Shadow was born October the 21st 1997. We never knew more about her family than the names of her parents, which were long and grandiose.  She came to us at Christmas of that year as a present from Heather’s brother Scott. I didn’t want a dog but I can’t remember another gift given or received that year.  The clearest memory of the evening was Scott following the puppy around with a paper to protect the carpet. I say “puppy” because a few names were tossed around but we hadn’t settled on one yet. I don’t remember if it was Judy or one of us who noticed first that the puppy picked a person and followed them from behind without diversion. But the comment was made that she was like a shadow and that name stuck.

Heather wanted Shadow to sleep with us the first night but I wouldn’t let her for 2 reasons. The first, she wasn’t house trained. The second, it would be harder on the puppy to sleep alone the next night. We fashioned a bed from an old comforter in the mud room and papered the floor. When Shadow woke us whimpering that night I almost lost my argument, but I’d heard that a ticking clock would soothe a nervous puppy and it seemed to work, that, and Heather lying on the floor half the night.

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