It happened like this...While skimming through the “Pets-For-Sale” section of the newspaper, the following ad caught my eye:

“AKC STANDARD Poodle, F, Black, 3 y/o, w/crate. $450/ofr.”

We had always wanted a black standard, so after much discussion, Sheri called the number in the ad—“Just to find out more particulars about the poodle.”  Her humans agreed to bring her by for a visit to “get acquainted with possible new siblings.” Blueberry, Peaches and Blair readily accepted her and they were all soon romping around and playing tag.  She loved jumping straight up in the air and they had named her “Pogo” for pogo stick.  Her owners, a military family, had purchased her with the intention of breeding her.  They both worked, so she spent the days in a kennel run and the nights in a dog crate in the garage. They had another smaller dog that was kept in the house with the family and when they received military orders for an overseas assignment, they decided to take the other dog with them and to sell “Pogo.”  After being with us for a couple hours, we fell in love with her and offered them $400 for her which they promptly took.  When they drove off, they never looked back and she was happy to be staying.  She stood 24” from shoulder to floor and weighed 60 lbs.  As we contemplated a new name for her, the obvious one came to mind, “Shadow,” as she never left my side.  I would have to go outside and stand with her to get her to “Winky-Tink.”  She acted as if she were afraid that she would be left behind, so we spent several days giving her a lot of attention and holding her and talking softly to her.  Sudden movements would make her jump and she would not look directly into my eyes unless I held her head in my hands.  She loved playing with toys and took great joy in dragging them all out of the toy box and rolling around with them.  She would be very aggressive with them and chew on them furiously and growl.  Food was another newfound joy and she would run to the food bowl each time it was refilled and try to eat it all before anyone else could get any—as I she thought it might not be refilled.  It got so bad that we had to set up two bowls so that she wouldn’t be so anxious every time one of the other poos tried to eat.  Bones or treats, seemed to be something new to her.  At first she would snatch it out of your hand and run into the corner and hurriedly eat it.  The other poos have their routine of sitting patiently and waiting their turn and then standing up on their hind legs and gently taking the treat from your hand and could not understand her behavior.

We renamed her “Ebony JetStar” and call her “Miss Ebby.”  She has a thick tightly curled jet-black coat with golden brown eyes. When she stands with the sun shining behind her she looks like she has a dark red outline glowing all around her.  She is a truly beautiful girl and carries her tail proudly like a waving flag.  I have never seen it droop.  She knows no fear and will get between you and door when you open it to let someone in----a true guard dog.  With her jet-black coat and flashing white teeth, it reminds you of a Doberman and gives visitors a pause before coming on in.  In roughhousing with her, she never lets up until you sternly tell her “That’s enough!”  My forearms are covered with bruises.  I’ve taken to wearing long-sleeved shirts on Sundays so I don’t have to go into explanations as to where the bruising came from.