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Writer's pictureGustavo Lira

The Significance of a Dog


Her name is Zache (pronounced “Sa - Chay”). It’s a play on the word Huisache, as in Huisache tree, which our place in Mexico is full of.


My wife and I found her under a huisache tree when we were visiting a prima.


She was about four weeks old. Alone. Full of fleas. Skinny as the branches which shaded her from the hot sun.


We assumed she was abandoned or got lost since she was at least a kilometer away from the nearest hamlet. She just laid there, dehydrated, motionless, as we approached and placed her in a basket we had with us.


We brought her home and bathed her over 30 times that afternoon, getting rid of the tens of fleas with a toothbrush.


We were at our place for navidad y año nuevo. And by the end of our stay the plan was to fly her back to the states with us. But airline restrictions prohibit transporting dogs less than four months old. She was around six weeks old, according to the veterinarian who vaccinated her in town a few days after we found her.


So, a tia took care of Zache until I drove back in February for her.


That was eight years ago.


She grew up with our two other dogs, Nico and Lola, a Plott hound and Chocolate Lab - Pitt Bull mix. They took Zache in like a long lost buddy the evening I arrived after a 3-day, 2 thousand mile drive back from El Huizachal.


She’s smart as a whip, a border collie maybe German Shepherd mix, with herder instincts. And became the leader of the pack.


Our son wanted to take her with when he moved out of the house a couple of years ago. But it wouldn’t have worked where he was moving to. Since then he’s gotten his own yellow lab which has become a buddy of Zache.


She’s a memory of our place in Mexico, which we love and miss. A memory of the reunions with primos, tios, and amistades in querido Mexico. Of my dad who drove down with me and Zache to El Huizachal about four years ago when he was still with us. (He’s pictured above walking on the property.)


Zache represents Mexico, the love we have for our place down there, memories of familia, my father, and how life is full of opportunities when walking down a dirt road on the way to el tio’s house and you’re willing to embrace the opportunity.


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