The American Dingo

Meet Bayleigh. She's my three-year old American Dingo, or Carolina Dog, that I adopted from a rescue when she was barely six months old. From the moment I saw her photo on the internet, I knew this was the puppy that I had to save. I set an appointment to see her and the rest is now history.

From the moment she saw me, Bayleigh showed her affectionate side. She rolled over so I could pet her belly, then immediately climbed into my arms to be held. That did it. I signed the papers, paid the adoption fee, and loaded her into the truck for the journey to her new forever home.

Bayleigh was a quick learner. She was house trained in less than a week and has never had an accident in the house. She had lots of energy and, for nearly a year, I thought she was going to literally eat my entire house. I lost seven pair of shoes, a TV remote control, a puzzle book, over a dozen pair of socks and a bedspread to her incessant chewing. That stopped when I discovered that dingoes require a lot — A LOT — of exercise. She runs regularly in my backyard now and the chewing has stopped.

She has a bizarre fear of riding in a car. In fact, when I take her near it, she turns away and sit downs—almost to say, "If I can't see it, it isn't real." She'll stay that way until I call her to get in the seat. Reluctantly, she'll get in and lay down. She's always a bit nervous at first, but quickly calms down for the ride.

Bayleigh rarely barks—it's a common trait of the breed. She does have an unique howl, but even that is rare saved for the unexpected wildlife that encroaches in her yard or a visit from a neighboring dog. She's playful though and not aggressive. Even when the doorbell rings, she merely looks toward the door in curiosity, then wags her tail and runs to meet whoever is visiting.

Dingoes are amazing dogs—Australians may not think so though. They consider them to be pests in the wild. Before Bayleigh, I honestly had never heard of the breed. They are marginally common in the south, often called Carolina dogs or mistaken for any of a number of other breeds that they share characteristics. Bayleigh looks like a fox, and extremely intelligent. She quickly learned all the basic tricks, like sitting, waiting, heel, and shaking paws. She loves to lay next to me and hold my hand. My family laughed when I told them that, until they too were chosen by the dog for hand holding.

Like most dog lovers, I too am guilty of assigning human characteristics to my dog. She is part of my family. I look forward to coming home after work and seeing how excited she is to see me. We chase each other around the backyard until I'm on the verge of a heartache and she's so tired a doggy nap is the only salvation for recovery. She's spoiled. Popcorn is her favorite snack and if there is a dog toy, I'm sure she owns it.

If you are like I was, dingoes are a mysterious breed of dog and misunderstood. It's worth your time to research this amazing pet. By the way, Bayleigh says "hello."