Peace Puppy

The view from my chair

For those who aren’t aware, October is not only Breast Cancer Awareness month, it’s also Adopt a Shelter Pet month.

Pet adoption is an issue very close to my heart. My husband and I currently have four dogs in our household. Three of them are adopted. Today, I’m introducing you to Alexa. She is now the oldest of our dogs at the age of 4 ½ years. It wasn’t so long ago that she was the puppy, keeping our 2 older dogs (both adopted) on their toes. Now that they are no longer with us, Alexa is Queen Bee.

I think one of my favorite things about adopting a dog is the surprises they give you throughout their lifetimes. When we brought Alexa home we were pretty certain the shelter was correct in identifying her as an Australian Cattle Dog. But as she grew it became clear there was something else mixed in. She has the full face mask of a tri-colored collie and is taller, with the deep chest of a dog bred to cover lots of ground. Whether the collie is flat or rough coat, we don’t know. She has the short, slick, spectacled coat of a cattle dog. Her appearance has earned the nickname Pretty Girl.

But Alexa is a lot more that just her appearance. She has one of the most unique personalities of any dog I’ve ever owned. (10 dogs passed though my life before she joined us.) I believe it’s her collie showing through, and anyone who has ever owned one has probably experienced some of these traits. Alexa has several nicknames – Peace Puppy, Nurse Flo (Florence Nightingale), Bossy Boots, Miss Barky Barkington. She doesn’t like raised voices and feels the need to calm upset family members. Not feeling well? She lies on the patient and administers magic dog saliva. She makes sure the other dogs are kept in their places, and she’s very protective of her home turf. Her upright ears guarantee she hears almost everything. She is usually the first one to bark. She’s a great walking companion, especially when it’s just the two of us. She prefers to stay close, and she comes very quickly when called.

I’m sure I will never be blessed with another dog like her. However, that’s true of every dog I’ve known, and will be true of the ones I know in the future. If you have never adopted or owned a pet, give it a try. They make our lives so much richer.

The Project Queen