From a bed of weeds on the side of the road, a gangly little mutt sprang to its feet as the trucked pulled into the rest stop. With hackle raised and spine arched, a low growl emanated from its curled lips. I could now see that the brooding dog wasn’t more than a pup, despite the animal’s facade of wolf-like ferocity. The young mutt’s four oversized paws were a tell-tale sign that this dog still had some growing to do before it could fit into its clodhoppers.