Abigail Hawk

Abigail Hawk Instagram – Bette.
The grandest dame. She came to us wonderfully vintage, at the age of 7 or maybe 8. She was found wandering in the Bronx, a mama dog, with mastitis so severe her teats drug along the sidewalk. A senior dog with little chance at a second life. The second I saw her, I fell in love and told Bryan the reason she had yet to be adopted was because she was meant to be ours. Those Bette Davis eyes sure got us good.
Canon called her Barfley Doofus, Bartsey Davoss, Betsy Darwin. A lot of folks thought us a few lettuce leaves short of a salad. What were we thinking, bringing a senior dog we knew nothing about, let alone a pittie, into a house with a baby and a 5 year-old and two unsuspecting cats? But Bryan and I are Aries, and some of our best decisions have been our most impulsive ones, and we didn’t listen. We knew she was ours.
First order of business once she was settled? A neat nip/tuck so she could face her future, full-speed ahead. Which, we learned pretty quickly, was the only way she ate. We still don’t think she knew how to chew, just inhale and then bore a hole in your soul waiting for more, confident she would succeed. (Have I mentioned those Bette Davis eyes?)
In those first few years, we discovered she had a passion for digging holes and destroying lawns. Fence footers were installed. A fancy dog run was built. Later, artificial turf arrived, and let me tell you – not all heroes wear capes.
She was a contralto tessitura, whose operatic bark greeted mailperson, sanitation worker, and neighbor alike. An excellent judge of character. Never met a male dog or firework she would remotely tolerate. Her yawns echoed throughout the house. She hated car rides and would bay with displeasure any time you made her take one. Her tail was a whip and her head was a boulder, but she wielded her obvious power with grace and gentleness. She captained our ship steadily, patiently, taking no credit for often being the only adult in the room. (Cont. in comments) | Posted on 10/Sep/2025 21:15:00