. They are so bossy. The littlest one, Delta, is always wrestling me to the ground. And what can I do?  I believe in being a gentleman, even with bratty girls.

It’s OK though, because the tall lady who feeds us and stuff has been giving me extra cuddles. I ask for them by lying down right at her feet and resting my chin on her shoe, or sometimes sitting on her shoe. She scoops me up and holds me in her lap, where I just relax while my sisters pull each other’s ears and tails like it’s World War Three!

While I’m in her lap the tall lady tells me how handsome I am, and that I have dreamy soft brown eyes that make her melt.  At least somebody around here appreciates me!

Delta, smallest in size but not in heart / Photo: Katerina Lorenzatos Makris

DELTA

Hello everyone! I’m Delta, and I’m the smallest of all my brothers and sisters, but only in size—not in heart.  I’m just as brave and smart as the others, and none of them can boss me around, even though they always try. Hahaha!

I’m also the sleepiest. While everyone else is still playing and tumbling around our pen, sometimes I find a nice comfy spot and curl up to start nap time. When my brother and sisters see me they get sleepy too. Alpha might be the leader on everything else, but I’m definitely the leader for snoozing.

The first time the tall lady picked me up I felt kind of scared and went completely limp. So she got scared too. She thought I had died! Haha! Fooled her. But now I like it a lot, especially since I get to chew on her fingers once or twice before she tells me to stop. And I always stop right away because I don’t like to hear the serious sound in her voice.  I’m quite sensitive, you know.

Did you know that I’m so sensitive that I am becoming an artist? I have already started my first work of art, in which I am re-purposing the tall lady’s shoes, with help from my brother and sisters. The shoes will soon look completely different and everyone will admire my creativity.

If you visit this page again soon you’ll see photos of me in artistic action on my stunning piece called “Footwear Revised.”

For more about the Alphabet Puppies please check in with Spicy Stories Saves Lives again soon.

Better yet, please FOLLOW us by clicking the ‘SUBSCRIBE’ button above. You’ll receive email notifications of our new articles, we will NEVER give your email address to anyone else, and it’s free!

Please note: Spicy Stories Save Lives is proudly providing part sponsorship for several Kefalonian animals including Viktor and Violetta and their mom Vaso (if/when we find her).

Meanwhile, Kefalonia Animal Trust (KATs) provides free spay/neuter for hundreds of animals per year here. Please give to KATs via PayPal or bank transfer. Spay/neuter and education are the animals’ best hope for a better future.

Also please consider Animal Rescue Kefalonia (ARK), another group on the island that runs a shelter and works miracles with terribly few resources. 

Spicy Stories Save Lives and the author of this article have no affiliation with KATs and ARK other than as a friend, volunteer, and donor.

More on this topic:

Rescued dogs Jorja and Ipo headed to bright new lives in Holland tonight

‘Don’t leave without me!’: Puppy Ipo will follow foster sister Jorja to a new life

Have tiara, will travel: Greek (canine) princess to emigrate for new throne

Heart marking on puppy’s face symbolizes her loving nature, waiting to give it all to you

Puppy on a chain will never be chained again

Puppy on a chain escapes

Traumatized puppy Violetta now safe thanks to Greek islanders’ teamwork

Terrified feral puppy, please let me catch and save you

Small but spunky animal rescue group on Greek island launches push to spay/neuter 100 dogs

Questions about animal care? Ask Spicy! Email us at youradopteddogATyahooDOTcom.

Seen our book?  Your Adopted Dog: Everything You Need to Know About Rescuing and Caring for a Best Friend in Need, by Shelley Frost and Katerina Lorenzatos Makris, available through Amazon.com.

Katerina Lorenzatos Makris is a career journalist, author, and editor. Her fiction includes 17 novels for Simon and Schuster, E.P. Dutton, Avon, and other major publishers (under the name Kathryn Makris), as well as a teleplay for CBS-TV, and a short story for The Bark magazine. She has written hundreds of articles for regional wire services and for outlets such as National Geographic Traveler, The San Francisco Chronicle, Travelers’ Tales, NBC’s Petside.com, Animal Issues Reporter.org, and Examiner.com (Animal Policy Examiner).