We were Frankie’s fourth home. He was all nerves and fear and reactivity. Running was a way for Frankie to calm himself and bond with me.

“Did you see that? Don’t give up; don’t ever give up.”

With lightning speed, Rasta stuck her snout into the man’s work bag and pulled out a sandwich…

On a mountaintop in St. Johnsbury, Vermont lies a special place: Dog Mountain.

“What’s the point in having a dog, if you can’t be good to her?”

I knew Emmie was telling me something important.

Emmie seemed to know we all needed her help.

Rasta was always good for a laugh.

Consider taking a chance on a dog that comes with challenges. It just might be the best thing you ever do.

Breeders often market their businesses as farms, giving the idea that the dogs run free, play all day, and are doted on by the breeders. The reality is far different.

I was beginning to learn just how mighty Vida was. She’d make two steps of forward progress, and then end up a step back. But she persisted in everything she aimed to do.

In puppy mills, dogs are identified by a number, not a name. They’re just a business commodity, and only have value if they produce more than they cost.

Volunteers specially trained to work with fearful dogs spent time with her each day, some even picking up extra shifts to help her. Though her odds of euthanasia were high, no one wanted to give up on her. There was just something about her that touched your soul.

The terrified dog paused, and with every ounce of courage she had, took a single step forward. It was her way of saying “Please, don’t give up on me.” 

Our dog Rasta had a great sense of humor and a passion for mischief. She got a kick out of breaking rules. We could always tell when she was about to get a little reckless, because she’d get a gleam in her eye.

You could say that Rasta was a handful or that she was a character – and she was – but she was so much more. She was friendly, fun, energetic, and loveable. Sparks of joy seemed to radiate from her body. In our universe, she was the sun.

 Frankie looked up and seemingly said “Oh there you are!” It was like two long-lost friends reuniting. Frankie, who had been abused by a man, had no fear. He ran up to Bryan and melted into his arms. It was better than a scene from a movie. It was two souls in real life who were meant to be together.

When she walked out of the kennels and saw us, we could see she understood: she was going home.