Ivy.

Ivy's story is a long one. She's saved me and I've saved her. These photos were the first ones I ever took of her. I wanted to get a dog, and so my mom and I went to a shelter to look for one. I was originally looking for a Rottweiler or German Shepard to go hiking with me and for protection when hiking. I walked through several rooms filled with dogs, but didn't really see any of them that would make good hiking dogs. They were too hyper or just continued to growl at me or bark as soon as we walked into the rooms.

We were about to leave when we walked into the last air conditioned building. The last pen had this little red ball of fuzz curled up in the corner. I whistled at her, and these black ears popped up and brown eyes just looked at me and then quickly looked away. We asked to see her, and the workers took her out to a pen where I took these photos. She wouldn't look us in the eyes and did not want to play at all. She laid down by me and just closed her eyes and enjoyed the sun. She was sweet, but I was worried that her low energy would mean that she did not want to hike.

My mom and I left to go to another shelter, and all the while, this dog with the same hair color as me was on my mind. We went back to get her. I couldn't leave her there. The workers there said that she had been flagged for biting and growling. I couldn't imagine this timid little dog with no energy even trying to bite anything. I said I'd take her still, and they told me that if she attacks our other dogs that they are not responsible. We were nervous, but we took her home. She was excited to be in the car and that's when her ears first perked up and I could tell that she was excited to leave.

The moment she saw the backyard she just took off running. We introduced her to the other dogs (my mom's and sister's dogs) and she just wanted to play. This little dog that wanted to just sleep suddenly wanted to play and run. She was so happy about life and that we had chosen her.

The happiness ended the next day.

I woke up and heard Ivy sneezing and choking by the end of my bed. She had slept all night, and was now violently ill. We took her to the vet. She had kennel cough and canine influenza. The staff at the shelter had refused to vaccinate her because she tried to bite someone when she was first brought in and was terrified. Later we found out she had not been spayed either. Basically, they had thrown her in a pen and waited for her to die. I thought that I was going to lose this little girl. She ended up in isolation for two weeks and my sister's dog had got sick as well during the process. Silhouette (my sister's dog) is older and we didn't think she was going to make it. Luckily she did and is still here today. After all of the tears and worry, we brought Ivy home, and she has been here ever since.

 She is my hiking buddy and has been through these past year and a half of ups and downs with me. She came with me when I moved in with my ex and has been on many, many hiking trips with me. She has been there when I'm crying and lays next to me, and she knows when I am happy. I love my babydog.

If you want to get a dog/cat/any pet, please consider adopting. This wonderful little girl was in a shelter and she is so very, very loving.