A Dog's Life

One year, the cold comes early. Squirrel endures an ice storm on Halloween. She’s almost always hungry and thirsty as she scavenges. Since she’s a senior dog, she’s slower and can’t hunt animals as well. One of her paws starts bleeding, but she keeps walking for days.

When the first snow hits, she finds a rural home and sleeps in the shed. An old woman appears on the house’s porch and scatters seed for the birds. Squirrel eats the birdseed, and the woman sees her. Squirrel runs back to the shed.

That night, the elderly woman leaves a bowl of chicken, gravy, and potatoes and some water out for Squirrel. She loves the meal.

The woman continues feeding the dog table scraps and patiently coaxing her to come inside for warmth. Eventually, Squirrel accepts her offer and enters the house.

The woman, Susan, gets Squirrel blankets to lay by the fireplace. Squirrel appreciates feeling cozy and warm rather than freezing outside. Susan talks to her like a friend and decides to name her Addie. She asks to pet her and then scratches Squirrel’s chin and tells her she’s a good girl.

Susan takes excellent care of her.