Misty

Misty's story:

I found Misty tied to a tree at a yard sale on April 29, 1995. It was an unusually warm day for the end of April and when I noticed she had no food, water, or shade, I became concerned for her well being. I spoke with the individual running the sale, who informed me that she was his daughter's dog and they were looking to place her in a new home. I wasn't looking for another pet at the time, so I declined his offer to take her, but I suggested they provide her with water and shade...which he reluctantly agreed to do.

I left the sale, but couldn't get the sweet beagle out of my mind. After discussing her situation with a friend over lunch, I decided to return to the sale and check on her. At first I was relieved to see she was no longer tied to the tree. However, on my way back to my car, I was horrified to see her laying in the back seat of a car with the windows up. I immediately found the man I'd spoken to earlier and explained that he couldn't leave her in the car on such a hot day. He said she had chewed through the rope in her excitement at seeing the people at the sale and they had no place else to keep her. He didn't seem particularly concerned for her welfare and again suggested that I take her. I agreed.

It turns out that Misty was 10 months old and didn't even have a name. I don't think she had ever been walked on a leash, as she pulled with more force than I could have imagined possible from such a small dog. "Sit" "Stay" "Down" were all foreign to her ears. And being my first Beagle, I was startled by the sounds she made, "Aaaarrrrrrrrrooooooooo!" "Aaarrrrrrrrrrooooooooo!" "Aaarrrrrrrrrrrrooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

I now shamefully admit I chose the name "Misty" because it was originally short for "Mistake." I thought I had made a huge error in judgment when I brought this untrained and amazingly loud little dog home to join my family of older, much less active pets. I wondered if I should have tried placing her in another home.

My reservations were quickly dispelled as she won me over with her cute antics and sweet personality. Somewhere along the line, she had picked up the ability to sit up and beg. It was the only "trained" behavior she knew and she begged for everything. She begged when she wanted to play with Bess, my older girl. If she wanted to go outside, she'd beg at the door. When she wanted to come back in, she'd beg at the outside door  (we have a securely fenced yard, so I'd allow her outside periodically during the day). My neighbor once called me to say Misty was sitting outside the door begging to come in.

And in typical Beagle fashion, she begged for anything that she thought might be even remotely edible.  Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks...Misty was begging. Even sitting at the table to balance the checkbook elicited a begging Beagle. And she has always taken her begging very serious...with a look of intense concentration. The only thing that interrupts her begging stature is the possibility of a tasty morsel elsewhere...in which case, she merely changes her position.

Misty thrived on the attention she received in our home was a quick learner. On April 28, 1996, almost exactly one year since joining our family, Misty passed her Canine Good Citizen test!

As I write this, Misty has been with me for almost 10 wonderful years and is very dear to my heart. She seems to have an uncanny sense of when people are down or don't feel well and she'll do her best to comfort anyone having a bad day. She truly is a sweetheart.

Her most favorite things in the world are going for rides (particularly to the Magic Window where she gets Burgers and McNuggets); walks; and of course, anything that remotely resembles food. We're fortunate in that she enjoys many fruits and vegetables as snacks. She'll eat an apple down to the core and corn on the cob to the cob (as long as someone keeps turning them for her). Among her other favorites are watermelon and green beans...with favorites being distinguished from non-favorites not by her refusal to eat anything, but only by the speed at which she gulps.

And long ago (I think it was the second day after bringing her home), her "formal" name changed from "Mistake" to "Maid of the Mist."

Update:
Thankfully, Misty has enjoyed good health with the exception of an incident involving her back. She suddenly began acting as though she was in pain, reluctant to walk and sitting in a strange, hunched over position. We took her to the emergency vet, where they did x-rays, but were unable to determine the cause. The attending vet suspected a disc problem that wasn't visible on the x-ray and suggested either spinal surgery or euthanasia. Surgery was an option, but we would not consider euthanasia until there was no hope. The vet gave us some medication and we went to her regular vet the next morning.

She had additional x-rays taken, as well as an ultrasound, but 4 vets were unable to determine the cause of her problem. Her primary vet affirmed that she still had feeling in the toes of her back legs and felt surgery would be an unwarranted risk. She thought confinement and rest were the best course of action. We purchased a baby crib to keep her confined during the day and built sides for the bed to keep her confined at night. Daytime walks were replaced with outings in a baby stroller.

She endured this confinement  for two unhappy months, during which time we saw unmistakable signs of improvement. As I write this, it's been more than 2 years and she's a bit slower than in her younger days, but otherwise back to her cheerful and active self.

During confinement, Misty enjoyed fresh air during outings in her buggy. Here, she's at Lackawanna State Park.	.
Misty in her crib. She's actually yawning, but the photo reminds me of a wailing baby.
Enjoying the ride. She seems to be thinking "faster" as we approach some bold geese at the lake.
Accustomed to handouts, these are some fearless geese. Instead of protecting the fowl from Misty, we're more concerned with protecting Misty from the birds!
Her back was better when this photo was taken, but she's not up for the full 2 1/2 mile walk around Lake Lynn (Raleigh, NC). We take her buggy along so she can ride when she gets tired. Here, she's looking out at the ducks and geese in the water.
Misty the birdwatcher. Raleigh, NC
We have a home in VA that's in the country. Misty loves to visit. These photos were taken in the fall of 2006. She positively jumps for joy! Ahhhhh.....that feels so good! Hanging out on the back porch steps. And in her truck, ready for the trip to PA.
Back home in PA, Misty is tormented by a chipmunk that ran into the drainpipe. Years gone by... Misty and Bess at Lackawanna State Park The girls in the yard.

Misty's motto:

"Never waste time chewing that which can be swallowed whole."