Every city pup enjoys a little off-leash time at the park, and Simon is no different.
But, this New York dog has something that makes him stand out. While most pups come home and run for their favorite toy or curl up on the couch, Simon proudly shows off a sash filled with handmade merit badges.
The Dog Who Earned His Place
Simon is what you would call a professional good boy.
He entered Sophie Vershbow’s home as her fifth foster through Hearts & Bones Rescue, but he was the only one who stayed 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 life, he became the sweetest part of it.
With his floppy ears bouncing around during zoomies and the way he curled at her feet while she worked, he always managed to brighten her day.
But it was his caring response whenever she felt low that gave Vershbow the idea to honor him with a special badge.
“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 proudly stitched the first badge with embroidery thread, showing Simon just how much his support meant.
To complete the look, she even crafted a tiny sash from an old pair of jeans, which Simon happily wore.
“Simon looked so proud in the badge-ceremony video that I decided to keep going and do more,” Vershbow said.
That moment was caught on video, letting everyone else enjoy his proud display too:
From then on, Simon kept earning badges for all sorts of deeds.
After the teardrop, he received one for being a thoughtful host to a houseguest, and another for sitting in during the family Passover seder.
And as a proud New Yorker, his smooth use of public transportation scored 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.
By now, Simon has collected 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’ (aka fostering), ‘Excellence In Winter Fashion,’ ‘Patience,’ and ‘Horticultural Appreciation’.
A Tradition That Keeps Growing
Even though all of Simon’s badges are adorable and well earned, Vershbow admitted she feels the 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 might be heavy by now, but Simon wears it with pride. And there are no plans to stop this tradition anytime soon.
The two are already working on his very first partnership badge to support one of his favorite groups.
“Adopting Simon was the best decision I’ve ever made. He is worthy of a thousand merit badges,” Vershbow concluded.