Three years ago Bill and I drove up to the barn where I boarded my horse in College Station just as the sun was starting to set. As we approached the front gate, a skinny creature with pointed ears and black rimmed eyes crawled out of the drainage ditch in front of the entry way and trotted down the long driveway after us. She looked almost threatening, and I was mildly worried as she continued to follow us all the way to the parking lot.
I quickly put her out of my mind as I made my way up the gravel pathway to my horse’s pasture. I had just enough time to give him a thorough grooming session before the sun went down, and I was looking forward to seeing him after a long day at school and work. As soon as I entered his pasture, the boss horse came charging at me with her ears pinned. I wondered what was going on, and turned around to see that the pathetic looking dog had followed me into the pasture and was now quickly backtracking to the gate as the horse continued to chase her away. I ran to the gate with her and let her out before the alpha mare could get to her. She followed me back to the barn, tail wagging timidly the whole time. She looked young, no more than a year or so old. She wore a faded, dirty red collar with no tags and her face was covered in scratches. Her hips and ribs jutted out of her body. She was looking at me with such a hopeful expression that I gave her the only food I could find: horse cookies from my tack trunk. She happily crunched away on three horse treats before I decided that any more might hurt her teeth or gums.
Bill dialed Animal Control, but they told us that they wouldn’t be able to make it out for another hour. We sat on a tack trunk in the barn aisle and petted her as she wagged her tail nonstop. After about five minutes, we decided that we just couldn’t let her get into the back of a truck and be carted off to a crowded shelter where her future might be uncertain. We called them back and told them we’d take her home with us and try to find her family.
She reluctantly got into the car and had drooled a huge puddle by the time we got to our apartment. I had clipped my horse’s lead rope to her collar, and tried to convince her to follow us into the apartment. She hesitated before cautiously stepping over the threshold. I don’t think she’d ever been in a car or indoors before. Tia, our chihuahua, was locked in our bedroom, barking furiously. This dog was much larger than Tia, and we didn’t know how she would be with other dogs. Before we could decide how to introduce them, Tia escaped the room as Bill went in to check on her. She ran down the hall at top speed to meet the intruder. My heart stopped in fear as she barreled toward the new dog, but to my relief, they were instant friends. The new dog wagged her tail and lightly bopped Tia’s head with her paw. When Tia snapped at her, an apologetic look crossed her face. The meeting was a success.
I posted a ‘found dog’ ad on Craigslist but didn’t receive any responses. However, I came across another ‘found dog’ ad that matched her description perfectly. It was dated two months earlier. This poor girl had been on the streets for at least two months, which explained her pitiful state. Her paw pads were scabbed over and hot to the touch from months of being on the road. She did nothing besides sleep and eat for a solid week, and I was a little disappointed that I had adopted a “boring” dog.
I couldn’t have been more mistaken. After a week of recovery, she blossomed into one of the best dogs that I will ever have the privilege of knowing. It’s been three years since we took a chance on a random dog that wandered up to us, and I can’t imagine life without her. She is our #1 cuddle buddy, guard dog, hiking partner, and babysitter to her sister. She has so much patience with Tia, who constantly bites at her heels and tries to annoy her. Misty is the sweetest, most gentle soul that I know. She’s fiercely loyal to her family. When someone drives through our gate, she’s the first to sound the alarm to let us know. Even though she’s also the most neurotic dog I’ve ever been around, I love her so much that her quirks just add to her unique charm. I guess it comes from her past of being abandoned and left to fend for herself, because she hates to be alone for even one second. If we let her outside in the yard alone, she’ll stand at the door and bark until someone comes out with her. It takes her a while to trust new people, and she has an intense distrust of people in sunglasses or hats or anyone she deems “sketchy” for reasons unknown to the rest of us. We wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world, though. I’ve never met a more loving, fun, goofy, adorable dog in my life. Happy 3 years, Misty. We love you so much and are thankful every day that you found your way to us.
Keep Calm and Carreon 