We continue with more Questions and Answers for Cleo, the muse behind Grouchy Puppy ™.

Reporter: Cleo, I have to ask you, what exactly ARE you? Where do you come from?

Cleo: Let me respond first by saying that I will assume you are asking about my background, and not in a derogatory way.  If you are being rude, then be prepared to get poked and nibbled at by the few teeth I have.

Reporter: I don't mean to be rude, but as a handsome looking dog, people want to know more about you.

Cleo: Thank you, compliment taken.  You have to understand that I am so often misunderstood that I can be sensitive to these types of questions. These questions can come from people who have a preset frame of mind about who they think I am. These comments can also come from people who place pure-bred AKC (American Kennel Club) registered dogs above me.

Reporter: Okay, thanks for explaining and I apologize for any misunderstanding.  Let's start with where are you from, originally?

Cleo:  Sure. I was surrendered to a shelter in Northern California. I don't know anything more than that honestly.  They called the SF/SPCA and suggested that I get evaluated as a possible new member for a pack in San Francisco.

Reporter: Wow, how was it to be surrendered?  Did you have a hard time dealing with that emotionally?

Cleo: It seems like a long time ago now and I don't remember much. I live in the now. When my pack and I were first together, it was hard for me to believe they would keep me.  My self-esteem was pretty low then. Now four years later, I imagine that my gratitude that I display everyday comes in part from my early life.

Reporter: It is refreshing to hear how you don't take for granted what you have been given by your pack. That you still appreciate the opportunity you were given for a new life in the big city, four years later.

Cleo: I've done hard before, my life now with this pack is anything but that.

Reporter: You are amazing.

Below is Part One in a Series of Questions and Answers with Cleo, the face of Grouchy Puppy ™

Reporter:  Hello Cleo, nice to meet you.  Your blog and Facebook page say that you are the face and muse behind Grouchy Puppy. For everyone out there reading this, what exactly is a grouchy puppy?

Cleo:  Hello, nice to meet you.   Well, the short answer is that a grouchy puppy is anyone who is often misunderstood.

The long answer is a little more complex.  For example, big rescue dogs like me might look scary to strangers, and often on my walks people raise their eyebrows, point at me and say "look at that wolf!" 

People will say "handsome dog!" or stop to pet me and say, "what's his name?" and then act surprised when they hear that I'm a girl.

Reporter: But those sound like compliments.

Cleo: Exactly! They sound like compliments to you but to me, to hear that on a daily basis, it makes me grouchy!  Do you know any parent who likes to be out with their child in a stroller, and hear a stranger call their cute little baby girl - a boy??

Reporter: Oh, I see your point.