By Julia and Laura Svoboda

From the time we were really little, we wanted a dog. Our dad originally didn’t want us to get one because he grew up with cats, but we worked hard to persuade him. A year ago, he finally gave in.

We started looking online, but we weren’t sure what kind of dog we wanted. Last summer, we started seriously searching when the timing seemed just right for our family. One Saturday afternoon in early September, our friend Ellie texted us a picture of an adorable beagle who had just been flown in from West Virginia. We acted quickly, got our recommendations lined up, and called Pet Rescue to show how interested we were. The next day, that adorable beagle was ours. We named her Winnie.

She had been abandoned in a small West Virginia town and was found by two boys on ATVs. We are forever grateful for the lady who took her in and cared for her before she could come to us.

When we brought Winnie home, we couldn’t resist cuddling with her. She was very shy but quickly adapted to our family. Our dad, who had wanted a cat and resisted our pleas for a dog, is now madly in love with Winnie. When he comes home from work, she wags her tail like crazy and falls to the floor for a belly rub.

What she also loves is running around at Oakland Beach. She is very social and loves playing with other dogs. The highlight of her day is when she gets to see her dog friends on her walks.

While Winnie likes to cuddle on the couch with us, she is also very playful. Every day she takes us to school in the car and comes to pick us up. It always makes us smile to see her, even when we’ve had a bad day.

Winnie spends her quiet time sitting in the front window watching everyone pass by. Seeing her in the window makes coming home so much more fun.

We love Winnie so much and can’t imagine our life without her.

 

 

Winnie with Laura (12) and Julia (14) Svoboda

Photo courtesy of Geoff Tischmann Photography