S-P-I-R-I-T, and Spirit was Her Name-O

S-P-I-R-I-T, and Spirit was Her Name-O

by Madi A. 02/2026

She was born on August 5th, 2021 and arrived at their home in early fall. She was the cutest puppy with such a huge personality, coming to them at a time when everyone needed an extra cuddle. 

They had just moved to a sixty-five acre farm in the suburbs of a North Ontario town which was an adjustment for the entire family.  

There were horses in the fields, ducks in the pond, cats in the barn, birds in the trees, but there was a missing piece: there was no dog.

After researching for days and weeks, there it was,  an eight-week old Saint Bernard female looking for a forever home. Plans were made, and a road trip south brought them to the heart of their souls.

There she stood, a miniature version of her future self, with a blocky head, the biggest droopy eyes full of soul, and the longest floppy ears.

She had a thick coat, which was primarily white and covered in patches of brown. She had a white chest, legs, feet, tail tip, muzzle, and blaze on the face. Her black shading masked over her eyes, face and ears, making her one of a kind.

She was a beauty, but without a name.  There was one name that kept popping back up in the list: Spirit! She was the spirit the family needed to transition from urban living to farmland. The farm was eventually named after her, Free Spirit Ranch. It was epic; everything just flowed together, like it was all meant to be.

In no time, she was the biggest drooling machine.  When she decided to shake her head from side to side, drools flew everywhere. Yet, the gentle giant was so kindhearted.  She would nibble while teething, but biting was not in her nature.

She grew quickly, awkwardly, but eventually she proportioned into a beautiful one-hundred-thirty pound female.

Spirit believed the horses in the pasture were her buddies, but she quickly found out they were not there to entertain a four-legged playmate. The cats would hiss at her huge presence and run off into the barn's rafters and while she tried to play with, or catch the birds, realizing she wasn't going to airborne at any time soon.  

Instead, she found her joy in sticks in the pathway.  It was the perfect toy in her mind.  She would challenge herself to see how big of a branch she can actually haul around, creating priceless photos and memories. 

When she sat up, squared off on her hind legs, she showed a pride that is hard to explain. Her head was so poised, with her nose held high in the air,  almost a sign of snobbiness!

She was so loved. Even though she had the most awkward run, it was priceless to see her trot up the path. Every bone of her being moved, every inch of her coat shifted, and every muscle pushed her to her limit. 

She found the most unusual spots to fit her giant body. She would convince herself she could fit on the front dash of an SUV.  With her legs hanging, her body barely molded between the glass and the edge. They would often find her perched on the middle step in the stairway, barely fitting but perfectly content.  

She had a stuffed animal they called her baby.  She would huddle with it, cuddle it, and watch over it like it was her own pup.  

Unfortunately, a year later, they had to move and the dream of Free Spirit Ranch ended. A family friend took Spirit to his own farmland where she transitioned well.  They visited her regularly, and were as happy to see her as she was.  She would give the biggest neck cuddles which were so heart warming.  

In early fall of 2025, Spirit became ill.  She began losing weight, and was waning, and the light in her eyes began to fade. She huddled and cuddled her baby until the very end. They had to say goodbye to that gentle giant with the kind soul and the spirit in her eyes.

Found her forever home

"Her baby"

Spirit! Sitting up with pride