Shadow was a black miniature poodle mix. We rescued him from the dog pound in 1986, when he was about 1 ½ years old. His hair was all matted up, he had dirt caked on him, and he smelled atrocious. Although we didn’t know it at the time, he had been hit by a car sometime and left to heal on his own.

I named him Shadow not only because he is black, but also because he was always right under my feet and followed me everywhere. He is bouncy and hyper, like most little dogs, but has always had a good disposition.

We believe he may have been abused by children, because he didn’t like children at all. After being raised with my two boys and then being around my grandchildren, that changed. He was especially protective of babies and was right in their faces to comfort them when they cried, not that they appreciated it much.