Labrador Retriever, Border Collie [Mix]

Melanie's story is a tale of extraordinary devotion, courage, and determination. Abandoned and pregnant, Melanie not only managed to survive one of the harshest winters in rural West Virginia history, but she also kept 10 puppies alive. Nested under an abandoned dwelling, she quietly gave birth, foraged for food, and protected and nurtured her babies.

To watch this dear dog begin to accept the privileges of simple care - sample a treat, enjoy a carefree moment of play, bow her head to receive yet another smothering hug from her foster mom - it is clear that she is enjoying these pleasures for the first time in her life. If she is bewildered by the sudden and profound change in her circumstances, she is nonetheless poised and completely trusting.

Melanie is very beautiful; she has warm, brown eyes, and a bearing of quiet dignity. Her coat is Lab-like in texture and length with a tiny bit of fringing in her breeches. She has a bearing that seems solemn at first, and invites hugs and kisses rather than demands them.

There is something very special about Melanie that is difficult to convey. Certainly she has no formal training; it was obvious, in fact, that she had never set foot inside a house before she came into foster care. But there is a depth to Melanie, a gentle goodness and decency as solid and unexplainable as the natural beauty of a mountain stream, that no cruelty or suffering could manage to squelch.

Consequently, she has learned cues and behaviors almost effortlessly and organically. She is impeccably housebroken, a habit that most likely derived from the need to preserve the cleanliness and sanctity of the den in which she raised her pups. She comes when called and sits from a basis of understanding, and not from desire for reward and treats; she can sail over a fence as effortlessly as a dandelion seed, yet has chosen for some reason to respect it. In fact, it is only out in her yard that one ever catches a glimpse of the puppyhood that Melanie herself never enjoyed. She will lift her nose and softly close her eyes, drink in a scent, and suddenly bound into a glorious, gamboling romp, then stop, and with her typical pride and dignity, trot back into the house.

Surprisingly, Melanie seems to love other dogs. She also seems to bear good will towards people, cats, and all living things. This message of friendship is easier for her to convey to her canine companions than her human ones, as there are vestiges still of the harsh treatment she received in some of her postures, and a cautious, hopefulness in her approach. Nonetheless, the kindness in her own heart has not required kindness from others in order to stay alive.

Melanie and her 10 puppies, whom we have proudly named the Nestlings, will bring joy, and possibly even a little inspiration to their adoptive homes.