Pet: Violet
Pet Owner: Andrea and Bob Smith
Violet is a spirited three-year-old Mini Australian Shepherd with an unmistakable red merle coat and a personality to match. She’s an Arizona native who found her way to New Bern after a chance encounter at a garden nursery in Phoenix, where Andrea was visiting her sister.
“The owner asked if we would love to see their new puppies,” says Andrea. “Violet was the only red merle. I fell in love with her.” Andrea called the breeder the next day and asked him to hold Violet for eight weeks. He did — and in the process, fell for her too, sending photos of Violet on errands, playing, and being passed around and admired by everyone she met. When Andrea flew out to bring her home, strangers kept stopping them, wanting to hold Violet and snap a photo. It took a little time for the Smiths’ other dogs to accept that this Arizona transplant was here to stay in New Bern. Another transplant, just like Violet.
Violet’s best friend is Prince, one of the family’s Yorkies. The two have been inseparable since Violet came home at Prince’s size, though she’s long since outgrown him. Her favorite game is dragging blankets out from under Prince, hoping to lure him into play. The Smiths’ home is full of toys, and Violet and the family’s other Yorkie, Jasmine, are often found flanking Andrea, each clutching a stuffed toy of her own. “It is difficult which gift to choose without hurting the other’s feelings,” Andrea laughs. “That’s kids for you.”
Violet is quick with basic commands and fairly obedient, though unfamiliar dogs outside her pack can throw her off a bit. Her signature move, though, is what Aussie owners will instantly recognize: the wiggle butt. Her favorite snack is carrots — no bones or hard chews since she fractured a tooth on one.
Violet joined a household of three other dogs, and her joyful spirit helped soften the loss of the Smiths’ oldest dog, Toby, last year. “I believe every dog adapts and takes on the personality of their owner,” says Andrea. “She is special to us, and the joy that she gives us is all that matters.”
“Sometimes I think she owns me the way I tend to follow her lead,” Andrea says. “She is there for me on those occasions when a wrapped-up puppy hug is needed.”