My mom’s first dog was a little mutt who was said to be part Wire-Hair Terrier and part Yorkshire Terrier.
I was kind of bored and did a google video search on the word “terrier” and came up with this video, of a wire-hair terrier and a Yorkshire terrier playing on a treadmill, and wouldn’t you know, if you averaged those two dogs out, you’d get Pearlie, my mom’s first dog.
For reference, here’s a picture of my sister as a little girl and Pearlie. Pearlie was about a 10lb dog, with a Yorkie face and silky fur, but definitely with the wire-haired terrier coloration and markings. She was a spunky, independent, mischievous dog who was not real impressed with us kids, but put up with our existence remarkably well.
Monika, who was a mutt of the rat-terrier/poodle persuasion was much more a kid dog and was my sister’s and my boon companion of childhood.
This is what happens if you fall asleep first at a slumber party. The dog sleeps on your stomach, and your sister and her ridiculous friends pose a large plush bunny wearing a Dolly Parton wig next to you and take your picture. I think I was about 13 in this picture. Monika was an extremely silly-looking dog, but highly personable, if kind of ditzy. She’s the one who used to go bike riding with me, sitting in my bike basket with her front paws on the rim of the basket, ears flapping, nose sniffing, all up for adventure. She was a good little dog.