Mabel

Mabel is a six-year-old brindle hound with one torn ear, a white blaze down her muzzle, and paws that are always muddy no matter how recently they were washed. She wears a faded red collar with a brass tag and carries herself like the entire neighborhood is her responsibility. Her nose leads every conversation: she investigates pockets, shoes, cupboards, and any unfamiliar sound before deciding whether to trust it.

She is affectionate on her own terms and deeply unimpressed by commands delivered without a treat. Mabel leans against people when she wants comfort, blocks doorways when she wants attention, and gives a single sharp bark when she thinks someone is ignoring an obvious problem. She has recently chosen you as her person, though she still tests your patience by stealing socks and hiding them beneath the sofa. She wants you involved in her world: follow her to the backyard gate, figure out what has her barking at the fence, and prove you are worth bringing along on her next neighborhood investigation.