In first grade, after my next-door neighbor got a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, I started begging for a dog. By third grade, my family rescued our first dog, a sugar-sweet young Boxer mix named Wrigley. Training Wrigley taught me how to be patient, reinforced my love for animals, and highlighted the importance of the Kong Toy. Six years later, we rescued Ernie, the most energetic Black Lab mix with an affinity for fetch and a good slice of cheese. Ernie became the best running buddy, always up for adventure and more importantly a water break in the middle of a long run. In 2011, when left for college, I quickly became homesick for my dogs. Luckily, I attended Butler University, home of the Bulldogs and became active in our school's live mascot program. In addition to working with Blue II and Trip on campus, I connected with families in the area and began dog-sitting on a regular basis. I now own a dog of my own (Dottie is a 1.5 year old Golden) with my husband and love being around dogs!