Ain’t Axl cute? He might be the purdiest dang dog I’ve ever seen, almost angelic. But don’t be fooled. Behind those golden honey eyes is a straight-up heathen.

Those of you from below the Mason-Dixon know exactly what I mean. Godless.

Of all the Southern insults, heathen might be my favorite. I picked it up from Mamaw when I was a kid. She didn’t hesitate to let me and my cousins know when we stepped out of line that we weren’t nothing but a bunch of little heathens.

Though she didn’t really mean it, she was probably right. We were wild ones.

Axl is a wild one, too. We nicknamed him “Demon Baby” a few weeks after bringing him home, and he’s done his best to live up to it.

We buy toys, they’re destroyed in a few hours. Beds? He rips the stuffing out. Blankets? He put a hole in my new quilt within days of putting it on the bed.

I’m grateful that’s as far as the destruction goes. Axl is at least respectful enough to attempt to keep his annihilistic behavior directed at his own things.

But it isn’t just his fierce treatment of his belongings that makes him a heathen. Oh, no. It’s his lack of social graces, too.

Does he get along with other boy dogs? No. Children? Nope. Strangers? Eh.

Is that it? Uh uh. Axl’s also stubborn. He barks at everything that moves. He digs holes in the backyard. He air snaps when he’s bored. And his favorite place to put his nose is right up someone’s rear end – literally.

Does any of that bother me? Not in the least. That’s my family. Is Axl a heathen? Without a doubt. But he’s MY heathen.

And that’s the thing about family, isn’t it? We love them not despite their quirks but because of them. 

Axl may be a little rough around the edges, but he’s mine, and that makes all the difference. Sure, he’s a handful—destroying toys, tearing up blankets, and getting into mischief. But he’s also fiercely loyal, endlessly entertaining, and completely unapologetic about who he is.

In a way, I think there’s something we can all learn from Axl. Life isn’t about being perfect or fitting into some neat little box. It’s about embracing who you are, flaws and all, and finding your place in the world—even if that place happens to be digging up the yard or barking at the mailman.

So, here’s to Axl, the wild one, the heathen, my demon baby, the dog with a little more personality than most. He may drive me crazy sometimes, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

After all, what’s life without a little bit of chaos?