Meet Anna—the adventurous Husky/Chesapeake bay retriever mix (a “love child” from a farm in Wisconsin) who is in charge of the home of good Sutherland SALT friend, Victor Ledesma (Kimberly-Clark Corporation) and his lovely wife, Jackie. During Anna’s seven years with the Ledesmas, she has earned a variety of nicknames as a result of her antics, including “The Boss,” “The Beast,” “The Queen,” “The Girl,” and, of course, “Honey” (one nickname has been omitted to protect Anna’s reputation).

Anna loves to hike with her bright red backpack, swim, jump in snow drifts, and chase the local squirrels and rabbits from her yard. After repeating puppy school twice, Anna has mastered a few commands—but “Come!” is unfortunately still not one of them. During one of her walks, Anna took off to chase eight deer for over a half mile, charging through a ravine and out of sight, only to be found an hour and a half later. In another adventure, Anna strutted out onto a (nearly) frozen pond and fell through the ice. Loaded down by the water bottles and dog treats in her backpack, she was unable to climb out herself and had to be rescued by her brave hero—Vic—who bravely pulled her to safety while grasping a hanging tree branch. The two emerged soaked, frozen, and muddy—making it a day they will never forget.

Along with all of her drama, Anna also offers the Ledesmas her unconditional love and companionship. When inside the house, she is by their side constantly—greeting them at the door with genuine excitement and loyally following them from room to room, even if it interrupts her slumber. And despite her energy, she has a true gentleness about her. To quote Vic, she will take celery from your fingertips “softer than a lazy winter snowfall.” All of these qualities, found in one striking puppy package, makes us proud to coin Anna’s new nickname—Sutherland SALT’s Miss December.