canine running companions

Hello

Hi my name is Nessie. I was adopted from Animal Ark, a no-kill animal shelter in Hastings, MN. I love my new family and they love me! They call me their little Rottie-Body because I am small - my growth was stunted due to malnourishment when I was young. In my new home there is plenty of food, treats, exercise and love for everyone!

One of the best parts of living with Mary Lynn is that I get to go on walks and runs every day. I have made lots of new friends, like Marco, Lovey, Joe, Isabel, Pearl, Lilly to name a few. My good friend Sierra passed away a few months ago. Come join in on the fun and exercise at See Spot Run. I'd love to be friends with you, too!

Sierra: Gone But Not Forgotten

On April 28th my good friend Sierra, a tall, tan Rhodesian Ridgeback, was put to sleep. Sierra was only six, but had developed a brain tumor that made her unable to negotiate her surroundings safely. I saw her walk into walls and step off a two foot ledge - fully conscience but unaware of the world around her. In the last month she didn't recognize any of her best friends, both canine and human, when we would stop by her house to go for a walk.

When I was adopted by Mary Lynn last fall, the first See Spot Run dog that she introduced me to was Sierra. Sierra was very welcoming and calming. She walked in an arc around me and then sat with her back to me. Her actions let me know she wasn't a threat and later gave me a quick lick on the nose.

Sierra was a tiny dog in big dog's skin! Although she was almost always the tallest dog on our walks and runs, she was not an alpha. Sierra deferred to the other more self-assured dogs and shied away from confrontation. When she was nervous she would try to hide between Mary Lynn's legs. Sierra was very shy, but very sweet.

I saw Mary Lynn cry the afternoon they put Sierra down. I comforted her by climbing up into her lap, putting my head on her chest and giving her kisses. We all miss Sierra very much!

--- Nessie