Seven years ago, I found the need to have a dog.  Everyone thought I was crazy and would never be able to take care of it.   I looked all over for the perfect dog.  I thought that since I lived in the city that I would want a larger dog to fit into the neighborhood.   Instead, I found some dogs on the SPCA website.  I paged through the pictures of all the dogs and then for some reason stumbled on a picture of a little blonde dog called Mandy.  I got to the SPCA as soon as I could.  I walked into the kennel and approached the area where Mandy was kept.  The moment I walked up to her, she looked up and leaned against the cage and stuck her paw out at me as to introduce herself to me.   Well what can I say, she was a 11 pound Shih Zhu Lhasa Apso mix that "Had me from Hello".  I rushed to set everything up to adopt her.  I took her home that day and have never looked back.   Mandy had been a stray for the better part of a year.  When she was found all her hair was matted down into one big knot.  The vet said at the SPCA this proved to keep her safe and warm as it was someting like armor.  Her nails had grown so long that they were growing and curling into her paws.  Needless to say when I got her, she did not have much hair at all and the SPCA named her "Coyote Ugly" when she first arrived, then named her Mandy.  That name stuck.  Mandy was not without her special needs. But through the countless Doctors visits and medications and treatments. I have never regreted one moment I have ever had with her.   I love you Mandy.