Some puppies simply arrive, while others earn their place through determination and a very convincing plan. Alfie, a four-month-old Maltipoo, proudly belongs to the second group.

For years, Madeleine dreamed of having a puppy, while her dad, Steve, firmly said no. This summer, Maddie decided to make her case—with help from her former Southside Elementary teacher, John Freeman. She prepared a persuasive essay, a PowerPoint presentation, and even a detailed contract outlining how she would care for a dog. The agreement promised daily walks, twice-a-day feeding, grooming, cleanup duty, and full responsibility, with family support when needed. It was thoughtful, thorough, and hard to argue with.

In her essay, Maddie described coming home from a long school day to be greeted by a tiny, fluffy puppy whose happy kisses instantly made everything better. She explained how dogs increase happiness, provide constant companionship, encourage exercise, and teach responsibility. Her conclusion made it clear, adding a dog to the family was a “no-brainer.” Soon after, Alfie joined the family.

From the start, Alfie proved Maddie right. He loves stroller walks around the neighborhood, stealing shoes, and playing with children, especially Olive and Robby Heskett across the street. He begs to pass the Southside playground and once even snuck in through the fence during recess, clearly convinced school days should include puppies.

Alfie is also a familiar face downtown. He enjoys visiting Keith at Perq, Helene at Morton’s, and the gals at Blu Home. He frequents many restaurants and firmly believes Kojo has the best smells in town.

Social by nature, Alfie loves meeting dogs of all sizes. He has neighborhood crushes on Stella Ackerman and Bailey Feldman (though Bailey plays hard to get), enjoys playdates with Sterling and Kingston Orr, and doesn’t seem to mind getting growled at by Calvin and Hobbs Haille on Bougainvillea Street.

What his family loves most is Alfie’s sweet, outgoing personality. He has major FOMO and follows everyone everywhere. He’s soft, snuggly, doesn’t shed, and even loves bath time. While human food is off-limits, Alfie remains convinced that dirt, mulch, leaves, and grass are gourmet snacks.

Although Steve was once the most opposed, Alfie may now be his biggest fan, especially after long days at the hospital, when Alfie happily greets him by licking his scrubs. Jen, a pediatric radiologist who works mostly from home, enjoys Alfie’s constant company, and he occasionally makes surprise appearances during her virtual teaching sessions. Alfie also loves picking Maddie up from ballet, where he receives plenty of attention from the Sarasota Ballet girls.

Thanks to one determined girl, a well-written essay, and a carefully crafted contract, Alfie didn’t just join the family, he won everyone’s heart.