Chance (Terrier/Maltese Mix)

Chance is 2 years old and a terrier/Maltese mix. Chance and I crossed paths after some jerk abandoned him at a vineyard a couple of miles from the nearest home or structure on a hillside. Not even a year old at the time, he was left to die on a hillside that hosted a vast population of wild boar, snakes, birds of prey, and, of course, the elements of an extremely cold winter. Thank God my mother's husband (an irrigation and fertilization specialist) and fellow crewmen went out on a call and ended up on the wrong vineyard.

It is there where the tiny white dog, rejoicing at the sight of people, began performing every cute trick he could pull out of his magic hat, in hopes they would share their lunch with him or at least some water, which all the men did do. When it was time to leave, they had all taken a liking to the little white dog. For various reasons, not one could offer him a home. One by one, they left a large portion of their lunch on a makeshift bowl while another donated his mini-ice chest and filled it with water for the little dog to have. The tiny dog ran a short ways chasing after each car as it drove away, still performing until the end.

My stepfather arrived back home later that evening with a distant and obvious uneasiness. He looked extremely bothered. As he sat down for dinner, he started to explain the events of the day. Immediately, I asked him how he could drive away and leave the little guy there? If he couldn't offer him a home, the SPCA or someone else would. I ran off to my softball game, already decided I was going to fake illness, borrow a car (mine was at shop for repair) and try to find this remote hillside and locate the little dog.

It was right after my friend handed me the key to her truck that I saw my brother and Joe and a tiny whitish furry little dog pull into the driveway. It appears Joe just couldn't stand the thought of the tiny dog out there abandoned, cold, heartbroken and surely becoming an appetizer to the wild boar, which surprisingly enough hadnt happened. My brother handed him to me and Chance wagged his tail so fast and started licking my face. We haven't spent one day apart since then. He is with me everywhere I go, 24/7. I named him Chance because I had specific rules about no pets in my lease and therefore there was a huge chance the little dog and myself would both get kicked out of our home. (P.S. We did not get kicked out)

Chance loves to play fetch. He loves to play hide and seek with my mom's two cats. He loves long walks in the forest and he loves to stop and smell different types of flowers. Sometimes, people or animals are just meant to cross paths for a reason we may or may never fully know or understand.

What I do know is that people tell me all the time what a lucky dog he is and I always respond the same thing: "I'm the lucky one. He brings me happiness with his snorts, laughter at the silly things he does, and unconditional love demonstrated by his kisses to my face. Not one day has gone by that he doesnt show me gratitude in one way or another. I only hope he knows how grateful I am to him." I love him but I have no intention of licking his hairy face!

by smoky002 from Monterey County, CA