I always joked that Runa was a lot of puppy, exuberant, funny and full of personality from the very beginning. Confident and endlessly energetic, she approached life with enthusiasm and had something to say about everything. Living with puppy Runa was exhausting at times, but our friends couldn’t help but fall in love with her humor and charm.

As a young dog, Runa was not a natural in harness. Her attention was easily distracted by a blowing leaf or a fallen branch along the trail. Around 18 months, something clicked. We hadn’t focused on 1:1 direction training, but she simply understood her job. Her confidence makes her a good command leader and she uses her power to keep a tight tug.

At home, Runa balances independence with affection. She loves to run, explore and dig, but is also content to curl up for a nap on her cot. Still our most vocal dog, her voice now comes through in playful greetings and joyful moments.

Runa taught us the value of patience, the importance of allowing a dog to mentally mature in their own time.