Yadi

Yadi is Piper's three-year-old littermate and the largest of the four full siblings, weighing roughly seventy-five pounds. His size may make him look serious, but his personality is pure good-natured goofball.

He is easygoing, independent and sometimes a little airheaded. Yadi does not always listen, especially when he has decided something else is more interesting. It is not a lack of ability. He simply has his own priorities and is perfectly comfortable following them.

Few things capture Yadi's attention like a squirrel. He can become completely focused on watching and searching for one, as though squirrel patrol is the most important job in the yard. Herding and free running appeal to that same instinct to move, observe and make his own decisions.

Like Rivers, Yadi would rather have room to move than take a slow, controlled leash walk. He can become reactive around other dogs while restrained, but it is not aggression. Yadi does not have a mean bone in his body. He is vocal, excited and frustrated by the leash when he would rather be free.

His favorite toy is a ball, which gives him something simple and satisfying to chase whenever the squirrels refuse to cooperate.

Yadi rarely stays in one place for long. He climbs onto the bed, settles briefly, gets back down and may return again a few minutes later. His attention always seems ready to move on to the next thing.

The funniest example of Yadi doing things his own way is his high five. The other dogs jump up to deliver theirs. Yadi sits down, lifts a paw and offers the best seated high five he can manage. It is equal parts charming, lazy and unmistakably Yadi.

He may be the distracted one, the vocal one and the biggest one, but above everything else, Yadi is simply a good boy.