Family: Susy Struble, David, Quinton, and Benjamin Cole
Pet: Ava
Age: 7 years old
Breed: Collie + Bernese Mountain Dog
Adoption story: Our previous rescue dog was an amazing Newfoundland and Border Collie mix, a third generation product of the NHGRI Dog Genome Project. We were on the search for something similar: a big, sweet, and super smart dog. We lucked out on a visit to grandma and grandpa’s house in Ohio, where we found a Collie and Bernese Mountain dog mix at a farm down the road.
Likes: She likes her boys and her dad, but I think she really loves her mom best! She also likes people hugging and she will jump up to join in if we don’t include her. She loves being outdoors and meeting people on the beach or being in the snow. She loves to be loved and have her hindquarters scratched. She also likes her enormous Costco stuffed teddy bear and her hedgehog stuffed “baby”.
Dislikes: She doesn’t like when we go on vacation without her. She also dislikes skunks, not being noticed when she walks down the street, and being wrapped in blankets by the boys – but they still persist.
Interesting facts: She currently smells like skunk! She is also very sensitive to people’s moods and has a cowlick. She absolutely knows she’s not allowed on the bed. And she would never — ever — jump on mom and dad’s bed during the day. But we wake up every morning to find her curled up on our pillows.
Anything else: Everybody’s dog is the best dog in the world, including Ava.