Suede

We had no plans to get another dog, but a series of serendipitous events brought us together, and I quickly realized we needed her as much as she needed us right now.

On January 19th I volunteered with the Humane Society of North Texas to document the Wings of Rescue flight transporting 180 strays and owner surrenders from California shelters to make space for pets displaced by the tragic wildfires. In the process, I followed HSNT on Instagram. Just 9 days later, they shared a photo of a baby blue Great Dane who had been surrendered as part of a cruelty investigation. Growing up blue Danes were my favorite, but they aren’t easy to find. The next morning I drove to Ft Worth to meet her at an adoption event – a week shy of 10 years after we adopted our first Great Dane, Ellie, who we lost in September.

Her shelter name was North. We toyed with a handful of names – Sadie, London, Valentina, Pippa – before my assistant brilliantly suggested Suede for “blue suede shoes” and the feel of her fur.

Luckily, all it took was a good night’s sleep in a bundle of blankets in our bedroom for Suede to feel like a new dog. She didn’t make a peep the whole night, then woke up ready to take on the world. I expected it would take some time for her to trust humans again and come out of her shell, but the sweet girl closed that chapter of her life and never looked back.

Suede is absolutely thriving. She loves sunbathing, snuggling with the other dogs, falling asleep on my chest while we watch tv on the couch, and bossing everyone around. She’s growing like a weed and her coat has the most beautiful healthy shine to it now. We adore her and are grateful to HSNT for their work in giving her a better life.