Mindy came into my life as my third foster. She was not very beautiful, was very small, and had lots of scars from the track. That first night with us she jumped up on the sofa and put her leg through the metal mechanism of the end recliner. We sopped up what seemed like gallons of blood and finally called the vet; it was 10:00pm , an emergency call. It turned out she had severed an artery, needed stitches, and a stiff wrap and to spend the night. My husband and I were quite distraught, but not Mindy. Through it all, she never made a sound. She just lay on my husband's lap and looked at both of us.

That was the beginning of the love affair.

Since that night over 2-1/2 years ago, Mindy and I have become true soul mates, if that is possible between people and pets. She knows me inside and out, as I do her. She almost never takes her eyes off me; even in sleep she can come awake if I move from a room. She anticipates what I will be doing next and puts on her “are you leaving me face?”, whether she thinks I'm going out for the day or just for a gallon of milk. She has seen many dogs come and go through our home, and I always assure her that she will always stay—we're in this for the long haul.

Mindy “talks” (sometimes way, way too much), but she always has a point. As her human counterpart, I have to figure out what she wants. It's always an “ah-ha” moment when I do.

In her quiet way, Mindy is alpha dog to all the other animals in our house, or anybody else's, for that matter. She keeps Jessica's boys in line when she stays with them and
Nan 's alpha Liam gave her several amorous glances to her straight ahead stare.