I just found 3 images on the computer from the mid-late 90s----my family's 2nd dog was a horribly abused little mutt from a crackhouse that my parents adopted. He had awful eye and ear infections from the broken piece of chain link fence stuck in his face when he arrived at the animal shelter. I re-named him Wally, and my sister and I brought him home on the long train ride to Haverhill with him snuggled up in my winter coat. At the time he was malnourished and had been shaved....he reminded me of the sad Christmas tree Charle Brown picked, but Wally grew his hair back, gained weight, and had a good life with my parents and sister.

I gave 5" x 7" acrylic paintings of him as Christmas gifts to my family one year. He loved playing with my dad in the living room:


He made horrible monster faces at my sister when she'd pretend to try to steal his toy:


and he loved sitting with my mom while she read:


Wally was a good little guy (though Cesar Milan would've pulled his hair out at the way Wally ruled the house),but he lived a short life due to chronic health problems, unfortunately. Rest in peace, little Wally.

photo in the backyard by Mary Reusch: