![](https://marty-essen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1-Nellie-Year-1-1000x1000.jpg)
![](https://marty-essen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2-Nellie-Year-1-1000x1000.jpg)
![](https://marty-essen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/3-Nellie-Year-4--1000x1000.jpg)
![](https://marty-essen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/4-Nellie-Year-4-1000x1000.jpg)
![](https://marty-essen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5-Nellei-Year-4-1000x1000.jpg)
Marty’s photos of the day #4827-4831: On this date, four years ago, Deb and I adopted Nellie from the Bitter Root Humane Association. She was a stray, approximately 10 months old, weighing just 42 pounds. She now weighs 63 pounds, which is down from a peak of 70 pounds, after three months of inactivity due to the creation of her bionic left-rear leg (TPLO surgery to remove her cranial cruciate ligament, reshape the bone in her knee, and hold it together with a metal plate and six screws). She’s now fully recovered from that surgery, runs as fast as she ever has, and is dieting to get down to 60 pounds.
Deb and I are in agreement that Nellie is the smartest, best, and most entertaining dog we’ve ever had. We’re so lucky to have her in our family! The first two photos show Nellie shortly after we adopted her. The final three photos show Nellie from this summer.