More: Dixie is such a special dog to our family with a special background. Her mama evaded rescue attempts for two years before finally being caught after hurricane Harvey ravaged Houston. She was heavily pregnant with Dixie’s litter and had recently chewed off her paw after she got it caught in a trap, a feat that her rescuers swear saved her and her pups lives. They aptly named her Spirit. We got Dixie around 10 weeks old and, as with individuals, we noticed Dixie behaved a little differently from other dogs. She has a very fearful and submissive nature, which made taking her in public stressful and unpleasant for everyone. We worked together with a trainer and her veterinarian religiously to get her to the mindset that the world is a great place that begs to be explored. She goes with us everywhere now and loves to hike and camp. She’s loves her small group of people so fiercely and is such a cuddle bug. I’m always amazed by her growing confidence as a dog and am truly blessed to have her as a part of our family.