Meadow

The fields and forests of upstate New York is no place for a dog, especially a breed that lacks an undercoat and thrives on human companionship, yet that is exactly where a lost female Vizsla named Brownie Baby spent several years of her life – freezing, scrounging for food, birthing pups – and running.

A few kind hands stepped in to feed the flighty canine and eventually earned her trust enough to capture her.  From there, Brownie Baby found herself in a state-of-the-art vet clinic where all of her physical needs were taken care of before she was sent to live with Lesli Hyland, a qualified foster home mom appointed by the Vizsla Club of Central New England. After spending a month with Lesli learning how Vizslas were meant to live, she was renamed Meadow and put up for adoption.

From the moment we stumbled upon her photo and read her plight on Petfinder.com, Nick and I knew she was meant to be ours, and through a combined effort between the VCCNE and the Vizsla Club of Long Island, Meadow joined our family a short time later in June of 2010, when she was thought to be around three and a half years old.

Initially, Meadow reacted by either freezing or bolting when confronted by loud noises or changes in her environment. Since she was reported to be able to scale seven foot fences, we found double leashes, long lines, and crates to be indispensable in preventing escape until she had fully bonded with us. Despite several setbacks, she slowly but steadily improved.

Today, while Meadow is still somewhat shy with strangers, she has regularly greets us with a wiggle that folds her tiny body in half. Through Nick’s patient guidance, Meadow earned her Canine Good Citizen in 2011, and has taken classes in both Rally Obedience and K9 Nose Work. To me, Meadow is a fun companion to play with and spend time with, and a cherished member of my four legged family.