Illustration by Molly Zhou
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I was introduced to Ronnie a few years ago by my good friend, Michelle, who knew we would be a good match. Ronnie is short for Veronica, named after the raven-haired beauty from The Archies, and is my rescue dog from the streets of Puebla, Mexico. I like to say she’s “got secrets” as a light way of saying she’s likely had some tough times.
From her dog rescue posting, she was described as a great addition to the family if you love the look of a labrador without having your wine glass knocked off the coffee table, because she has half a tail. It gives her a bit of a unique, rough-and-tumble look. She has the face of a black labrador but her body is a bit more truncated than a usual female lab, and her vet thinks she has had a litter (or more). She has been given a few different possible ages and came with two documented birthdates so I can only guess her age from the greying around her face.
She also comes with a host of baggage. From living on the streets, she learned (and I haven’t yet been able to un-learn her, despite lots of training) to be wary of men – especially men that aren’t fully co-ordinated in their walking, which can mean that she will bark at an older gentleman who has mobility issues even when he kindly smiles at her. I usually try to excuse her behaviour by saying she only barks at the handsome ones, which sometimes gets a wary laugh. She also doesn’t like when children run, stomping their feet as they do, and will bark at them, too, like a lifeguard around a pool.
I’m learning to live the ‘good old days’ right now
To ensure she stays on good behaviour when I walk her, I cannot listen to a podcast or be on my phone. At first, this bothered me. Think of all the things I could be learning and listening to! But because I need to be attentive of her quirks, she has taught me to take in the world around us.
I have discovered many benches in the neighbourhood to watch the world go by because she enjoys just taking in the environment. I’ve had people stop to tell me, with softness in their eyes and fondness in their voice, that they once had a labrador, and I catch people smiling at her when she politely sits with me.
Not only has she taught me to appreciate the setting, but she also has a tight group of “her people” she absolutely loves, showing them that every time she sees them. They range from David, the local dog walker (who is generous with liver treats); our neighbour who has a Frenchie; Jane, the wonderful and patient dog sitter; and my family. When she greets them, she does what I call her opera singing. She lets out a little falsetto howl-croon and she will gently walk up their leg and stick a paw in the air toward their face.
She is also an excellent hiker – she loves the hills and leaves no one behind. I wanted to show her all the areas in and around Toronto, including the Rosedale Ravine, Sunnybrook and Sherwood Park. She runs up and down all the hills when she is in an off-lead area, and if one of her brood isn’t in her sightlines, she will not go farther until she sees them.
Ronnie also loves and appreciates good food, only the highest-quality meats and cheeses. If she is offered a pumpkin or yam treat, she will appreciate the gesture, taking it in her mouth but politely setting it down in front of her as if to say, “It’s the thought that counts.” Her love of treats has worked wonders to curb her triggers, and because of that, I always have treats in my pockets. In fact, I find treats in most of my jackets and jeans even when I’m out without Ronnie (which also works wonders when meeting new dog friends).
Not long after I adopted her, I found out another family had first taken her home and returned her to the rescue – likely not giving much time at all for her to decompress. I consider those circumstances lucky for me. It turned out she needed about six months to show her true colours. A rescue dog with quirks like Ronnie’s isn’t for everyone, but she has certainly opened my eyes to new places and made me see the world differently.
Lindsay Black lives in Toronto.