Annie
One of our neighbors used to breed malamutes. Then he stopped, and after some years, the last of his old dogs died. He was dogless.
Then one day a friend of his who was into breed rescue called and said, "Have I got a dog for you."
She was a one-year-old malamute who'd turned up in the stray run of the Dallas city dog pound. Richard drove up there to get her and bring her home.
I almost fainted when I saw her. She was the most beautiful dog in the world! She was big and strong and proud and gentle and had the coat of a wolf. From the look in her eye you could instantly see: she was smarter than many humans. This dog had presence.
Richard trained her well and walked her often. We had gotten Wily at about the same time, so for twelve years, Richard and Annie met us on walks. He took her absolutely everywhere. Like Wily, Annie went to work every day.
I saw her this weekend. She is fourteen now and has some spots where her fur has been shaved off for various treatments of old-lady dog ailments. Most of her tail has had to be removed. But she is still proud and alert. Her eyes are getting dimmer, but you can still see the spark.
About a year and a half after he'd gotten her, Richard told me he'd found out who Annie was. She was a very fine show dog who had gotten out and run away.
I said, "Oh no! They aren't trying to get you to give her back, are they?"
He laughed and said, "Naw, what could they do with her? I got her from the dog pound. I had her spayed as soon as I got her."
Lucky Annie had a good life.