Dear Lynn,

Thank you for the Christmas card you sent to our son John. We've been wanting to get in touch with you for some time to thank you for bringing Carly to us two and a half years ago. If you recall, both my wife and I had great reservations about rottweilers and John's desire to adopt one. We had just put down our second golden retriever and weren't sure we wanted another dog -- particularly one with such a shady reputation. I can still remember your calling to talk to me about John and the responsibility that goes with owning a rottie. You laid out all the reasons why he shouldn't have one, and then made a great case for why rotties don't deserve the bad rap they've gotten. About a week later you stopped by with "Fantasy" and your own two dogs... and the rest they say is history.

Carly has proved to be the most loyal, loving and affectionate dog I've ever been around. She has captured our hearts and those of our rather large extended family and friends. As you can see from the enclosed pictures, she's grown up to be quite the lady. She loves chasing squirrels and the occasional deer that come to graze in our back yard and enjoys the company of the golden next door and the two chocolate labs two doors down. When she hears the garage door opening announcing the arrival of someone, she jumps up and runs down the stairs to meet them as they walk in the door. After a long trip or a tough day at work, it's a great way to be greeted.

John will be moving into his own place soon and Carly will be joining him. Fortunately, they won't be far away and we expect to see them often. (As my wife tells anyone who asks, it's time for John to move out... but it's Carly who she is really going to miss.) So if you come across another young rottie in need of a home, I hope you will consider us. In the meantime, have a great Christmas and a happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Jed Lafferty

p.s. One of the pictures is of Carly sitting alongside a blanket we had made from a photo we had taken of her soon after she arrived. The same picture is the screensaver on my computer.