Every city pup loves some off-leash fun at the park, and Simon is no exception.
But this New York dog has something that makes him truly unique. While most pups rush home to grab their favorite toy or settle into a nap, Simon proudly displays a sash covered in handmade merit badges.
The Dog Who Earned His Place
Simon is what you’d call a professional good boy.
He came into Sophie Vershbow’s home as her fifth foster through Hearts & Bones Rescue, yet he was the only one who stayed for good and became part of her family.
“It sounds ridiculous, but I saw one photo of him in the group of dogs coming up on the next transport from Dallas, Texas, and knew he was the one. I only had 48 hours to decide if I was going to foster or adopt him, but it was an easy decision. He blended into my life right away,” Vershbow told The Dodo.
Simon didn’t just fit into her routine; he became the heart of it.
From his floppy ears bouncing during zoomies to the way he curled at her feet while she worked, Simon had a way of making every moment brighter.
But it was his instinct to comfort her whenever she felt down that inspired Vershbow to create something special for him.
“Simon’s first badge was a teardrop for ‘Outstanding Achievements in Emotional Support. If I so much as mumble, ‘Crap’ under my breath, he comes running from the other room to comfort me,” Vershbow said.
She hand-stitched the first badge with embroidery thread, showing Simon how much his love and loyalty meant to her.
To complete the look, she fashioned a tiny sash from an old pair of jeans, which Simon proudly wore.
“Simon looked so proud in the badge-ceremony video that I decided to keep going and do more,” Vershbow said.
That moment was captured on video, allowing others to share in his proud display.
From then on, Simon began earning badges for all kinds of good deeds.
After the teardrop, he received one for being a thoughtful host to a houseguest and another for participating in the family Passover seder.
As a proud New Yorker, his smooth mastery of public transportation earned him an “MTA Ridership” badge.
“Simon has been awarded his 10th merit badge for being a good citizen of New York City. He eats lox, walks fast, and never pees on historically important monuments,” Vershbow wrote on X.
Now, Simon has collected a total of 17 badges. His sash includes awards for ‘Emotional Support,’ ‘Hosting Houseguests,’ ‘Attending Passover Seder,’ ‘Migraine Support,’ ‘MTA Ridership,’ ‘Thunderstorm Bravery,’ ‘Respecting The Ocean,’ ‘Extraordinary Ear Design,’ ‘Pup Cup Connoisseurship,’ ‘NYC Good Citizenship,’ ‘Self-love,’ ‘Park Patronage,’ ‘Advocacy [And] Fundraising,’ ‘I Did My Best’ (for fostering), ‘Excellence In Winter Fashion,’ ‘Patience,’ and ‘Horticultural Appreciation.’
A Growing Tradition
Although every one of Simon’s badges is adorable and well deserved, Vershbow said she is most proud of his migraine support and “I Did My Best” badges.
“Emotionally, my favorite badges are ‘Migraine Support’ for spending countless hours in bed comforting me, and ‘I Did My Best’ for tolerating his foster siblings. He really is doing his best,” Vershbow said.
His sash may be heavy by now, but Simon wears it with pride. And this badge tradition is far from over.
The duo is already planning his first partnership badge to support one of his favorite organizations.
“Adopting Simon was the best decision I’ve ever made. He is worthy of a thousand merit badges,” Vershbow concluded.