This story has been shared as part of the Fur Fam Story Contest. You can submit your own tale through December 5th. Voting will run from December 6th through December 31st. Three grand prize winners will receive a $500 prize, plus $2000 in cash and supplies for their favorite shelter. Share your story here!

Harley Davidson Cheeto Boucher joined our family on Friday, November 15, 2019. On November 4 of that year, we had to let our beloved dachshund, Lady, cross the rainbow bridge and our hearts were broken. While we knew we could never replace Lady, our family knew we had so much more love to give so I found a post at a rescue online for a little white pup name Charlee.

I went to the rescue to visit her to see if she would be the right fit for us, and us for her. I knew the second I held her she was our missing family member. We surprised our two kids when we picked them up from school and they met their new furry sibling a few days later. One of the attached pictures is my son, Nick, seeing Harley for the first time. We decided to change Charlee to Harley, as it just seemed to fit, and my husband rides motorcycles. My kids added Cheeto as another middle name, because this dog LOVES Cheetos!

We knew her mom was a dachshund, but her dad was unknown. We had her DNA tested, and found out she is 50% Dalmatian. So, we have a Dalmachshund! As she has grown, her spots grow darker and cover more of her body, so she really looks like a short Dalmatian now.

Over the past two years Harley has fit right in. She loves to float in the pool on her boogie board (in her bikini of course). She is enthralled with snow and will sled with the kids in the backyard until she shivers and I have to make her come inside to warm up in her homemade bonnet and tailwarmer crocheted for her by my daughter, Halle. Harley rides with me everyday to drop the kids off and pick them up from school, and monitors the squirrels along the roadsides from the passenger seat.

She loves to visit our little cabin in the woods with us and snuggles in our bed with her head on my pillow each night. When she watches TV with my husband, she sits up and leans against him. (see photo) Harley is super smart and very patient. She will sit at the foot of a tree and watch the squirrels literally for hours. She is a very polite eater, and will sit and wait after her food is served until she is given the ok to eat.

Harley is our friend and companion, and has been a part of all of our joys and sorrows for the past two years. Thanks, Harley. We owe you one.

This story was submitted by Katrina Boucher, in support of Speranza Animal Rescue. To share your own submission for the Fur Fam Story Contest, click here!