The twenty-ninth day before Christmas

From The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy, by Jane Thayer, illus. by Lisa McCue

One day Petey, who was a puppy, said to his mother, who was a dog, “I’d like a boy for Christmas.”  His mother, who was a dog, said she thought he could have a boy if he was a very good puppy.
    So the day before Christmas Petey’s mother asked, “have you been a very good puppy?”
    “Oh, yes!” said Petey.  “I didn’t frighten the cat.”
    “You didn’t?” asked Petey’s mother.
    “Well-l, I just frightened her a little,” said Petey. “And I didn’t chew any shoes.”
    “Not any?” said his mother.

“Just a teeny-weeny chew,” said Petey. “And I remembered--well, almost always remembered--to bark when I wanted to go out.”

“All right,” said his mother.  “I think you’ve been good for such a little dog.  I will go out and get you a boy for Christmas.”

Petey's mother finds that all the boys have been snapped up, so Petey takes matters into his own paws...