Most Remarkable Dog

My first Keeshond was a foundling. My long-term ex picked him up wandering on a Nashville street. We sponsored him at the Nashville Humane Society in our attempt to reconnect him with his rightful owner. Without our sponsorship, the Humane Association had wanted to put him down right away, saying he was an Akita with a growth hormone problem. In fact, he was just a huge (for the breed) male Keeshond, who had been shaved down. We took him at the end of the two weeks when no one came forward to collect him. My ex named him "Max". He never seemed to answer to that name. We could not keep him at my ex's condo, so he ended up at my parent's home. One day early on there, Mom and I were trying out names to see if non-"Max" heard a familiar one. In the list, I said "Casey". I wasn't paying close attention, and Mom insisted I say the name again, saying the dog had evinced recognition. I didn't know which sobriquet she wanted me to repeat, but when I figured she saw the dog respond to that name, I repeated "Casey". The now former "Max" excitedly ran to me in joyful spinning circles, telling us we had discovered his original name. Casey was my unforgettable boy, who certainly left us too soon.