Meg, the Mountain Cur - this is actually the write-up I did for her entry into the Dog Model Contest. It's a bit long, but sums up her best qualities.
She's only been with me since February of 2006, but she has cheerfully adapted to the life I live. On our first hike together, she stopped at a small wooden footbridge, terrified to go over it, but equally scared to go through the small stream under it. She wound up running 50 yards or so out of the way so she could cross "safely". Because I wanted to do agility with her, she worked hard to overcome her fears, and happily does all the equipment, even the scary wooden obstacles. Because I wanted a dog who would swim, she learned this summer, and will cheerfully chase sticks into the reservior for as long as I want to throw them. And because I wanted to play fetch with her, she learned to love the toys she once ignored, and will fetch a ball every evening for me on the green by our house.
Meg has always adored people of all ages. She is polite but insistent with her desire to be touching someone at all times. A friend of mine christened her a "Touch Junkie", and she has a name tag that proudly states that.
Her true personality shone through a couple of months ago when our family went through a very difficult time. There was a shooting at the elementary school where my mother teaches. When I heard about it, I got in the car to try to find out what was going on. Meg, who almost always rides in the backseat (by choice), rode pressed against my side as I drove around town. When everything had ended, and the families gathered around, waiting for their loved ones to be released, Meg sat with me on the lawn for over two hours. She was happy to entertain my cousin's toddler, who crawled over to her (and over her!), kissed her, and constantly reached out to touch her. Despite the sadness of the situation, nearly everybody walking by spared a smile for the dog and baby.
Meg and I are rarely separated. She goes to work with me everyday, where she is pleased to greet everyone who comes by. She has taken it upon herself to become the dog of my dreams, and I am grateful every day to have her in my life.