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Junior Andres Grima-Orozco’s family corgi, Dixie, trots around the garden beds beside their house, dutifully following her adoptive mother, Maria Orozco. When Orozco sits down, Dixie jumps up next to her, placing her head in Orozco’s lap and waiting impatiently for a belly rub. The smile on Dixie’s face never leaves.  

Andres said he believes it is for her joy-inducing spirit that she was chosen as Los Altos High School’s third library mascot. Out of 27 contestants, Dixie was selected by students and staff with a clear plurality, winning 36.4% of votes. 

“When you see an animal that has magnetism, you know it immediately,” Librarian Gordon Jack said. “ I submitted my own dog and I voted for Dixie.”

Students may recognize Dixie from the library’s morning announcements, where she’s featured in a lopsided orange bowtie to help Jack advertise upcoming events. According to Jack, this is essentially the mascot’s job: to uplift the community and draw attention to the library newsletter. 

“ Every great institution needs a mascot,” Jack said. “Each year, we try to find the animal in our community that best represents the values and spirit of the LAHS library.”

But Dixie’s life wasn’t always smiles — rather, she holds a story of recovery. Two months ago, Andres and his family rescued Dixie from her previous family in poor health. They spent weeks nursing her back to health, becoming familiar with their local veterinary from frequent trips. 

Andres recounted once leaving Dixie home alone while his family attended his soccer game. When they returned, Andres found Dixie in a pool of her own sickness, unable to move. 

Dixie had stomach parasites, eczema and was several pounds overweight. As corgis are known for their short legs, gaining weight can cause severe back issues and even paralysis due to lack of support. 

At first, Dixie needed time to adjust to her new life. Before she lost weight, Andres often had to push Dixie to the park in a stroller. While Dixie was staying overnight at the veterinary clinic, Andres said the house was awkwardly quiet without her. Now, Dixie loves to run.

“She’s a new member [of the family], and she is playing the perfect part,” Andres said. 

Even with her transformed body, Dixie’s spunky personality hasn’t changed. Despite being two years old, Dixie insists on only eating wet food and turns her nose up at treats that aren’t beef or chicken.

“ She acts like a big dog, she barks like a big dog,” Andres said. 

Andres suspects that Dixie’s former family used to feed her cheeseburgers, which is what made her picky. Orozco recounted coming home to find Dixie on top of the oven, attempting to snag a taste of the roasted chicken dinner she had made. 

Besides her loyalty, Andres said Dixie is very protective. When Orozco wakes Andres and his sister Michelle up for school, Dixie’s bark sounds the alarm. 

Orozco said Dixie can even understand her when she speaks Spanish at home. 

“She’s bilingual,” Orozco said. Laughing, she smiles back at Dixie, who is now splayed out on the couch beside her, dangerously close to sliding off.  

“ Whenever we leave the house, she’ll do anything to come with us,” Andres said. “She’ll block us off or she’ll stare at us until we take her.”

The Orozco-Grima family accepted Dixie as one of their own. In return, she’s filled her forever home with love and a bark far bigger than her own size.