This little girl is the very definition of a "junkyard dog" for she and her siblings were born in and found in a literal junk yard.

She was originally given as a very teeny little puppy to Kassandra Dickens. She is an incredibly sweet little girl who grumbles and complains all while seeking loving touches and while giving sweet little tongue kisses.

At the end of 2021, she started having blood blisters in her abdomen and we determined that the sutures used when she had been spayed had never dissolved and were "cutting her up" under her skin.

Eventually I scheduled a surgery and she was cut from sternum to her genitals to remove all of the stitches and infection.

But that was just the beginning. She contracted a staph infection during the surgery and for the next two years she was constantly on medication, loosing her hair (to almost bald down her entire body) and her skin was black from the effect of the infection.

Scalia has always worried about, and cared for, Darla.

Nothing the vet tried worked and finally, with her ears dry, black, and flaking, as also was her back, I applied extra virgin olive oil to her skin. Within a few days, her skin softened. Within a few more days, some tiny hair began to appear on her body. Within a few weeks, her staph problems were significantly reduced.

During all of this time, she rarely ate and she lost 25% of her body weight. I kept modifying her diet to get her to eat and as of early 2026, her skin has recovered, her hair is full and soft, and her body weight is even a bit more than it should be. But after so many years of trouble, I would rather her be a little fat and very happy.

She sleeps with me every night, grumbles and complains about me petting her as we are going to sleep, but if I stop, then she noses my hand for more attention and then grumbles some more.

She is so funny!

And she absolutely loves Zayne Koleski. She was with him in his very early years, and anytime she gets to see him, she is deliriously happy, as these two photos at right prove!

Kassie doesn't like the picture below, but anytime all of the dogs can get on the bed with her, they are eager to do so!

Here are some more photos of Darla