For Pet's Sake Column

At first I thought there was something wrong with my television screen, so I adjusted the settings and looked again. Nope, still the same image. I was watching a recent episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, which featured some of the daytime diva’s more memorable guests. Oprah told the audience that, in her 21 years of hosting a television talk show, she would never forget one very special guest. I couldn’t wait to see who it was: actor and couch-jumper, Tom Cruise, perhaps? Or writer and poet, Maya Angelou? Or maybe Oprah’s best friend Gayle?

Guess again.

As the cameras rolled and the curtains parted, a lone figure walked onto the stage. Not unusual, until you take into consideration that the guest was a two-legged dog who walked upright on her two hind legs. The audience erupted into applause; my mouth dropped open.

The cute Chow mix was born in Oklahoma shortly before Christmas 2002. She was rescued three weeks later by the Stringfellow family after they found the mother dog trying to smother her. The puppy, whom they named Faith, was born with severely deformed front legs and could only move by dragging herself along the floor. This behavior would eventually rub a hole in her chest and chin, warned veterinarians, and they suggested euthanizing the pint-sized pup.

But Jude Stringfellow and her three children, Reuben, Laura, and Caity would not stand for any talk about ending their puppy’s life. They took turns caring for Faith around the clock; an experience they say made them more compassionate and less selfish. Against all odds, Faith began to thrive and grow into a healthy, loving dog. But there was one big question in everyone’s minds: could Faith actually learn to walk? It turns out that a spoonful of peanut butter was all it took to encourage Faith to stand on her hind legs and take her first tentative steps. It wasn’t long before the courageous canine was running, jumping, skipping, and even stealing food off the dining room table.

Lucky for Faith that Jude had, well, faith in her plucky puppy.

“She is a demonstration of what it looks like to persevere – what it feels like to say, ‘I can do what I want to do. Nothing can stop me,’” said Jude in an interview for the Oprah show.

Today, the Stringfellows travel the country with Faith, sharing their story of love and hope. As a trained therapy dog, Faith regularly visits schools to offer companionship and emotional support to students with special needs who are working to improve their reading skills. The Stringfellows even published a book, “With a Little Faith” (2^nd edition), about the amazing life of this determined little dog.

Whether she’s chasing geese near her home or appearing on national television shows, Faith has proven time and again that she can take whatever life dishes out to her and run with it.

To learn more about Faith, visit her Web site: www.faiththedog.net.

Email stories of your own faith to Karen at karenleestevens@cox.net.