Sophie is my dog, and a better dog I do not know.

I found her awhile back at the Pasadena Humane Society. She was already an adult dog, but a stray. I was reading the Patrick O'Brien seafaring novels at the time, and one of the main characters is named Sophie. It just seemed to fit.

She isn't terribly obedient, nor is she a ferocious guard dog, but she is a sweet and happy dog with lots of character. She is enormously friendly and often funny. She's a mix of some kind, but I don't know what. I've always thought perhaps something big with something small, as her legs seem short in proportion to her body. Fortunately for her, they're long enough to reach the ground. (A tip o' the hat to Abe Lincoln.)

The tune to Sophie's Waltz (for brass quintet or band), which was named for her, is based on what I whistle when I call her indoors. By popular demand, I am re-posting photos of Sophie on the site. Who wouldn't write music for such a wonderful pooch?

Click on a photo to enlarge.