Rusty was an ornery old mutt who didn't do the cute doggy things that get clicks on social media videos. He wouldn't "sit." ...

But Rusty had two things going for him. He was part Chihuahua, which meant he was small with a cute face. Strangers took him for a puppy even in his advanced years. Rusty tried to set them straight.

Rusty was human. We communicated on a human level in a way I never could with other dogs, no matter how lovable.

The "he" in this case was Rusty, an ornery old mutt who didn't do the cute doggy things that get clicks on social media ...

The “he” in this case was Rusty, an ornery old mutt who didn’t do the cute doggy things that get clicks on social media videos. He wouldn’t “sit.” He’d rarely lick my face. And if a baby was gurgling ...