We found Emma in a circus tent filled with border collies and “lab mixes” at a pet adoption event 12 years ago. While dozens of dogs barked, smiled, wagged, and encouraged us to pick them, she was curled up into a spotted brown ball in some wood chips, very much not into the situation. When she looked up at us with eyes that were a mix of white, blue, and brown (we soon learned that catahoulas commonly have such eyes …